Authentic Turkish Lentil Soup – Mercimek Çorbası

A spoon full of hot turkish lentil soup with garnishing of parsley and lemon slices
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
Ratings 3.5 from 1 votes
Cuisine: Ramadan & Eid
Courses: Appetisers & Snacks, Soup, Vegan
Servings: 4
Ingredients
  • 1.5 cup Red Lentils
  • 2 Large Onions
  • 2 Medium Carrots
  • 4 clove Garlic Minced
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Puree
  • 1 tbsp Sweet pepper paste (Optional)
  • 2 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp Aleppo Pepper (Pul Biber)
  • 2 tsp Ground Turmeric
  • 6-8 cup Water or Broth
Instructions
  1. 1

    Start by rinsing and draining the red lentils.

  2. 2

    Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, and sauté the onions and garlic for about two to three minutes, until the onions are translucent.

  3. 3

    Add the chopped carrots, and continue to sauté for another five minutes, until they start to soften.

  4. 4

    Add the tomato paste, and all other spices and stir to combine until aromatic. 

  5. 5

    Then, add the rinsed and drained red lentils to the pot, and stir to combine with the other ingredients.

  6. 6

    Add six cups of water or broth to the pot, and bring the mixture to a boil.

  7. 7

    Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the lentils and vegetables are fully cooked and tender.

  8. 8

    Optional - Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the soup until it is smooth and creamy.

  9. 9

    Season the soup more if necessary, add the lemon juice and give it a final stir.

  10. 10

    Serve the soup hot, with more fresh lemon juice and some chopped parsley.

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Read it online: https://peanutswirls.com/recipe/turkish-lentil-soup-mercimek-corbasi/