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    (Mercimek Corbasi)Turkish Lentil Soup

    April 8, 2021 by Ayla Clulee 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Mercimek Corbasi (Turkish Red Lentil Soup) is a nation's favourite and it is almost on every restaurant's menu. It is quite similar to Ezogelin Soup which is another type of Turkish legume soup, and it can be quite confusing when you want to order in a restaurant. This extremely delicious & creamy soup is super easy to make in just half an hour!

    Turkish lentil soup served with cheese gozleme
    Super creamy Red Lentil Soup served with Gozleme (Turkish Pancakes).
    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works?
    • Ingredients and Substitutes
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Related Recipes
    • Top Tip From the Chef
    • Mercimek Corbasi (Turkish Lentil Soup)

    Red lentils are widely used in Turkish cuisine thanks to their soft texture and versatility. Also, they are very nutritious and packed with vitamin B and potassium. Dishes such as Ezogelin Soup and Mercimek Kofte (Lentil Balls) are a few popular Turkish dishes made with red lentils.

    Mercimek Corbasi is best when served with Bazlama

    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 Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi (Red Lentil Soup) 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 Turkish Red Lentil Soup with simple pantry ingredients like red lentils, onions, garlic, and spices without any trip to the supermarket.
    • You can replace butter with olive oil and use vegetable stock to make this delicious Mercimek Corbasi vegan friendly.
    • It is super simple and quick to prepare, and it has a short cooking time which makes it perfect for an easy weekday meal.
    • It is full of nutrition, extremely delicious and super creamy without any cream added.

    Ingredients and Substitutes

    Ingredients for Turkish lentil soup.
    Ingredients for Turkish Mercimek Corbasi
    • 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.
    • Carrots - A small size of carrot is added for some extra flavour, colour and nutrition.
    • Potatoes - It provides a creamy texture as well as flavour.
    • Onions - Gently sauté them with butter until soft. You can use brown, white or yellow onions.
    • Olive Oil - Use a good quality olive oil to gently sauté the onions.
    • Garlic - It is a great flavouring and 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 chilli 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 Lentil Soup. However, to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:

    Prepare the Soup Base

    To make this delicious 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.

    saute the onions with olive oil

    Add the paprika, salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until fragrant while stirring constantly for about 30 seconds.

    add the spices

    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 stock.

    Add the potatoes and carrots

    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.

    cook the soup

    Blitz

    Remove the pan from the heat, using a hand 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 mint&paprika infused butter and serve with lemon wedges while still hot.

    blitz in a food processor

    Related Recipes

    For more delicious&cosy soup recipes why not try:

    • Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Celeriac
    • Thermomix Pumpkin Soup
    • Autumn Squash Soup
    • Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
    • Ezo Gelin Corba
    • Yayla Corbasi (Turkish Yoghurt Corbasi)
    • Hot and Sour Chicken Soup
    • Wild Garlic Soup
    • Sulu Kofte (Turkish Meatball Soup)
    Is lentil soup healthy?

    Yes, lentil has lots of health benefits and also they are very affordable. They are high in protein, low in fat, full of fibre, and a good source of iron. They are also good for your bones and a very good source of folic acid. And lastly, One portion of this scrumptious soup has only 266 kcal!

    Do you need to soak lentils for lentil soup?

    No, red lentils cook easily and quickly, between 15 minutes and half an hour.

    How to serve Mercimek Corbasi?

    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 chilli and dried mint to drizzle on top. Bread is the best accompaniment to this soup so why not try it with my Homemade Toast Bread (super easy and delicious!), Tawa Naan with Garlic or Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread)?

    Top Tip From the Chef

    You can make this delicious soup with leftover roast potatoes and carrot&swede mash from your roast dinner! Simply sauté some onions, add the lentils and stock along with your leftover vegetables from the roast dinner.

    I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious and healthy Turkish Lentil Soup as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂

    Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!

    Turkish lentil soup garnished with mint&paprika infused butter

    Mercimek Corbasi (Turkish Lentil Soup)

    Extremely creamy, healthy, and delicious! Perfect soup to serve for your family for cold winter nights.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine Mediterranean, Turkish
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 266 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Kitchen Digital Scale
    • 1 Measuring Spoons
    • 1 Peeler
    • 1 Lodge 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven.
    • 1 High Heat Silicone Spatula
    • 1 Stick Hand Blender

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 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)
    • 1.2 litres 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, cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds.
    • Pour in the potatoes and carrots, cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, in order to enhance their flavour 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, puree the soup until smooth, almost creamy.
    • Melt the butter on low heat and add the paprika along with the dried mint to 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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 266kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 15gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 610mgPotassium: 764mgFiber: 17gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2193IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword Dinner, Easy Dinner Recipes, Easy Recipes, Traditional Turkish Recipes
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Food safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    This post use affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

    « Shish Tawook (Turkish Chicken Kebab)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ayla

      August 03, 2021 at 3:20 pm

      5 stars
      Super easy

      Reply
    2. Kathleen

      March 24, 2022 at 5:42 am

      5 stars
      This soup is delicious! I’ve made it so many times I’ve lost track. Thank you!

      Reply

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    Hi! Thank you for visiting Cooking Gorgeous. My name is Ayla, and I’m a professional chef based in the UK. The kitchen is my happy place and cooking is my therapy. To me, food is more than ingredients and nutrition; it is a language of love, a way of expressing compassion.

    In Turkish culture, food is at the centre of every gathering: religious holidays, birthdays, celebrations, funerals and the list goes on. So, probably like many others, I love food. And not just the food itself, but also the process of preparing the food fascinated me from a very young age. 

    More about me →

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