Red lentils cook in just 15 minutes because Turkish varieties are hulled and split—whole lentils need 45 minutes.
Turkish Lentil Soup
Dive into a bowl of delightful Turkish Lentil Soup, where velvety red lentils meet aromatic herbs for a dish that’s as comforting as it is delicious. Infused with zesty lemon and a hint of cumin, this soup bursts with flavor and makes for an irresistible starter. Get ready to warm your soul with each spoonful!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
6
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This Ottoman Empire comfort food conquered European kitchens when Turkish gastarbeiter arrived in 1960s Germany—Berlin's Turkish quarter now serves more mercimek çorbası than Istanbul, with German hausfraus swapping their heavy potato soups for this silky red lentil number that cooks faster than a Porsche hitting the Autobahn and costs less than a bratwurst.
Regional Twist
In Gaziantep province, they double the tomato paste and add a pinch of Aleppo pepper, then finish with pomegranate molasses instead of lemon juice for a sweet-tart punch that'll knock your socks clean off.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 carrots
- dried mint (to taste)
- 3 potatoes
- 1 cup (237 ml) red lentils
- 1 ½ tablespoons (22 ml) tomato paste
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- butter (to taste)
- chili powder (to taste)
- cumin (to taste)
- lemon juice (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- onion (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- water (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Wash the red lentils under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
- 2
Heat a pot and sauté 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots, and 3 chopped potatoes in olive oil until the onion is translucent (about 5 minutes on high heat).
- 3
Add the lentils, 1.5 tablespoons of tomato paste, 0.5 teaspoon of cumin, 0.5 teaspoon of chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix and sauté briefly to release the flavors.
- 4
Add hot water until everything is well covered. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- 5
Reduce the heat and let the soup simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the lentils and vegetables are soft.
- 6
Blend the soup with an immersion blender or regular blender until creamy. Add water if necessary to reach the desired thickness.
- 7
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 8
For the topping, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and mix in 1.5 teaspoons of paprika.
- 9
Serve the soup hot, topped with the butter mixture, lemon juice, and dried mint (optional chili flakes).
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Rinse red lentils until water runs completely clear to remove excess starch that can make the soup gluey - this typically takes 3-4 rinses and prevents the final texture from becoming overly thick.technique3-4 rinses
- ✓Bloom your tomato paste by cooking it for 60-90 seconds after adding to release fat-soluble lycopene and deepen umami flavors through Maillard reactions.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Toast whole cumin seeds for 30 seconds before grinding rather than using pre-ground - this activates volatile oils that are 3x more potent when fresh-ground.ingredient30 seconds, 3x potency
- ✓Add hot water instead of cold to prevent temperature shock that can cause lentils to toughen and extend cooking time by 5-8 minutes.technique5-8 minutes saved
- ✓Keep butter temperature at 250-275°F when making paprika oil to extract color compounds without burning the paprika, which turns bitter at 300°F+.equipment250-275°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
6
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Red lentils cook in just 15 minutes because Turkish varieties are hulled and split—whole lentils need 45 minutes.
Turkish Lentil Soup
Dive into a bowl of delightful Turkish Lentil Soup, where velvety red lentils meet aromatic herbs for a dish that’s as comforting as it is delicious. Infused with zesty lemon and a hint of cumin, this soup bursts with flavor and makes for an irresistible starter. Get ready to warm your soul with each spoonful!
The Story
This Ottoman Empire comfort food conquered European kitchens when Turkish gastarbeiter arrived in 1960s Germany—Berlin's Turkish quarter now serves more mercimek çorbası than Istanbul, with German hausfraus swapping their heavy potato soups for this silky red lentil number that cooks faster than a Porsche hitting the Autobahn and costs less than a bratwurst.
Regional Twist
In Gaziantep province, they double the tomato paste and add a pinch of Aleppo pepper, then finish with pomegranate molasses instead of lemon juice for a sweet-tart punch that'll knock your socks clean off.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 carrots
- dried mint (to taste)
- 3 potatoes
- 1 cup (237 ml) red lentils
- 1 ½ tablespoons (22 ml) tomato paste
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- butter (to taste)
- chili powder (to taste)
- cumin (to taste)
- lemon juice (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- onion (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- water (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Wash the red lentils under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
- 2
Heat a pot and sauté 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots, and 3 chopped potatoes in olive oil until the onion is translucent (about 5 minutes on high heat).
- 3
Add the lentils, 1.5 tablespoons of tomato paste, 0.5 teaspoon of cumin, 0.5 teaspoon of chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix and sauté briefly to release the flavors.
- 4
Add hot water until everything is well covered. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- 5
Reduce the heat and let the soup simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the lentils and vegetables are soft.
- 6
Blend the soup with an immersion blender or regular blender until creamy. Add water if necessary to reach the desired thickness.
- 7
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 8
For the topping, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and mix in 1.5 teaspoons of paprika.
- 9
Serve the soup hot, topped with the butter mixture, lemon juice, and dried mint (optional chili flakes).
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Rinse red lentils until water runs completely clear to remove excess starch that can make the soup gluey - this typically takes 3-4 rinses and prevents the final texture from becoming overly thick.technique3-4 rinses
- ✓Bloom your tomato paste by cooking it for 60-90 seconds after adding to release fat-soluble lycopene and deepen umami flavors through Maillard reactions.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Toast whole cumin seeds for 30 seconds before grinding rather than using pre-ground - this activates volatile oils that are 3x more potent when fresh-ground.ingredient30 seconds, 3x potency
- ✓Add hot water instead of cold to prevent temperature shock that can cause lentils to toughen and extend cooking time by 5-8 minutes.technique5-8 minutes saved
- ✓Keep butter temperature at 250-275°F when making paprika oil to extract color compounds without burning the paprika, which turns bitter at 300°F+.equipment250-275°F