Turkish Lentil Soup
This Turkish Lentil Soup (mercimek çorbası) is a silky, velvety bowl of comfort made with red lentils, warming cumin and paprika, and finished with a bright squeeze of fresh lemon. Ready in just 35 minutes with pantry staples, it's naturally vegan, gluten-free, and incredibly nourishing — the kind of simple, satisfying recipe you'll turn to again and again.
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven - At least 5-quart capacity
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Fine-mesh strainer - For rinsing lentils
- Immersion blender - (optional) For silky smooth texture
- Ladle - For serving
- Serving bowls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups red lentils - 300g, rinsed and drained
- 2 tbsp olive oil - 30ml
- 1 large onion - finely diced, about 1½ cups or 200g
- 2 medium carrots - diced, about 1 cup or 150g
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste - 7g
- 1 tsp ground cumin - 3g
- 1 tsp paprika - 3g
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes - 1g, adjust to taste
- 6 cups vegetable broth - 1.4L, or water
- 1 tsp salt - 6g, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper - 1g
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice - 30ml, from about 1 lemon
For Serving
- fresh parsley - chopped, for garnish
- lemon wedges - for serving
Instructions
- Place red lentils in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water, swirling with your hand, until the water runs clear. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5–6 minutes until soft and translucent, then add carrots and cook 3–4 more minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and stir for 1 minute to cook off the raw flavor. Sprinkle in cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes, then stir and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the rinsed lentils, then pour in the vegetable broth. Add salt and black pepper, stir to combine, and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring every 5–7 minutes, until lentils are completely soft and beginning to dissolve into the broth.
- For a silky texture, use an immersion blender directly in the pot and blend for 30–60 seconds until smooth. Alternatively, leave it chunky or blend in batches in a regular blender.
- Stir in fresh lemon juice, taste and adjust salt, and let the soup rest off heat for 2–3 minutes for flavors to meld.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, and lemon wedges on the side. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
- Rinse lentils thoroughly until the water runs clear to remove excess starch and prevent a gummy texture.
- Don't skip toasting the spices and tomato paste — those 30–45 seconds dramatically deepen the flavor of the soup.
- Use good-quality vegetable broth; since the recipe is so simple, the broth quality really comes through.
- Always add the lemon juice at the end of cooking — adding it earlier diminishes its bright, fresh flavor.
- Red lentils continue to absorb liquid as they sit, so make the soup slightly thinner than desired before storing.
- To make it heartier, stir in ½ cup uncooked rice along with the lentils, or add a can of drained chickpeas at the end.
- For extra heat, double the red pepper flakes or add a diced jalapeño with the onions.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4–5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thin with broth when reheating.
- Refresh leftovers with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of parsley after reheating.
- This soup can also be made in an Instant Pot: sauté aromatics, add remaining ingredients (except lemon and parsley), and pressure cook on high for 8 minutes with natural release.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 10gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0.7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.6gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.4gSodium: 580mgPotassium: 520mgFiber: 7gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 25mg
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