Go Back
A bowl of creamy Turkish red lentil soup drizzled with red chili butter and served with lemon wedges.
Print Recipe

Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Corbasi)

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 220kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 1 medium onion , finely diced
  • 1 medium carrot , grated
  • 1 medium potato , peeled and diced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried mint
  • 1 teaspoon sal t
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red chili flakes
  • 1 lemon , cut into wedges

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat and sauté the onion, carrot, and potato for 5-7 minutes until softened.
  • Add the tomato paste, cumin, and dried mint, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant.
  • Incorporate the rinsed red lentils and the broth into the pot.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the lentils are completely soft.
  • Remove from heat and process the soup with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy.
  • Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  • In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the Aleppo pepper until the butter turns red and foams.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with the chili butter, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.