Mercimek Çorbası

Name: Mercimek Çorbası
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 200g Red Lentils, picked over and rinsed; 1 Onion, chopped; 1 Carrots, chopped; 1 Potatoes, peeled and chopped; 1.3 l Water; 1 tbsp Tomato Paste, domates salçası; 1 tbsp Turkish Red Pepper Paste, biber salçası, mild; 2 tbsp Olive Oil, or 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp butter; 1 tsp Ground Cumin; 1 1/4 tsp Salt, fine; 1/2 tsp Pepper (Black); 2 tbsp Butter; 1 tsp Sweet Paprika; 1 tsp Dried Mint; 1 Lemon, cut into wedges; 1/2 tsp Pul Biber, Aleppo pepper, optional

Mercimek Çorbası is a smooth, comforting Turkish red lentil soup brightened with tomato and pepper pastes and finished with a smoky paprika-mint butter. Velvety and nourishing, it’s easy to make and finished with a squeeze of lemon for a vibrant lift—perfect as a starter or a light meal.

Mercimek Çorbası is a smooth, comforting Turkish red lentil soup brightened with tomato and pepper pastes and finished with a smok... Show more

Traditional Turkish Recipe

Health Grade

S · Outstanding

Rating

4.4

Time

45 min

Price

0,48 €

Calories

348 kcal

vegetarian

low calorie

easy

one pot

Method

Prep the vegetables

Pick over and rinse the Red Lentils, then peel and chop the Onion, Carrots, and Potatoes into small, even pieces. Keeping everything roughly the same size helps the soup cook evenly and blend smoothly later.

Build the base

Heat the Olive Oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes until they start to soften. Stir in the Tomato Paste and Turkish Red Pepper Paste, then cook for 1 minute more so the pastes lose their raw edge. Finish by stirring in the Ground Cumin, Salt, and Pepper (Black).

Simmer the soup

Pour in 1.2 l of Water and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook for 20 minutes until the lentils and vegetables are very soft.

Blend until smooth

Take the pot off the heat and blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. If it seems too thick, blend in a splash of hot water until it reaches a soup consistency you like.

Finish the drizzle

Melt the Butter in a small pan over low heat, then stir in the Sweet Paprika and Dried Mint for 1 minute just until fragrant. Take it off the heat as soon as the spices bloom, because paprika can turn bitter if it darkens.

Serve hot

Ladle the soup into bowls, spoon the hot butter mixture over the top, and serve with Lemon wedges on the side. Add a pinch of Pul Biber (Aleppo pepper, optional) if you want a little heat.