Turkish Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)
-
Prep Time15 mins.
-
Cook Time40 mins.
-
Serving6
-
Ready In50 mins.
Turkish Lentil Soup, or Mercimek Çorbası, is a creamy, comforting Turkish soup made with red lentils, vegetables, tomato paste, and warm spices.
This easy lentil soup is naturally vegan when made with water or vegetable broth and gets its signature flavor from cumin, dried mint, and a touch of Turkish red pepper paste. It reminds me of the Lebanese shawrabat adas (Yellow Lentil Soup.) It is very similar in taste and texture but, with a different flavor profile from the mint, tomato paste and fresh lemon juice.
What Kind of Lentils Are Used in Turkish Lentil Soup?
Turkish lentil soup is made with red lentils, the same type of lentils I use in my Yellow Lentil Soup. They are small red or orange lentils that you can find at most Middle Eastern grocery stores or Indian markets. They are also commonly available at larger supermarkets.
One thing that can be confusing is that red lentils don’t stay red or orange after cooking. As they cook, they soften and break down and turn a beautiful golden yellow, which is why this soup has its signature yellow-orange color (depending on how much tomato paste you add).
Lentils are also a great ingredient to keep on hand. They are a good source of plant-based protein, fiber, and other nutrients, making them a filling and nutritious base for vegetarian and vegan soups.
How to make Turkish Lentil Soup
When cooking with red lentils for a soup like Mercimek Corbasi, you have to wash the lentils very thoroughly until the water runs clear. Similar to rice, you want to remove most of the starch. The soup starts out by sautéing the vegetables in some olive oil. Once slightly seared, the tomato paste and red pepper paste are added.
What is Turkish Red Pepper Paste?
Red pepper paste is essentially crushed and dried red bell peppers until they are made into a paste, similar to tomato paste. It is quite popularly used in Turkish dishes, but, also in Middle-eastern dishes. If you cannot find this paste, you can omit it. Sautéing the red pepper paste along with the tomato paste really helps bring out the flavor. From here, you add the washed lentils along with water or chicken broth and cook until the lentils are soft.
Almost every time I’ve had this soup, it has been very smooth, although I’ve also had it unblended a few times. You can use an immersion blender to make it completely smooth, leave it unblended for more texture, or blend it halfway like I do for a semi-smooth consistency.
How to serve this soup
Typically, Mercimek Çorbası is served with warm, crispy Turkish pide bread. Both are very commonly enjoyed during Ramadan in Turkey. So, this soup has become on regular rotation for my family during Ramadan. The lentil soup is served with some fresh lemons on the side which, really takes the soup to the next level.
My kids also love this soup, so it is very family friendly. It is loaded with protein and iron from the lentils and vegetables. This soup can be vegan or not by just easily omitting the chicken broth. It is also quite filling! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
STEP 1
Prepare your vegetables by finely dicing the onion. Dice the washed and peeled carrot and potato into ½ inch cubes. Crush the garlic.
STEP 2
Heat up the olive oil in a medium-sized pot.
Sauté the onion until golden.
Add the carrot and potato and sauté for a few minutes before adding the crushed garlic. Sauté for one more minute.
STEP 3
Add the tomato paste and red pepper paste and cook for one minute.
STEP 4
Wash the lentils very thoroughly until the water runs almost clear. Add the washed lentils to the pot and top with six cups of water (or chicken broth). Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes until lentils are cooked through.
STEP 5
Season the soup with salt, cumin, and white pepper.
STEP 6
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup to your preference.
I like to blend it about halfway to keep some texture.
STEP 7
Add the dried mint and simmer for a few minutes.
Serve with some freshly squeezed lemon juice and crusty bread.
Turkish Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)
Ingredients
- 1½ cups Red Lentils
- 1 Onion
- 3 Cloves of Garlic
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Potato
- 2 tb. Tomato paste
- 2 tsp. Red Pepper Paste
- 3 tb. Olive Oil
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 2 tsp. Cumin
- ½ tsp. White Pepper
- 1 tb. Dried Mint
- 6 cups Water or Chicken Broth
Instructions
- Prepare your vegetables by finely dicing the onion. Dice the washed and peeled carrot and potato into ½ inch cubes. Crush the garlic.
- Heat up the olive oil in a medium-sized pot. Sauté the onion until golden. Add the carrot and potato and sauté for a few minutes before adding the crushed garlic. Sauté for one more minute.
- Add the tomato paste and red pepper paste and cook for one minute.
- Wash the lentils very thoroughly until the water runs almost clear. Add the washed lentils to the pot and top with six cups of water (or chicken broth). Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes until lentils are cooked through.
- Season the soup with salt, cumin, and white pepper.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup to your preference. I like to blend it about halfway to keep some texture.
- Add the dried mint and simmer for a few minutes. Serve with some freshly squeezed lemon juice and crusty bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Reviews