Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe (Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi)
This authentic Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Kırmızı Mercimek Çorbası) is a silky, one-pot comfort food made without flour or cream. It is a staple recipe that I grew up eating during the winter months. My mother’s foolproof method uses carrots and potatoes for a naturally creamy texture that matches the best lokantas (local restaurants) in Istanbul. Naturally vegan, gluten-free.
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion medium-sized, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 carrot medium-sized, diced (about ½ cup)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin optional
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon red pepper paste or tomato paste (optional)
- 1 Yukon gold potato medium-sized, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 cup red lentils rinsed and drained
- 6 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus, more for serving
For The Chili Oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter* or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Urfa chile powder or red pepper flakes, or paprika
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and cumin, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the onions are softened.
- Stir in the garlic and red pepper (or tomato) paste, saute, stirring constantly, for about a minute.
- Add the cubed potatoes and red lentils.
- Pour in the vegetable broth. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Put the lid on and bring it to a boil. Once boiled, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring a few times.
- Using an immersion blender*, carefully puree the soup until smooth and creamy. Stir in the lemon juice, taste for seasoning, and add more if necessary. Set it aside.
- To make the chili oil, melt the butter (or vegetable oil) in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir the chili pepper (or paprika) and mix to combine.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle it with a few tablespoons of the chili oil. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Video
Notes
- Yields: This makes about 8 cups of soup, ideal for 6 servings. The nutritional values below are per serving and include the optional chili oil.
- Butter or oil: You can make the chili oil with either butter or olive oil. To keep it vegan, use olive oil for the sizzled chili garnish; otherwise, use butter for the traditional restaurant-style finish
- A word on the amount of lemon juice: The most important ingredient in this recipe is lemon juice. I listed only 2 tablespoons in the recipe card, but when I make it for my family, I usually triple that amount as we like it that way. So, feel free to add more after giving it a taste.
- 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. You may have to add a splash of water if it is too thick.
- Updated: After a recent visit to Turkiye and having this soup on multiple occasions, I decided to update the recipe post with the chili drizzle (as opposed to making it optional) An earlier version of this recipe was served with croutons, which is also a good option, but the authentic version is almost always served with the oil drizzle so the newly updated version reflects that.
Nutrition
Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 1540mg | Potassium: 503mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2496IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 3mg
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