LunchMain CourseSoup

Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)

Name: Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: turkish
Ingredients: 1.5 cup red lentil rinsed; 1 pcs yellow onion finely chopped; 1 pcs carrot peeled and finely chopped; 2 clove garlic minced; 6 cup vegetable broth; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp dried mint; 0.5 tsp red pepper flake; 0.5 tsp cumin ground; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper ground; 0.5 pcs lemon for serving (optional)

This hearty and flavorful Turkish red lentil soup is a staple, known for its vibrant color and comforting taste. It's a simple, nourishing, and naturally vegan soup, perfect for a light lunch or a starter.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time: 45 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Per serving: 437 kcal

VeganVegetarianGluten-free

Mise en place

Ingredients

1.5 cupred lentil, rinsed
1 pcsyellow onion, finely chopped
1 pcscarrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 clovegarlic, minced
6 cupvegetable broth
1 tbsptomato paste
1 tspdried mint
0.5 tspred pepper flake
0.5 tspcumin, ground
2 tbspolive oil
1 tspsalt
0.5 tspblack pepper, ground

garnish

0.5 pcslemon, for serving(optional)

Equipment

large pot · knife · cutting board · immersion blender

The method

Step by step

1
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
About 1 min
2
Add the yellow onion and carrot to the pot and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until softened.
About 7 min
Cook’s note: Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
3
Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, dried mint, red pepper flake, and cumin. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Be careful not to burn the garlic.
4
Add the rinsed red lentil and vegetable broth to the pot. Season with salt and black pepper.
About 1 min
5
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are very tender.
About 25 min
Cook’s note: Stir occasionally to ensure the lentils don't stick to the bottom.
6
Carefully blend the soup using an immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, transfer batches to a regular blender and blend until smooth, then return to the pot.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: If using a regular blender, be cautious when blending hot liquids, and do not overfill the blender.
7
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
About 1 min
8
Serve hot, garnished with a squeeze of fresh lemon if desired.

Per serving

Nutrition

68%Score

Calories: 436.9kcal
Protein: 25.1g
Carbs: 66g
Fat: 8.6g
Fibre: 11.8g
Sugar: 6.3g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or broth if it's too thick.