Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi in Turkish) is a light, nutritious, and comforting soup made with red lentils, vegetables, spices, and stock.
This extremely delicious & creamy soup is super easy to make, and ready in just 30 minutes, perfect dish for a busy weeknight dinner!
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Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Corbasi) is a nation's favorite and it is almost on every restaurant's menu.
It is quite similar to Ezogelin Corbasi (Ezogelin Soup) which is another type of Turkish legume soup, and it can be quite confusing when you want to order in a restaurant.
Red Lentils in Traditional Turkish Cuisine
Red lentils are widely used in Turkish cuisine thanks to their soft texture and versatility.
Dishes such as Ezogelin Corbasi (Ezogelin Soup) and Mercimek Kofte (Vegan Lentil Balls) are popular Turkish dishes made with red lentils.
Red lentils are very nutritious and packed with vitamin B and potassium.
Also, they are a great source of proteins, which makes the soup suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
Soup has a very special place during the fasting period of Ramadan and the evening meal traditionally starts with a piece of olive or date followed by a bowl of warm&cosy soup.
And Turkish Red Lentil Soup - Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi is possibly the most preferred soup as it is healthy, full of nutrition, and very easy to put together.
Why This Recipe Works?
- You can make this Red Lentil Soup recipe with basic ingredients like red lentils, onions, garlic, and spices without any trip to the supermarket.
- It is super simple and quick to prepare, and it has a short cooking time which makes it perfect for an easy weekday meal.
- You can replace butter with olive oil and use vegetable stock to make this delicious Kirmizi Mercimek çorbası vegan friendly.
- This simple soup is full of nutrition, extremely delicious, and super creamy without any cream added.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Red Lentils - These edible legumes are a kitchen staple in Turkey and are used for making soups such as Ezo Gelin Corba, or vegetarian meatballs - Mercimek Kofte (Lentil Balls) or even filling for boreks. You can easily find them in large supermarkets or Middle Eastern shops.
- Garlic - It is a great flavoring and is widely used for many Turkish dishes. Use fresh garlic if possible. Roughly chop it before adding to the soup.
- Spices - This soup recipe calls for simple spices such as freshly ground black pepper and paprika. Adjust the amount to your taste and add some Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (pul biber) if you want a bit of heat!
- Butter - Gently melt the butter and infuse with dried mint and paprika for extra depth of flavour and garnish your soup with a few drops of this butter.
Step-by-Step Instructions
It is extremely easy to make Mercimek Corbasi.
However, to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:
Prepare the Soup Base
To make this traditional soup, place a pan on medium heat then add the olive oil.
Add the onions along with the garlic and sauté until soft and translucent.
Add the paprika, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until fragrant while stirring constantly for about 30 seconds.
Pour in the potatoes and carrots, cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, to enhance their flavour then add the red lentils along with the vegetable broth or chicken stock.
Cook the Soup
Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils, carrots, and potatoes are soft.
Blitz
Remove the pan from the heat, using a hand blender, immersion blender, or food processor, and purée the soup until smooth, almost creamy.
Taste and season with more salt and black pepper.
Garnish with a few drops of dry mint and paprika-infused melted butter and serve with lemon wedges while still hot.
Top Tips From the Chef
- Sautéing onions and garlic in olive oil before adding the lentils and broth enhances the soup's flavor base.
- Adjust the texture of Lentil Soup to your taste. This recipe will give you a medium-bodied velvety soup. If you like your soup thicker, use less stock, and if you like it thinner, add more stock to your soup.
- Mercimek Corbasi is a great way to use up leftover Roast Potatoes and Swede and Carrot Mash from your roast dinner! Simply sauté some onions, add the lentils, and stock along with your leftover vegetables and potatoes. Cook until the lentils are soft and blitz into a smooth &velvety soup.
Serving Suggestions
The most popular way to serve this delicious and healthy soup is with lemon wedges while still hot.
You can also melt some butter with chili and dried mint to drizzle on top.
Bread is the best accompaniment to this soup so why not try it with my super easy and delicious Homemade Sandwich Bread, Pakistani Roghni Naan, Little Caesars Italian Cheese Bread, Turkish Pide Bread - Ramazan Pidesi, Mexican Cornbread, or Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread).
Add some salad to your soup to make it a substantial meal such as Russian Salad (Olivier Salad), Orzo Pasta Salad, or Baba Ganoush Without Tahini.
Lentil Soup is also a great appetizer and can be served with Creamy Shrimp Risotto With Peas, Cokertme Kebabi, Salmon and Spinach Quiche, and Tavuk Sote (Turkish Chicken Sauté).
Recipe Variations
- Add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice into the soup before serving to brighten up the flavors.
- Blend in a bit of tomato paste or red pepper paste for a flavorful depth that complements the lentils.
- Roast red peppers, then blend them with the lentils for a flavorful combination.
- Add a spoonful of harissa paste for a North African-inspired spicy and rich flavor.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Mercimek Corbasi is best served hot and fresh.
If you have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
If you want to store them for longer, this delicious soup freezes beautifully.
To freeze, bring it to room temperature, place it in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 5 months.
To reheat, place the soup in a saucepan with a splash of water and simmer it on low heat until it is heated thoroughly.
Recipe FAQs
No, red lentils cook easily and quickly, between 15 minutes and half an hour.
Yes, you can control the thickness of the soup by adding more or less water or broth during cooking.
Related Recipes
For more delicious&cosy soup recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this hearty and delicious Turkish Red Lentil Soup - Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
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Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi)
Equipment
- 1 peeler
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- ⅓ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 small potato (approx 100-120 grams) (diced roughly 2 cm size)
- 1 small carrot (approx 100-120 grams) (diced roughly 2 cm size)
- 200 g red lentils (1 cup)
- 1 l vegetable or chicken stock (5 cups)
- 30 g butter (for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon paprika (for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon dried mint (for garnish)
Instructions
- Place a pan on medium heat then add the olive oil.
- Add the onions along with the garlic and sauté until soft and translucent.
- Add the paprika, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until fragrant while stirring constantly for about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the potatoes and carrots, cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, in order to enhance their flavor then add the red lentils along with the stock.
- Raise the heat medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils, carrots, and potatoes are soft.
- Remove the pan from the heat, using a hand blender or food processor, and puree the soup until smooth, and almost creamy.
- Melt the butter on low heat and add the paprika along with the dried mint to the butter, gently simmer for a few minutes.
- Taste the soup and season with more salt and black pepper.
- Garnish with a few drops of mint&paprika infused butter and serve with lemon wedges while still hot.
Notes
- Adjust the texture of Lentil Soup to your taste by adding or reducing the amount of the stock.
- Sautéing onions and garlic in olive oil before adding the lentils and broth enhances the soup's flavor base.
- Mercimek Corbasi is a great way to use up leftover roast potatoes and carrot&swede mash from your roast dinner!
- You can replace butter with olive oil and use vegetable stock to make this delicious Mercimek Corbasi vegan friendly.
- Red Lentil Soup - Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi is possibly the most preferred soup during Ramadan as it is healthy, full of nutrition, and very easy to put together.
- This recipe is super easy to make, and ready in just 30 minutes, perfect dish for a busy weeknight dinner!
Nutrition
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Ayla
Yum! My easy go-to recipe ..great with naan bread
Kathleen
This soup is delicious! I’ve made it so many times I’ve lost track. Thank you!
Fatima
Amazing recipe! So easy and really delicious. The addition of lemon juice takes it to the next level.
Melissa S
I made this for dinner last evening. Followed the recipe precisely but added a tablespoon of Turkish spicy pepper paste to the sautéed onions and garlic. Brilliant. Cozy indeed.
Ayla Clulee
I am so pleased you liked the recipe and thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience.
Best wishes
Ayla x
Leone Evrenos
Just made an eaten this soup, It is delicious! I had it with my homemade rustic olive bread. Will definitely make again and add some red pepper paste or harissa.
Ayla Clulee
Dear Leone,
I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup! Adding red pepper paste or harissa is a great idea for a little extra kick—let me know how it turns out next time!
Best wishes
Ayla x
Nuray
I was searching for easy-not complicated- but delish Turkish food recipes for ever. Now I can finally cook with amazing results which is mind blowing for someone who is not into cooking for 40 years. I love the "notes" section. I have 3 dishes I will try today: this soup, meatballs ( a hit and a miss in my kitchen) and the baklava cheesecake. Wish me luck and thank you for the great recipes.
Ayla Clulee
Dear Nuray, thank you so much for your kind words! It truly makes me so happy to know the recipes are helpful and inspiring, especially for someone stepping into the kitchen after so many years. I’m thrilled you’re giving them a try—three dishes in one day sounds amazing! I’m sure you’ll nail the soup, meatballs, and baklava cheesecake. Wishing you all the best of luck, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any tips along the way. Happy cooking, and thank you again for your lovely comment! 😊
Ayla x