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    Home » Soups » Turkish Red Lentil Soup

    Turkish Red Lentil Soup

    Published: Apr 7, 2022 · Modified: Apr 7, 2022 by Amira · This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

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    Creamy Turkish lentil soup, Mercimek çorbası is a popular soup in Turkish cuisine. This soup can easily be made at home with few ingredients and in less than 30 minutes and it is full of richness and authentic flavor.

    Next time, try this Instant pot potato soup.

    An overhead shot of white soup bowls with bread sliced on  the side.

    Vegetables are cooked until fragrant and tender. Water, lentils and seasonings are added and cooked and blended together resulting in a soup bursting with intense flavors and vibrant color. Top the soup off with the incredible taste of a paprika oil (easily made stove top) and lemon wedges.

    This easy homemade soup takes less than 30 minutes of cook time and makes for a delicious meatless dinner any night of the week.

    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why You'll Love It
    • 📝 Ingredients
    • 🥄 Instructions
    • 💡 Expert Tips
    • 💬 FAQs
    • 🍽️ Serve With
    • 👩‍🍳 Variations
    • 🧺 Storage
    • 📣 More Recipes From the Blog
    • Turkish Red Lentil Soup

    ❤️ Why You'll Love It

    • Quick and easy soup, ready in only 30 minutes..
    • Hearty and loaded with vegetables.
    • Soup cooks easily in one pot which makes them great for busy weeknights.
    • Vegan friendly and kid friendly dinner.

    Turkish lentil soup is packed full of plant-based protein, fiber and folate from the red lentils, fresh vegetables, and seasonings. A creamy soup perfect for any night of the week and a great way to get your kids to eat their vegetables.

    📝 Ingredients

    Turkish lentil soup ingredients on a marble surface.

    📋 Ingredient Notes

    • Olive oil: Used to sauté the onion and for use as a garnish.
    • Red lentils: The preferred lentils for this recipe as they cook quickly in water or broth.
    • Onions, carrots, and potato.
    • Tomato paste : for color.
    • Ground cumin, Salt & pepper.
    • Aleppo pepper: adds a touch of heat to the soup.
    • Water or vegetable stock.
    • Paprika: Used to make the garnishing oil for the soup.
    • A squeeze of lemon for the final touch.

    🥄 Instructions

    A collage of four images showing how to make lentil soup.
    • In a pot over medium heat, add oil and sauté onion until it is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
    • Add tomato paste and mix the onions for about 30 seconds.
    • Add carrots, potatoes, and lentils, stirring everything together for another minute.
    • Pour in boiling water and all the spices and mix everything well.
    Turkish lentil soup in a pot.
    • Cover the pot and cook on medium for about 20-30 minutes or until everything is well cooked. Using an immersion blender or a normal blender, blend the soup to the consistency you like.
    A collage of two images showing how to make paprika oil for the soup.
    • Make the paprika oil by heating oil in a skillet then add paprika, stir and turn heat off.

    💡 Expert Tips

    • You can add a couple of tablespoons of flour to the onion-tomato mixture to thicken the soup instead of using the potato.
    • If the soup is too thick for your liking, add more boiling water.
    • You can use vegetable or chicken stock instead of water too.
    • If you can't find Aleppo pepper or don't like the spiciness, then you can use paprika.
    • You can use a regular blender if you do not have an immersion blender.

    💬 FAQs

    What color lentil is better for soup?

    Traditional Turkish lentil soup uses red lentils as they cook quickly when added to broth or water without getting mushy.

    Do I need to soak or cook red lentils before adding to soup?

    Nope! The only prep that red lentils need before adding to soup is a quick rinse with water. Red lentils get tender when they cook in the soup so they do not need to be cooked beforehand.

    🍽️ Serve With

    Turkish red lentil soup is hearty enough to have alone but also goes well with a salad, air fryer garlic bread or crackers.

    👩‍🍳 Variations

    • Chopped tomatoes can be added for additional flavor at the same time you are sautéing the onions and garlic.
    • Fresh mint goes well with this soup.

    🧺 Storage

    Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in your refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer. When reheating on your stove top, if the consistency is thicker than when you first made it, try adding a tiny bit of water and stirring until desired thinness is reached.

    A spoon scooping some Turkish lentil soup to show texture.

    📣 More Recipes From the Blog

    • Try the Egyptian version of this red lentil soup, it is hearty and you can pretty much throw in any vegetable you like.
    • Harira is another hearty soup from Morocco featuring lentils, chickpeas, lamb and much more.
    • This Lebanese lentil soup is filling, vegan and has a lot of texture in it.
    • If you love barley you are going to like this instant pot beef and barley soup, very filling and earthy.

    I hope you'll like this recipe and please if you make this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #amiraspantry — I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter!
    Don’t want to miss a recipe? Sign up for the FREE Amira's Pantry newsletter delivered to your inbox with lots of tips and surprises! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the latest updates.

    If you like this recipe do not forget to give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and attach a photo of your finished dish. It is always a pleasure of mine to see your photos and check your own take of the recipe. Thank you.

    A top view of a white bowl filled with Turkish red lentil soup.

    Turkish Red Lentil Soup

    Lentil soup comes in so many shapes and forms in the Middle East and even in one country, you can find a lot of varieties. Here is a simple and delicious Turkish lentil soup served with a drizzle of paprika oil and lemon wedges.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
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    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Middle East, Turkish
    Diet: Halal, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 240kcal
    Author: Amira

    Equipment

    • Medium sized pot with cover
    • Immersion blender

    Ingredients

    • 2 teaspoon olive oil
    • 2 cups red lentils
    • 1 medium onion chopped
    • 2 large carrots diced
    • 1 medium potato peeled and diced
    • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
    • 1 teaspoon salt or to your liking
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 8 cups boiling water 2 liters

    For the garnishing oil:

    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon paprika

    Instructions

    • In a pot over medium heat, add oil and sauté onion until it is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
    • Add tomato paste and mix with the onions for about 30 seconds.
    • Add carrots, potatoes, and lentils, stirring everything together for another minute.
    • Pour in boiling water and all the spices, mix everything well.
    • Cover the pot and cook on medium for about 20-30 minutes or until everything is well cooked.
    • Using an immersion blender or normal blender, blend the soup to the consistency you like.

    For the garnishing oil

    • In a skillet, heat olive oil, then turn off the heat and add the paprika, stir a couple of times.
    • Ladle soup in bowls topped with paprika oil.

    Notes

    • You can add a couple of tablespoons of flour to the onion-tomato mixture to thicken the soup instead of using the potato.
    • If the soup is too thick for your liking, add more boiling water.
    • You can use vegetable or chicken broth instead of water too. 
    • If you can't find Aleppo pepper or don't like the spiciness, then you can use paprika.
    • You can use a regular blender if you do not have an immersion blender.
    To Store:
    • Leftover Turkish lentil soup can be stored in an air tight container for up to 5 days in your refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer. When reheating on your stove top, if the consistency is thicker than when you first made it, try adding a tiny bit of water and stirring until desired thinness is reached.
    Variations:
    • Chopped tomatoes can be added for additional flavor at the same time you are sautéing the onions and garlic.
    • Fresh mint goes well with this soup.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 679mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2832IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 4mg
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    About Amira

    I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by! My hope is to introduce you to new flavors, creative ways and fresh takes on favorites. To help you create food with style that will bring everyone around your kitchen table. From weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean. One thing in common, they are all recipes that have been tried and tested by family and friends.

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    Comments

    1. Debi Brand

      April 08, 2022 at 5:35 pm

      5 stars
      I had a Turkish student who lived with me while she attended a local university. She made this for me when I was sick with a bad cold. It was SO soothing. It had the right amount of spice to open up my nose. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It is so good!!!!

      Reply

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    I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by! This blog combines weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean. One thing in common, they are all recipes that have been tried and tested by family and friends. Read More…

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