Turkish lentil soup or Mercimek çorbası is a staple of Turkish cuisine where red lentils are simmered in a tasty broth with veggies and warm spices.
Turkish red lentil soup is easy to make in 30 minutes and one pot. It has a smooth and comforting texture and a warm and soothing flavor, with a hint of tanginess from the fresh lemon juice.
It’s often served with chili oil, fresh parsley, and warm pita bread. Thanks to the lentils, it’s a hearty, nourishing, high-protein vegetarian meal perfect for any occasion.
Table of Contents
Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diet.
What is Turkish Lentil Soup (Mercimek çorbası)?
Turkey is a large country that spans from Greece to Iran, connecting Europe to Asia.
The Turkish or Ottoman Empire had influence from North Africa to Southeast Europe and West Asia.
As a result, modern Turkish cuisine is heavily influenced by cultures, flavors, and techniques from the Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Balkan, and West Asian regions.
Turkish Lentil Soup also know as Mercimek (lentils) çorbası (soup) is a perfect example of Turkey’s strong culinary heritage and mastery of simple ingredients to create nutritious and flavorful meals.
For example, using cumin makes us think of Middle Eastern recipes such as Lentil Mujadara, Hummus, and Falafel.
The way the flavor is built is similar to many of our other Mediterranean recipes.
Think of our Italian lentil pasta, pasta e fagioli, or chickpea soup, where olive oil is used to sauté onion, celery, carrot, and garlic to create a rich flavor base and complex aroma that makes the recipe taste delicious.
And while the taste of Turkish red lentil soup will remind you of Eastern Mediterranean recipes, what’s unique about this dish is its smooth, creamy, and velvety texture.
Unlike our other lentil recipes like Moroccan lentil soup, curry lentil soup, Mediterranean red lentil soup, and chunky lentil and vegetable soup, where the lentils are whole, the lentils in this recipe are blended.
The resulting creamy texture and mild, earthy flavor of blended red lentils make this recipe irresistible, satiating, and nutritious, with a whopping 29 grams of protein per bowl.
Serve Turkish red lentil soup with a squeeze of lemon juice, fresh parsley or cilantro, a drizzle of chili oil, and warm pita or crusty bread.
You can even add a handful of crispy roasted chickpeas or crunchy croutons.
Turkish lentil soup video
Ingredients & Substitutions for Turkish Lentil Soup
Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Olive oil
We use extra virgin olive oil, but you can also use regular olive oil, avocado oil, or any other vegetable oil.
Onion
You can make Turkish lentil soup with white, yellow, or red onion.
Substitute onion with leek or shallots.
Carrot
Carrot adds sweetness to the soups, so we recommend adding it.
Celery
Celery adds freshness.
Garlic
We recommend using fresh garlic.
Tomato paste
Tomato paste adds richness and a robust, savory flavor to Turkish red lentil soup.
Cumin
Ground cumin adds a warm, earthy flavor with mild, peppery, and citrusy notes.
Red Lentils
We recommend using split red lentils to make Mercimek çorbası. They cook fast, blend well, and contribute to this recipe’s distinctive creamy and velvety texture.
Also, they have a pleasant nutty taste and absorb the flavor of the other ingredients well.
Other recipes you can make with split red lentils if you have leftovers are Indian lentil curry and Mediterranean red lentil soup.
Substitute yellow lentils or whole red lentils for split red lentils, but you’ll have to double the cooking time in this case.
Here are our guides on how to cook lentils and how to cook red lentils if you want to learn more about this wonderful ingredien.
Potatoes
Potatoes are optional but recommended because they make the soup even creamier. You can use russet potatoes or Yukon gold.
We recommend peeling them and cutting them into small chunks so that they cook fast.
Vegetable broth or water
We recommend a reduced sodium vegetable stock without palm oil and glutamate because the soup tastes better.
Alternatively, you can use plain water, which is how people make this soup in Turkey.
Salt and Black Pepper
Season with sea salt or kosher salt to taste, and add a twist or two of black pepper.
Serves well with
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice. Serve lemon wedges next to the soup.
- Freshly chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley.
- A quick homemade chili oil made by gently frying red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper in olive oil or butter for a minute.
- Warm pita bread or bread croutons.
- Crispy roasted chickpeas, air fryer chickpeas.
- A dollop of thick Greek-style yogurt or Labneh
How to Make Turkish Red Lentil Soup
US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, add coarsely chopped onion, celery, carrot, and sauté on medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring often.
Add grated or minced garlic, ground cumin, and tomato paste, and fry one more minute until fragrant.
Add peeled potatoes that you previously cut into small chunks so that they cook fast.
Then add vegetable broth and split red lentils that you previously rinsed with water.
Note: split red lentils don’t require soaking. They need to be rinsed with water to remove dirt.
Season with salt and black pepper and simmer on medium heat until the lentils are cooked and the potatoes are fork-tender. It should take between 15 and 20 minutes.
Stir occasionally to prevent the soup from sticking.
Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth.
Taste and adjust for salt, and add more broth if necessary.
Note: you can also blend the soup in a standing blender. To do so, let it cool down slightly before blending it in batches.
Serving suggestions
Garnish this Turkish lentil soup recipe with chili oil, sprinkle with fresh parsley or cilantro, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice.
To make the chili oil, warm up the olive oil or butter on a pan, add red pepper flakes and a clove of crushed garlic, and fry for 1 minute on low heat.
The soup is an excellent appetizer, side dish, and even main dish, thanks to nutrition-packed red lentils.
To make a complete meal, serve it with a warm pita or crusty bread and top it with roasted chickpeas.
Other breads that are excellent to sop up the soup are:
Other refreshing Mediterranean–inspired small dishes you can pair it with are:
Variations
Mediterranean Red Lentil Soup
Our Mediterranean-inspired red lentil soup is not too dissimilar from Turkish soup. The main difference is that the soup is not blended.
So, if you like soups with a chunkier and more rustic texture, we recommend trying this one.
Here’s our red lentil soup recipe.
Storage & Make Ahead
Make ahead: this Turkish red lentil soup recipe is excellent for meal prep as it keeps for days in the fridge and freezer.
Refrigerator: let the soup cool down at room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Let the soup cool down completely, then transfer it to a freezer-friendly container and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Thaw & Reheat: defrost in the refrigerator over several hours or in the microwave with a thawing function. Warm the soup in a saucepan on the stovetop for a few minutes or in the microwave for a few minutes. You might need to add a dash of water if the soup thickens.
More Lentil Recipes
Get more wholesome dinner ideas with these easy lentil recipes:
More Lentil Soup Ideas
If you love lentil soups, get more one-pot inspiration with these wholesome soups:
For more curries, stews, and soups, check out our soups category page.
Turkish Red Lentil Soup
Equipment
- Immersion blender or standing blender.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 medium potatoes peeled and cut into small pieces
- 8 cups vegetable broth add 4 cups at a time if your pot is not big enough
- 2 cups split red lentils dried not canned
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 2 twists black pepper
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
- 1 handful flat-leaf parsley chopped
Serves well with
- pita bread
- chili oil made with 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 4 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large pot. Add 1 large onion, 2 carrots, and 1 rib celery (all chopped) and sauté on medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring often.
- Add 3 cloves garlic (grated), 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and fry one more minute until fragrant.
- Add 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into small pieces so they cook fast. Then add 8 cups vegetable broth and 2 cups split red lentils rinsed with water.
- Season with 1½ teaspoons salt and 2 twists black pepper and simmer on medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the lentils are cooked and potatoes are fork tender.
- Blend with an immersion blender until smooth, then taste and adjust for salt.
- Serve in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon juice, 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, and a drizzle of chili oil.To make the chili oil, warm up 4 tablespoons olive oil or butter on a pan, add 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes and 1 clove crushed garlic, and fry for 1 minute on low heat.
- To make a complete meal, serve it with a warm pita bread or crusty bread and top it with roasted chickpeas.
Video
Notes
Make ahead: this Turkish red lentil soup recipe is excellent for meal prep as it keeps for days in the fridge and freezer. Refrigerator: let the soup cool down at room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freezer: Let the soup cool down completely, then transfer it to a freezer-friendly container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw & Reheat: defrost in the refrigerator over several hours or in the microwave with a thawing function. Warm the soup in a saucepan on the stovetop for a few minutes or in the microwave for a few minutes. You might need to add a dash of water if the soup thickens. ALSO ON THIS PAGE
Nutrition
If you liked this Turkish red lentil soup, you might also enjoy:
For them not being part of the base recipe, there are a lot of chickpeas in that picture. Misleading if you ask me.