This traditional Turkish Lentil Soup also called Mercimek çorbası is a uniquely fragrant, cozy and satisfying soup perfect for chilly days. You can make it in no time and enjoy for lunch or hearty dinner. This soup is vegan and gluten-free.
Cozy and creamy soups are the best for cozying up to in cold winter months.
Today's Turkish Lentil Soup is the perfect recipe for that.
I love Turkish cuisine. Despite that I've never been to Turkey, its food is famous for being ultra flavorful and delicious.
If you had a chance to try my Turkish Muhammara Dip, you know that it's true.
Ingredients are usually simple, but their combination is what usually produces phenomenal results.
Ingredients
This traditional Turkish Lentil soup consists of simple ingredients. You may already have them in your pantry.
- olive oil, butter
- lentils. Traditionally red lentils are used. Make sure to rinse them well before cooking
- onion, carrot - white or yellow onion
- flour - you may use gluten-free flour
- tomato paste
- spices - cumin, ground red pepper or sweet paprika
- black pepper - so this soup is a bit spicy. The recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of black pepper but if you're serving it to young children or you don't like it spicy, feel free to reduce the amount of pepper to ¼ or ½ tsp
- chives - optional
Instructions
This vegan Turkish Style Lentil Soup is extremely easy to make. That's why it makes an excellent choice for busy weeknight dinners.
1. Sauté the onion
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté stirring occasionally until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients
Add flour and stir for a minute. Add tomato paste and stir for another minute. Add carrot, lentils and water, cover the pot with a lid and simmer on a low heat until lentils are soft, about 15 minutes.
4. Prepare the red pepper sauce
While the soup is cooking, melt butter in a small skillet and over medium heat. Add ground red pepper or paprika, stir for 10 seconds and remove from the heat.
3. Puree and season the soup
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Add cumin and season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve
Ladle soup into a bowl, garnish with red pepper sauce and sprinkle on some chives if desired.
Storage tips
Mercimek soup tastes best when consumed on the same. If however, you have leftovers or do meal prep, keep in mind that soup tends to thicken with time.
You can store it in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up 3 to 4 days. When you're ready to eat it, I recommend thinning the soup with a bit of water and simmering in a pot for a few minutes.
Similar Recipes
Recipe
Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion minced
- 1 tablespoon flour use GF flour if needed
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 large carrot diced
- 1 c red lentils rinsed
- 4 c water
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon ground red pepper or sweet paprika Note 1
- 1 teaspoon chives chopped, optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot and over medium heat. Add onion and sauté stirring occasionally until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add flour and stir for a minute. Add tomato paste and stir for another minute. Add carrot, rinsed lentils and water, cover the pot with a lid and simmer on a low heat until lentils are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt vegan butter in a small skillet and over medium heat. Add ground red pepper or sweet paprika, stir for 10 seconds and remove from the heat.
- Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Add cumin and season with salt and black pepper.
- Ladle soup into a bowl, garnish with red pepper sauce and sprinkle on some chives if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Anne G says
Loved this soup and easy to make. The red pepper sauce is a hit, I only used 1/2 tsp red pepper and the rest paprika. Thank you.
Iryna says
Anne, thank you so much for your comment! I'm so happy you loved this recipe!
Melissa Nolan says
I have used chicken broth if I don’t have vegetable broth, used parsley if I don’t have chives.
STRONGLY disagree that it doesn’t save well. I freeze it and use it weeks later and if anything it’s better. I make the pepper sauce when I reheat the soup. Either way , one of our favorite soups.
Iryna says
Hi Melissa! Thank you so much for your comment! I'm happy you like this recipe and good to know that it freezes well.
Rehoboth says
Great post!
Thanks
Purak says
Decent recipe, thanks for sharing. Shame no effort was made to publish the recipe in more accurate metric units for the world beyond the US border.
Iryna says
Purak, thank you for your feedback! I'm aware that Imperial system is mostly utilized by the US. Conversion of units is something I plan to work on and implement in the nearest future.
Purak says
Thank you for responding. I look forward to that. You have some great recipes and I'd like to try more of them out. Just tricky when it's all in cups and spoons 🙂
all the best
P
Mashka says
So easy to cook. Thank you!
Gardengirl says
I’ve made this soup many times over the last two years. I serve it with a salad and crusty bread. Since it’s just my husband and me, we have left overs. I’ve found this soup freezes well. We get two dinners and a couple of lunch servings from each batch.
Iryna says
Gardengirl, thank you so much for your comment and a 5-star rating! I'm happy you enjoy this soup and thank you for the tip regarding freezing it. I'm going to add this to the recipe notes.
Eric Bernard Reiman says
I made this soup a week ago and loved it so much I tried again this week! Excellent recipe. The only slight thing I would add, is to make sure at the end of all the steps that it has enough salt. I have had to add extra both times. So just add in the recipe at the end to check for all seasoning levels and enjoy!
I served it alongside some crusty bread and I include the chives. 🙂
I now look forward to every recipe you post!
Iryna says
Hi Eric! Thank you so much for your comment and kind words! I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe. And you are right, proper seasoning is a key to obtaining a delicious taste at the end.