As soon as the temperatures start going down, we switch from simple salads to veggie-packed soup recipes like this Turkish lentil soup. If you have ever visited Turkey, chances are that you know this is one of the most popular Turkish Soup recipe.
In the archives of this website, there are many different soup recipes that you can make that are similar in nutrition and style, such as my Green Lentil Soup, Carrot Ginger Soup, and Vegan Sweet Potato Soup. So, if you are a fan of veggie-packed creamy soups, you are in the right place.
Why You Should Try This Recipe
This hearty soup recipe is a must-have for days when you want something quick and easy but nutritious at the same time. It is also:
- Quick and Easy To Make: This Turkish lentil soup recipe requires 6 ingredients, is made in one pot, and takes about 30 minutes to cook so you don’t have to worry about taking up copious amounts of time and effort for this delicious meal.
- New to red lentils? No problem: Red lentils are a staple of most Turkish kitchens but if you are new to cooking with red lentils, this recipe is an easy place to start! The simple steps that I will go into detail below will make cooking with red lentils a breeze.
- Diet-Friendly: In addition to being highly nutritious, thanks to lentils, this heart-warming soup is also an excellent option for those looking for a vegan and gluten-free meal.
Ingredient Notes
To make this Traditional Turkish red lentil soup recipe, gather yellow onion, red lentils, garlic, potatoes, carrot, vegetable stock, and salt and black pepper.
While those are the basic ingredients you will need, below I am including a few add-ins and swaps you can use:
- Tomato Paste or Red Pepper Paste: If you want to add a little more color or spice to your soup, consider adding a tablespoon of tomato paste or red pepper paste.
- Chicken Broth: Although this Turkish lentil soup is vegan by default, you can always substitute vegetable broth for chicken stock. If you go with chicken stock, I would recommend using 4 cups of stock and 4 cups of water, as all chicken stock might be a little bit overpowering.
- Additional Seasoning: If you want to add a little extra flavor to your soup, try incorporating fresh herbs and spices such as fresh parsley, fresh mint, ground cumin, and/or red pepper flakes.
How to Make It?
This velvety Red Lentil Turkish soup recipe is easy to make and requires just a few basic steps. Here is how I make it:
- Prepare Ingredients: Cut up your onion and carrots (size can vary based on preference) and mince 3 cloves of garlic. Next, rinse your lentils in a colander under cold running water. Finally, cut a small potato into 1-inch cubes.
- Combine Ingredients & cook: Combine onion, carrots, garlic, lentils, and potato in a large pot or large saucepan. Add vegetable stock, salt, and pepper. Give it a quick stir. Put the lid on and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it comes to a boil, turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes or until a knife inserted in one of the vegetables comes in and out easily.
- Blend: Off the heat, blend using an immersion blender (aka hand blender) until it is smooth and creamy. Heat the soup for one additional minute just to make sure it is nice and warm.
- Check for Seasoning: Taste for seasoning and add in if necessary. Ladle soup into soup bowls. If you prefer, top each bowl off with croutons and a pinch of sumac or red pepper flakes/Aleppo pepper.
How to Serve
There are many traditional ways to serve this soup. Below you will find my favorite flavor-enhancing ways to serve this simple dish.
- Lemon Wedges: The traditional Turkish lentil soup is always served with lemon wedges on the side as a squeeze of lemon juice truly takes it to a whole new level and brightens the flavors.
- Crusty Bread or Croutons: Serve it with a few slices of Brioche, No Knead Bread or Challah. Or go with croutons.
- Aleppo Pepper Oil – The Butter Drizzle: While it takes a few extra minutes to prepare, drizzling it with melted butter is not only the traditional way of serving it but also a wonderful addition to up the flavors of this red lentil stew. To do so, warm up half a stick of butter (4 tablespoons) in a small skillet over low heat until lightly browned. Add in 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or Aleppo pepper, if you have it). Then right before serving, drizzle each bowl with a tablespoon of the butter drizzle. With that being said, if you are short on time, you can finish it off with a drizzle of olive oil as well.
How to Store and Freeze
- Storage: If you have leftovers, bring your lentil soup to room temperature and store it in an airtight container. When kept refrigerated, your soup should remain fresh and tasty for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: To freeze, bring it to room temperature, place it in an airtight container and freeze upto 2 months.
- To Thaw: Remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Heat in a small saucepan before serving.
Expert Tips
Here are a few helpful tips to help make the best red lentil soup possible:
- Consistency: I followed in the footsteps of my mom and used 8 cups of liquid. However, if you want your soup to be thicker, you can use less liquid or if you want it to be thinner you can add in more. Either way, I recommend making adjustments in half a cup increments.
- Texture: It is easy to adjust the texture of this lentil soup to your taste. If you prefer your soup to be silkier, simply blend it longer. If you prefer a chunkier version, blend until it reaches the consistency you like.
- No immersion blender? No problem: If you do not have an immersion blender, a regular blender or food processor will also work. Just be sure to be careful if you are using one of these alternatives, as the soup will be super hot.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No. There is no need to soak your red lentils before cooking this soup because they already cook so quickly. As long as you have given your lentils a thorough rinse, you do not need to do any extra work.
Yes, you should. Simply place it in a colander and rinse under cold running water for a minute or so before using it in your recipe. Taking a few extra minutes to rinse lentils helps eliminate any dirt or debris that may be hiding amongst the lentils
A cup of Turkish lentil soup is about 193 calories without any of the optional toppings.
Yes, it is. According to Healthline, lentils are highly nutritious, with high levels of fiber, minerals, and vitamins. They are also high in polyphenols (active compounds that fight against harmful agents in the body), which have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Other Turkish Dishes You May Like:
In most Turkish households, this soup is served as a starter. If you want to dip your toes into Turkish cooking and turn it into a whole meal, here is a simple (beginner-friendly) menu to help you achieve that.
- Salad: Piyaz Salad aka White Bean and Tomato Salad
- Main Course: Turkish Kofte aka Turkish Meatballs or Turkish Stuffed Eggplant
- Side dish: Bulgur Wheat Pilaf
- Dessert: Easy Turkish Baklava
If you try this Red Lentil Turkish Soup recipe or any other one of our soup recipes on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It is a great help to others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi)
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
- 1 1/4 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 small potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large carrots – chopped, approximately 1/2 cup chopped
- 8 cups vegetable stock, or a combination of water and stock
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Optional Toppings
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 cup croutons
- lemon wedges
- 1 tbsp sumac
- Pinch of Aleppo Pepper, Urfa Chili or red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add onion, red lentils, garlic, potato, and carrot in a medium size heavy bottom pot. Pour in the stock.
- Bring it to a boil in medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to low and let it cook until lentils are softened and potato cubes and carrots are cooked, 10-15 min. You can check doneness by inserting a knife in one of the vegetables. If it comes in and out easily, it should be good to go.
- Off the heat, puree the soup using an immersion blender or do it batches using a food processor or blender.
- Put it back on the heat, bring it to a one last boil.
- Taste for seasoning and add if necessary. Ladle into bowls.
- Serve it immediately with croutons, chopped parsley, and lemon wedges (optional).
Video
Notes
- This recipe was originally published in 2014. It has been updated with new images since then. In the earlier version, I didn’t have carrots in the recipe, but lately, I like to add them because of the flavor and color. If you watch the video that was published earlier, you will see that I didn’t use carrots but please know that you can make this soup with or without carrots.
- Optional Butter drizzle: While it takes a few extra minutes to prepare, drizzling it with melted butter is not only the traditional way of serving it but also a wonderful addition to up the flavors of this red lentil soup. To do so, warm up half a stick of salted butter (4 tablespoons) in a small skillet over low heat until lightly browned. Add in 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or Aleppo pepper, if you have it). Then right before serving, drizzle each bowl with a tablespoon of the butter drizzle.
- Consistency: I followed in the footsteps of my mom and used 8 cups of liquid. However, if you want your soup to be thicker, you can use less liquid or if you want it to be thinner you can add in more. Either way, I recommend making adjustments in half a cup increments.
- Storage: If you have leftovers bring them to room temperature and store them in an airtight container. When kept refrigerated, your soup should remain fresh and tasty for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: To freeze, bring it to room temperature, place it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
- To Thaw: Remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Heat in a small saucepan before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Turkish Lentil Soup recipe was originally published in April 2014. It has been updated with new photos and more helpful information in September 2021.
Decent recipe, thanks for sharing. Shame no effort was made to publish the recipe in more accurate metric units for the world beyond the US border.
Our whole family loves this simple but tasty recipe – takes us back to holidays in Turkey. Thank you!!!
Sounds lovely, can’t wait to try it out! Thank you.
Thanks for coming by Sue. I hope you like it as much as we do.
Dear Aysegul, this soup is fantastic. Quick to make, usually with only pantry staples and cheap too. But, the taste……it is magical. Really really good, my hubby could not believe how good it turned out. I really love Turkish cuisine, especially the abundance of veggies in it, so please keep the good recipes coming!
This is music to my ears Alex. I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed my recipe. Thanks so much for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Cheers!