Turkish Red Lentil and Yogurt Chowder with Mint Butter

Name: Turkish Red Lentil and Yogurt Chowder with Mint Butter
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil; 1 large (250 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely diced (about 1½ cups); 1 medium (120 g) carrot, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced; 1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste; 2 tsp (4 g) Aleppo pepper flakes; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 1½ cups (300 g) split red lentils, rinsed and drained; 1 lb (450 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes; 6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth; 2 cups (480 ml) water; 1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1½ cups (360 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature; 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch; 2 tbsp (30 ml) cold water; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about ½ lemon; freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 1 tbsp (2 g) dried mint, crumbled between your fingers; 1 tsp (2 g) Aleppo pepper flakes

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A velvety, gently tangy chowder of red lentils and tender potatoes, enriched with whole-milk yogurt and finished with a sizzling Aleppo pepper and dried mint butter. Comforting, vegetarian-friendly, and on the table in about an hour.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 5 min
Makes: About 2.5 quarts (2.4 L), 6 generous bowls

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the chowder
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 large (250 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely diced (about 1½ cups)
1 medium (120 g) carrot, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced
1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste
2 tsp (4 g) Aleppo pepper flakes
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
1½ cups (300 g) split red lentils, rinsed and drained
1 lb (450 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups (480 ml) water
1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
For the yogurt liaison
1½ cups (360 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature
1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch
2 tbsp (30 ml) cold water
To finish
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about ½ lemon
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the mint butter
3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tbsp (2 g) dried mint, crumbled between your fingers
1 tsp (2 g) Aleppo pepper flakes

Equipment (7)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with lid
Fine-mesh sieve
Immersion blender or potato masher
Medium mixing bowl
Whisk
Small skillet or saucepan (8-inch / 20 cm) for the butter
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Take the yogurt out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead so it is at room temperature; cold yogurt is more likely to curdle in hot soup.
Use full-fat (whole-milk) plain yogurt. Low-fat and non-fat versions split much more easily.
Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear.
Aleppo pepper (pul biber) is mild and fruity; if substituting, see the substitutions list so the heat stays balanced.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Dice the onion and carrot, mince the garlic, and cut the peeled potatoes into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes.
- Rinse the red lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water for about 30 seconds, shaking until the water runs mostly clear, then drain.
- Set the yogurt on the counter.
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Ready when: Potato cubes are roughly uniform so they cook at the same rate.
Tip: Keep cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water if prepping far ahead, then drain well before using.
2
Sweat the aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the onion, carrot, and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with pale golden edges; carrot is just beginning to soften.
Tip: If the onion starts to brown quickly, lower the heat; browning gives a different, less delicate flavor.
3
Bloom paste and spices
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper, and cumin.
- Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, pressing the paste against the pot bottom.
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Ready when: Tomato paste darkens to brick red and the mixture smells fragrant, with no scorched smell.
Tip: Splash in 2 tablespoons of the broth if anything sticks or darkens too fast.
4
Add lentils and liquid
- Stir in the lentils and potatoes, coating them in the spiced vegetables.
- Pour in the broth and water, add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and scrape up any browned bits.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, about 6 minutes.
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Ready when: Liquid is at a steady rolling boil with pink-orange foam forming on top.
Tip: Skim off the foam with a spoon for a cleaner flavor and texture.
5
Simmer until tender
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and simmer gently for 22 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes and scraping the bottom, since lentils settle and can scorch.
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Ready when: Lentils have collapsed into a thick puree and a potato cube crushes easily against the pot side with a spoon.
Tip: If the chowder thickens too much, stir in up to ½ cup (120 ml) hot water.
6
Make it creamy
- Turn the heat to low.
- Use an immersion blender to pulse the soup 5 to 6 times, leaving plenty of potato chunks.
- Alternatively, mash about one-third of the soup against the pot side with a potato masher for 1 minute.
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Ready when: Soup looks thick and creamy but still has visible chunks of potato and carrot.
Tip: Don't fully puree; the chunks are what make it a chowder.
7
Temper the yogurt
- In a medium bowl, stir the cornstarch into the cold water until smooth.
- Add the yogurt and whisk until completely smooth.
- Slowly ladle in 1 cup (240 ml) of the hot soup, whisking constantly, then add a second cup the same way.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth, warm, and pourable, with no lumps or streaks of white.
Tip: The cornstarch stabilizes the yogurt. Skipping tempering is the most common reason yogurt soups split.
8
Stir in yogurt gently
- With the pot on low heat, pour the tempered yogurt mixture into the soup, stirring constantly.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, so the cornstarch thickens slightly.
- Do not let the soup boil.
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Ready when: Soup is steaming and lightly thickened, with a pale orange-cream color; only tiny bubbles at the edge.
Tip: If it starts to simmer vigorously, remove from heat right away and keep stirring.
9
Season the chowder
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the lemon juice and several grinds of black pepper.
- Taste and add more salt, ¼ teaspoon at a time, until the flavors are bright and balanced.
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Ready when: Soup tastes tangy, savory, and rounded, not flat.
Tip: Lentil soups usually need more salt than you expect; add it gradually.
10
Sizzle the mint butter
- In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, about 1 minute.
- When it foams, add the dried mint and 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper.
- Swirl for 20 to 30 seconds, then immediately remove from heat.
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Ready when: Butter is bubbling and bright red-orange and smells strongly of mint; it is not brown or burnt.
Tip: Dried mint and Aleppo pepper burn in seconds. Pull the pan off the heat as soon as the fragrance rises.
11
Serve
- Ladle the chowder into warmed bowls and spoon about 2 teaspoons of the sizzling mint butter over each serving.
- Serve immediately with crusty bread or pide.
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Ready when: Red butter pools in streaks on the surface of the chowder.

Good to know

Tips

Stir often during the simmer; red lentils sink and scorch easily on the bottom of the pot.
Never let the soup boil after the yogurt goes in, or it may curdle and look grainy.
Blend only part of the soup so the chowder keeps body and texture.
Add the lemon juice off the heat so its brightness stays fresh and the yogurt stays smooth.

Make ahead

"Make the chowder through step 6 (before adding the yogurt) up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. When ready to serve, reheat over medium-low, then complete steps 7 to 11. Make the mint butter fresh."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: not recommended after yogurt is added since the texture can separate; if freezing, freeze the base before step 7 for up to 3 months. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of water to loosen; do not boil. Make fresh mint butter for serving."

Substitutions

Aleppo pepper flakes → 1 tsp sweet paprika plus ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes per 2 tsp Aleppo. Approximates the mild fruity heat of Aleppo pepper.
plain whole-milk yogurt → Full-fat Greek yogurt thinned with 2 tbsp water per ½ cup. Greek yogurt is thicker; thin it so it blends smoothly. Keep it full-fat.
unsalted butter → Olive oil. Makes the mint topping dairy-light and still delicious; use 3 tbsp.
Yukon Gold potatoes → Peeled sweet potatoes or butternut squash, same weight. Gives a sweeter chowder; cook time is about the same.