Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Helene Dsouza

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (1)Helene Dsouza

A smooth Turkish soup made with split red lentils and a selection of spices. This soup is then topped with a refreshing topping.

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

2 servings

4.9 from 14 votes

VIDEO RECIPE

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (2)

Turkish red lentil soup is a blended smooth soup prepared with veggies, red masoor lentils and selected spices.

A topping made of olive oil, chili and mint, takes this soup to a whole new level.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (3)

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (4)

Global Food Recipes

with Spices and Herbs

Free E-Book available for a limited time. Grab yours now and get instantly inspired!

The Turkish lentil soup is stuffed with flavors, and you can make the Mediterranean lentil soup at home from scratch within30 minutes in just one pot!

Jump to:
  • 🧅 Ingredients
  • 🔪 How to make it?
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 🍴 Serving Ideas
  • 🍱 Storage
  • 📕 What is Turkish lentil soup?
  • 🇹🇷 What is this soup known as in Türkiye?
  • 👁️ More Plant-Based Lentil Soups
  • 💬 Comments

I came across this red Turkish lentil soup recipe ages ago via the Turkish diaspora in Austria and Germany.

Some of the Turkish run Dōner/Kebap stalls also offer more than just shawarma style stuffed flatbreadand koftas. That is howI fell in love with this red lentil soup.

🧅 Ingredients

Here is what you need in a nutshell. Please refer to the printable recipe with measurements for details further below.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (5)
  • Red Lentils — aka Masoor dal. Get the split ones or whole variety. Split masoor lentils are better because they cook through faster. You can buy these lentils in all major supermarkets but also in Indian grocery stores.
  • Garlic, fresh
  • Onion
  • Tomato
  • Carrot
  • Olive Oil
  • Paprikasweet or smoked Paprika
  • Cumin Seeds, ground
  • Tomato Sauce (optional)
  • Vegetable Broth — or Concentrated Stock or Bouillon cube mixed in Warm Water.

For the topping, which you shouldn't skip because it adds so much flavor, use the following ingredients:

🔪 How to make it?

Step 1

Rinse and soak lentils.

Prep vegetables.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (6)

Step 2

Sauté onion and vegetables and stir in seasoning.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (7)
Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (8)

Step 3

Stir in strained lentils and broth.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (9)

Step 4

Mix and then simmer until the lentils are soft.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (10)
Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (11)

Step 5

Blend to a smooth soup with an immersion blender.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (12)

Step 6

Take from the heat and stir in lemon juice, pepper, and salt.

Pour soup into bowls or soup plates and top with olive oil, chili flakes and freshly chopped mint.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (13)
Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (14)
Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (15)

📖 Recipe

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (16)

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe

A smooth Turkish soup made with split red lentils and a selection of spices. This soup is then topped with a refreshing topping.

4.93 from 14 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 493kcal

Recipe by: Helene Dsouza

Ingredients

The Soup

The Topping

Instructions

For the Soup

  • Rinse lentils well and keep soaking for at least 5–10 minutes while you prepare the vegetables. The longer you soak the lentils (20-30 mins), the better, as it cuts cooking time and helps in the digestion.

    1 Cup Red Split Lentils

  • Prepare veggies. Chop garlic, slice onion, dice tomato and slice carrot.

    2 Pieces Garlic Cloves, 1 Onion, 1 Tomato, 1 Carrot

  • Chop Mint and keep aside. This will be a garnish.

    a few Mint Leaves

  • Heat up a pot with the olive oil and sauté onion over a medium heat setting until soft.

    1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, 1 Onion

  • Then stir in the garlic, tomato, and carrot and cook for 2–3 minutes while stirring occasionally.

    2 Pieces Garlic Cloves, 1 Tomato, 1 Carrot

  • Reduce the heat or take the pot from the heat. Season with paprika and cumin powder, and add a tablespoon of tomato paste.

    1 Teaspoon Paprika, ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds Ground, 1 Tablespoon Tomato Sauce

  • Take back to the heat or increase to a medium heat setting. Stir-cook the whole content for 1–2 minutes.

  • Strain lentils. Pour the lentils into the pot with the broth.

    1 Cup Red Split Lentils, 3 Cups Water mixed with concentrated Stock

  • Mix the whole content well and cook for 10–15 minutes over a medium-high heat setting. The lentils will fill out the pot, and they are done cooking when they are soft.

  • Blend with a hand blender into a smooth soup without pieces and bits.

  • The soup should be still hot, but not over a heating source. Stir the lemon juice into the soup. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

    1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice, ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper Ground, To Taste Salt

For the Topping

  • Pour the hot soup into serving bowls and garnish with olive oil, chili pepper flakes, and freshly chopped peppermint.

    1-2 Tablespoon Olive Oil, Red Chili Pepper Flakes, a few Mint Leaves

Notes

  • Lentils should always be rinsed a few times with clear water to get rid of impurities. This also helps your digestion later.
  • You get whole red masoor lentils or split red masoor lentils. Try to get the split ones because they cook faster, but the whole ones are fine too.

Equipment

  • Hand Blender

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe

Amount Per Serving (438 g)

Calories 493Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Sodium 1507mg63%

Potassium 1375mg39%

Carbohydrates 78g26%

Fiber 33g132%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 27g54%

Vitamin A 7010IU140%

Vitamin C 24.3mg29%

Calcium 90mg9%

Iron 8.6mg48%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

🍴 Serving Ideas

I serve this soup as a lighter dinner meal with bread and occasionally a side dish salad.

A flatbread such as a za'atar bread compliments this lentil soup. But you can get a toasted garlic bread too or a baguette.

I think a middle eastern dip can be a great addition, such as a Labneh or a Hummus.

A light vinaigrette-based side dish salad such as a shredded carrot salad, green lettuce salad or easy kohlrabi salad compliments the red lentil soup really well.

🍱 Storage

You can keep soup leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 5 days.

This soup can be frozen in batches for busy work days. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, or in the microwave, or over the stove-top in a pan.

The topping can be added just before the serving and shouldn't be frozen with the soup.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (17)
Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (18)

📕 What is Turkish lentil soup?

The main ingredient of a Turkish lentil soup is the split red lentils (masoor dal lentil variety).

This particular red lentil soup is cooked and then blended into a smooth soup.

While the soup ingredients might vary across Türkiye, depending on the region and ethnicity, the Turkish red lentil soup is always blended into a smooth soup.

Lentils, Tomato, Garlic, and Onions are the main ingredients of the Turkish cuisine and these ingredients are commonly used in this soup as well.

In a nutshell, the Turkish lentil soup incorporated local ingredients from Türkiye, reflecting the Mediterranean cuisine beautifully with a touch of middle eastern flair.

Similar soups can be found in countries in the area, such as Lebanon and Syria.

🇹🇷 What is this soup known as in Türkiye?

In Turkish, the famous lentil soup is known asmercimekçorbası.

Mercimek (pronounced asmaertschimek) means lentils, andçorbası (pronounced tschorbasi) means soup in general.

👁️ More Plant-Based Lentil Soups

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (19)

Global Food Recipes

with Spices and Herbs

Free E-Book available for a limited time. Grab yours now and get instantly inspired!

00

Days

:

00

Hours

:

19

Minutes

:

59

Seconds

You missed out!

Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (20)
Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the most famous soup in Turkey? ›

Mercimek soup, known as Turkish lentil soup, is one of the most favored traditional soups in Türkiye. It's a very simple dish requiring only a few ingredients yet its taste is matchless! Lentils are legumes that are very high in fiber, are packed with vitamin B, and a great source of potassium.

Do you need to soak red lentils before making soup? ›

No, there is no need to soak red lentils before cooking but it is a good idea to give them a quick rinse.

What is the history of lentil soup in Turkey? ›

The history of this soup goes back to the Neolithic times since lentils were one of the first cultivated plants. Archaeologists find evidence of lentil cultivation in Turkey in Çayonü dated at 6700 B.C. There are 58 different types of lenses in the world today, grown in different sizes and colours.

What is Moroccan lentil soup made of? ›

Add the water, lentils, chick peas, white kidney beans, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, garam masala, cardamom, cayenne pepper and cumin. Bring to a boil for a few minutes then simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or longer, until the lentils are soft. Puree half the soup in a food processor or blender.

What is the No 1 soup in the world? ›

According to the Taste Atlas Awards, the international food database, the Filipino favorite, Sinigang, is hailed as the best soup in the world.

Do Turkish people eat soup for breakfast? ›

(Kalvo says there may even be more than 500 different recipes). So it's almost a given that during life's most memorable times, soup was on the Turkish table. “Turkish people have soup for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night meals.

Is it bad not to rinse red lentils? ›

It's best to be safe and rinse and sift through them before cooking, because no one wants to break a tooth by biting down on a rock. Follow this tip: Give the lentils a good rinse in a colander to remove any debris and sift through them to be sure there are no hidden stones tucked among the legumes.

Can you overcook lentils in soup? ›

Yes, you can overcook lentils; they will become mushy. Much depends on the type of lentil you're using. Some cook quicker and hold their shape better than others. To avoid overcooking them, always follow the cooking directions in your recipe and use the type of lentils called for in the ingredient list.

Which lentils are healthiest? ›

Urad dal or black lentil is one of the most nutritious pulses known to mankind. Low in fat and calories, Urad dal helps to improve digestion. With it being a rich source of protein and vitamin B3, it makes our bones stronger and is said to boost energy levels, enhance heart health and strengthen our nervous system.

Is it healthy to eat lentil soup every day? ›

Eating more lentils may help people maintain a healthy weight or lose weight. Replacing energy-dense (or high calorie) foods with legumes such as lentils can help people prevent or manage obesity and lose weight. Research suggests that regularly eating lentils may help with the management and prevention of diabetes.

What is the white foam on lentil soup? ›

That means the foam will typically appear when making meat-based broths and, to a lesser degree, soups made from high-protein vegetables such as chickpeas and lentils. When those coagulated proteins cluster together, they can create air pockets, which is what causes the “sudsy bubbles,” says Trout.

What is a fun fact about lentil soup? ›

Lentils are a type of pulse. The name “pulse” refers to pols, a thick soup. They grow in pods and appear as lens-shaped seeds. Lentils were among one of the first crops to be domesticated in the Near East and have been part of our diets since the Stone Age.

What is Lebanese lentil soup made of? ›

It's traditionally made with red lentils, onions, cumin, and lemon juice. But my mom always added short-grain rice and carrots to her lentil soup recipe to make it hearty and colorful, so that's what I started doing.

How do you make Jamie Oliver lentil soup? ›

Heat the oil in a large pan on a medium heat, add the garlic, carrots and bouillon powder (see below), then fry gently for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly. Add the lentils, then pour in 1 litre of water and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.

Why do Mexicans eat lentils? ›

Lentils for Good Fortune

For Mexicans, eating a spoonful of cooked lentils is meant to bring good fortune in the coming year. Alternatively, a bag of dried lentils is left outside the front door.

How many types of soup are in Turkey? ›

There are more than 300 kinds of soup in the Turkish cuisine. Soups can be consumed any time of the day in Turkey and may be served hot or cold depending on the recipe and ingredients. And if a soup is accompanied by plenty of Turkish bread, it can be sufficient for a meal.

What is soup in Turkish? ›

Turkish Translation. çorba. More Turkish words for soup. çorba noun.

What do Turkish people eat when sick? ›

The most popular soup would be lentil soup or tarhana. On the other hand, chicken soup is always considered like a medicine for people with cold or flue.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dr. Pierre Goyette

Last Updated:

Views: 6096

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dr. Pierre Goyette

Birthday: 1998-01-29

Address: Apt. 611 3357 Yong Plain, West Audra, IL 70053

Phone: +5819954278378

Job: Construction Director

Hobby: Embroidery, Creative writing, Shopping, Driving, Stand-up comedy, Coffee roasting, Scrapbooking

Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.