Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)

Name: Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil; 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces; 3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 large (about 5 oz) (140 g) carrot, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces; 1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces; 1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste; 1½ cups (300 g) dried red lentils, rinsed and drained; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) sweet paprika; 6 cups (1420 ml) vegetable or chicken stock, hot or at room temperature; 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt, plus more to taste (reduce if stock is salted); ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter; 1½ teaspoons (4 g) Turkish pul biber or sweet paprika; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried mint, crumbled (optional); 2 medium (240 g) lemon, cut into wedges

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Silky, golden Turkish red lentil soup built on onion, carrot and potato, blended smooth and finished with a sizzling paprika-butter drizzle and a squeeze of lemon. Ready in under an hour with pantry staples.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: About 7 cups (1.7 liters), 6 bowls

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the soup
3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 large (about 5 oz) (140 g) carrot, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
1½ cups (300 g) dried red lentils, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) sweet paprika
6 cups (1420 ml) vegetable or chicken stock, hot or at room temperature
1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt, plus more to taste (reduce if stock is salted)
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For the paprika butter
3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
1½ teaspoons (4 g) Turkish pul biber or sweet paprika
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried mint, crumbled (optional)
To serve
2 medium (240 g) lemon, cut into wedges

Equipment (6)

4-quart (3.8 liter) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with lid
Fine-mesh sieve
Immersion blender or countertop blender
Small skillet or saucepan (6-inch / 15 cm)
Wooden spoon
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water for about 1 minute, until the water runs mostly clear.
Chop all vegetables to roughly the same size (about ½-inch / 1.25 cm) so they soften evenly; they will be blended, so neatness doesn't matter.
If using an immersion blender, make sure the pot is deep enough to blend without splashing. For a countertop blender, fill it no more than half full and vent the lid.
Have the lemon wedges and the paprika butter ingredients measured before you start the soup so the finish goes quickly.

1
Sauté the onion
- Set a 4-quart pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Add the diced onion and a pinch of the salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 6 to 7 minutes until soft, translucent and just beginning to turn pale gold at the edges.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with only light golden edges, not browned.
Tip: Don't brown the onion; dark bits will muddy the soup's bright golden color.
2
Add carrot and garlic
- Stir in the diced carrot and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
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Ready when: Garlic smells fragrant but has not darkened.
Tip: Burnt garlic turns bitter, so lower the heat if the pot looks dry or sizzles aggressively.
3
Toast paste and spices
- Push the vegetables to the sides, add the tomato paste, cumin and 1 teaspoon sweet paprika to the center.
- Stir the paste and spices for 1 minute until the paste darkens slightly to brick red, then mix everything together.
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Ready when: Tomato paste turns a deeper brick red and smells sweet and toasty.
4
Add lentils and stock
- Add the rinsed lentils, diced potato, stock, remaining salt and black pepper.
- Stir well, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, about 6 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Liquid reaches a steady, full boil with foam rising on the surface.
Tip: Skim off any pale foam with a spoon for a cleaner flavor and smoother look.
5
Simmer until tender
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the lentils have broken down into a thick porridge and the potato and carrot are completely soft when pressed with a spoon.
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Ready when: Lentils have dissolved into the liquid and a piece of carrot mashes easily against the pot side.
Tip: Red lentils stick easily; stir and scrape the bottom regularly, adding ½ cup (120 ml) water if the soup gets too thick.
6
Blend until silky
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Blend with an immersion blender for 1 to 2 minutes until completely smooth.
- If using a countertop blender, blend in two batches, filling it no more than half full, with the lid vented and covered with a towel.
- Return to the pot.
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Ready when: Soup is velvety with no visible bits of carrot or potato and coats the back of a spoon.
Tip: Hot soup expands in a blender; never seal the lid tightly.
7
Adjust consistency and seasoning
- Return the pot to low heat.
- Thin with hot water or stock, ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time, if it's thicker than heavy cream.
- Taste and add salt as needed.
- Keep warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, while you make the paprika butter.
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Ready when: Soup pours easily from a ladle, like heavy cream, and tastes well seasoned.
Tip: Soup thickens as it sits, so aim slightly thinner than you want at the table.
8
Make paprika butter
- Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat.
- When it foams, add the pul biber or paprika and the dried mint, if using.
- Swirl for 20 to 30 seconds until the butter turns deep red and smells toasty.
- Remove from the heat immediately.
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Ready when: Butter is bright, deep red and sizzling gently, with no dark or burnt smell.
Tip: Paprika scorches and turns bitter within seconds, so pull the pan off the heat as soon as the butter is red.
9
Serve with lemon
- Rest the soup off the heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Ladle into warm bowls, drizzle each with about 1 teaspoon of the paprika butter, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over each bowl at the table.
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Tip: The lemon is essential: it brightens the earthy lentils, so squeeze generously.

Good to know

Tips

Rinse the lentils well; it removes dust and excess foam and gives a cleaner taste.
Add the lemon at the table rather than into the pot so its flavor stays fresh and the soup color stays bright.
For a more traditional restaurant-style texture, pass the blended soup through a medium sieve.
Serve with crusty bread or toasted pide for dipping.

Make ahead

"Make the soup through step 7 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently, thinning with water, and make the paprika butter fresh just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months (without the paprika butter). Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often and adding water or stock a splash at a time to loosen, until steaming hot."

Substitutions

vegetable or chicken stock → water plus 1 extra teaspoon salt. Gives a lighter, cleaner flavor; use 1 bouillon cube per 2 cups if you want more depth.
unsalted butter → olive oil. Makes the soup vegan; heat the oil the same way with the paprika.
Yukon Gold potato → 1 additional carrot (5 oz / 140 g). Slightly sweeter and less creamy, still smooth once blended.
Turkish pul biber or sweet paprika → Aleppo pepper. Fruity, mildly hot; use the same amount.