Turkish Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)
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Prep Time15 mins.
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Cook Time40 mins.
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Serving6
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Ready In50 mins.
Anytime I go out for some Turkish cuisine, no matter what time of the year it is, I always have to order their red lentil soup, known as Mercimek Çorbası. This soup 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.
Mercimek Çorbası is a very popular soup in Turkish cuisine. This lentil soup has been a staple in Turkey for centuries. Lentils are incredibly popular throughout the entire Mediterranean. There are so many different types. The red lentils are what is used in this dish. They come red/orange in color and turn yellow once cooked. They can be found at almost all grocery stores.
How to make Mercimek Çorbası
When cooking with red lentils, you have to very thoroughly wash the lentils until the water runs almost clear. You want to remove most of the starch. The soup starts out by sauteing the vegetables in some olive oil. Once slightly seared, the tomato paste and red pepper paste are added.
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 have had this soup, it was very smooth but, I also have had it once or twice unblended. So, feel free to use an immersion blender to blend the soup, keep it as is, or, half-blend it like I do for a semi-smooth soup.
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
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