Mercimek Çorbası

Mercimek Çorbası

Mercimek Çorbası

Veg Vegan

A velvety red lentil soup blended with onion, carrot, and cumin, finished with a swirl of chilli butter — Turkey's most beloved everyday soup, served with lemon and crusty bread.

Cuisines

Turkish

Best for

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Build a full meal around Mercimek Çorbası

Get a matched combo of sides and accents

Recipe

Prep: 10 min Cook: 35 min Total: 45 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

Red Lentil 1 cup Red Lentil
Onion 1 medium Onion , chopped
Carrot 1 medium Carrot , chopped
tomato paste 1 tablespoon Tomato paste
olive oil 2 tablespoons Olive oil
Cumin 1 teaspoon Cumin , ground
paprika 1 teaspoon Paprika
water 4 cups Water
salt — Salt , to taste
Black Pepper — Black Pepper , to taste
Wedge 1 lemon Wedge , for serving

Instructions

  1. 1 Rinse the red lentils under cold water until the water runs clear.
  2. 2 In a pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
  3. 3 Add the chopped onion and carrot, and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.
  4. 4 Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, and paprika, and cook for another minute.
  5. 5 Add the rinsed lentils and water to the pot.
  6. 6 Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft.
  7. 7 Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth, or leave it chunky if preferred.
  8. 8 Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  9. 9 Serve hot with lemon wedges on the side.

Tips

For a richer flavor, you can use chicken or vegetable stock instead of water.