Easy Turkish Lentil Soup - This hearty Turkish Lentil Soup (Mercimek Corbası) is light, healthy and full of flavour. This is one of the first recipes I made for the blog and also a recipe that I was reminded of a couple of years later on a Naturopathy course.
Easy Turkish Lentil Soup
I love this Turkish Lentil Soup. It is so easy to make and feels light on the stomach too.
You only need a few spices and other basic ingredients in this recipe.
The best bit? It is ready to eat in under 30 minutes.
Also.. It doesn't feel heavy like some soups.
It doesn't hit your stomach, then clunk down to the bottom of it rendering you useless for the next couple of hours.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need:
Olive Oil - Nothing too strong flavoured.
Red Lentils and Bulgur Wheat - Both cook quickly and make for a nice thick soup.
Vegetable or Chicken Stock - Or Water.
Tomato Puree - Or Turkish Sweet Red Pepper Paste. Optional - not traditional.
Onions - Caramelised onions make the base of this Soup.
Herbs and Spices - Garlic, Ground Cumin, Smoked Paprika or Aleppo Pepper, Dry Mint, Chilli Flakes, Salt and Pepper.
The Garlic, Paprika, Chilli Flakes are Optional - not traditional.
Lemon Juice - Fresh, zingy Lemon Juice brings the whole soup together.
How to make it
Wash the Lentils and Bulgur Wheat and then boil in stock or Water for 25 - 30 minutes. Topping up when needed.
Skim off any foam.
Add Oil to a pot.
Once hot, add Onions and Garlic. Cook on low for 15 - 20 minutes.
Add Cumin, Paprika, Chilli Flakes, Salt and Pepper, Tomato Puree and Mint. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the boiled Lentils/Bulgur Wheat.
Cook for 5 minutes.
At this stage you can blend the soup or leave it as it is.
Stir in the Lemon Juice.
Variations
Add a Chilli Oil.
Many Turkish Recipes are topped with a Chilli Oil. Such as Turkish Cilbir – Poached Eggs in Yoghurt or Manti Recipe.
To make it, melt a few tablespoons of butter in a pan and add 1 teaspoon of Aleppo Chilli. Stir to combine and pour over the top of the Soup.
You can use half Rice and half Bulgur Wheat in this Recipe.
Storage
More Soup Recipes:
Creamy Chicken, Orzo and Mushroom Soup
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Easy Turkish Lentil Soup
Ingredients
Soup
- 300 g Red Lentils
- 100 g Bulgar Wheat
- 3 l Veg/Chicken Stock or Water
- 3 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Onions Diced
- 6 cloves Garlic Crushed, Optional
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika or Aleppo Pepper, Optional
- ¼ teaspoon Chilli Flakes Optional
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoon Tomato Puree or Turkish Sweet Pepper Paste
- ½ teaspoon Dry Mint
- 3 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Wash the Lentils and Bulgur Wheat and then boil in stock or Water for 25 - 30 minutes. Topping up when needed. Skim off any foam.
- Add Oil to a pot.
- Once hot, add Onions and Garlic. Cook on low for 15 - 20 minutes.
- Add Cumin, Paprika, Chilli Flakes, Salt and Pepper, Tomato Puree and Mint. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the boiled Lentils/Bulgur Wheat. Cook for 5 minutes.
- At this stage you can blend the soup or leave it as it is. Stir in the Lemon Juice.
Notes
Variations
Add a Chilli Oil. Many Turkish Recipes are topped with a Chilli Oil. Such as Turkish Cilbir – Poached Eggs in Yoghurt or Manti Recipe. To make it, melt a few tablespoons of butter in a pan and add 1 teaspoon of Aleppo Chilli. Stir to combine and pour over the top of the Soup.Storage
Nutrition
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