Turkish Soup Names: Lentil, Yayla, Ezogelin & More

Turkish soup names point to a varied tradition of brothy, creamy, grain-based, and hearty bowls served across Türkiye. This guide explains well-known varieties and includes a practical recipe for mercimek çorbası, a comforting red lentil soup finished with lemon and a buttery mint-and-paprika drizzle.

Turkish Soup Names to Know

In Turkish, çorba means soup, and it appears at the end of many soup names. You may see Turkish letters written without their diacritics in English-language menus: ç is often typed as “c,” and ı as “i.” The spellings below use the standard Turkish forms where possible. Recipes vary by region, season, and household, so a name identifies a general style rather than one universally fixed formula.

Mercimek çorbası means lentil soup. The familiar restaurant and home version is usually made with red lentils, onion, and often carrot or potato, then blended until smooth. Lemon is commonly served alongside it. The recipe below is this accessible, everyday style; some cooks use different vegetables, spices, or a thinner consistency.

Ezogelin çorbası is another red-lentil soup, generally more textured and seasoned than smooth mercimek. Recipes commonly combine lentils with bulgur and sometimes rice, tomato or pepper paste, dried mint, and red pepper. Its ingredients and texture differ from kitchen to kitchen, but the grain-and-lentil combination is a useful clue when reading a menu.

Yayla çorbası, sometimes translated as highland meadow soup, is a yogurt-based soup often made with rice, mint, and a buttery seasoning. It is gently tangy and usually creamy rather than tomato-rich. Yogurt can split if boiled hard, so cooks typically temper it and keep the soup at a gentle simmer. Tarhana çorbası uses tarhana, a dried, fermented mixture typically made from grain, yogurt, and vegetables; the precise mixture varies. It is reconstituted with water or stock and cooked into a distinctive tangy soup. Packaged tarhana may be available in Turkish or Middle Eastern grocery stores.

Şehriye çorbası is a simple soup with small pasta, often orzo-like şehriye, in a tomato or broth base. Domates çorbası is tomato soup, with versions ranging from a smooth, lightly creamy bowl to a more savory tomato-and-stock soup. Tavuk suyu çorbası refers to chicken-broth soup; noodles, rice, or vegetables may be added. These names can describe a broad family of soups rather than a single recipe.

Other names identify more substantial or specialized bowls. Düğün çorbası, or wedding soup, is commonly a rich meat broth, often with lamb, and may be thickened or finished with yogurt, flour, or lemon depending on the version. İşkembe çorbası is tripe soup, while kelle paça is a hearty soup made with head and feet, traditionally from sheep or lamb. Arabaşı çorbası, associated especially with Central Anatolia, pairs a spicy broth with a firm dough served separately and swallowed in small pieces. If you are ordering, asking about the main ingredients is worthwhile because local recipes and menu translations can differ.

Ingredients

1½ cups (300 g) red split lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g), finely chopped
1 medium carrot (about 100 g), peeled and diced
1 small potato (about 150 g), peeled and diced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
½ teaspoon (1 g) sweet paprika
7 cups (1.65 L) water or low-sodium vegetable broth
1½ teaspoons (9 g) fine salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried mint
½ teaspoon (1 g) pul biber (Turkish red pepper flakes), optional
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

Rinse and prepare. Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cool running water until the water is mostly clear, then drain well. Chop the onion, carrot, and potato into small pieces so they soften at a similar pace. Keep the lemon juice for the end; adding it too early can make the lentils take longer to soften.
Soften the vegetables. Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and potato. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion looks translucent and the vegetables begin to soften. They do not need to brown; lower the heat if the onion starts catching on the bottom.
Bloom the paste and spices. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, and paprika. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring so the paste coats the vegetables and loses its raw smell. This short step deepens the savory flavor without scorching the paste.
Simmer the soup. Add the drained lentils and water or broth. Stir, raise the heat, and bring the pot just to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a steady, gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook for 20 to 22 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the lentils have broken down and the vegetables are very tender. If foam gathers on the surface, skim it off.
Blend until smooth. Take the pot off the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup carefully until smooth, keeping the blender head submerged to reduce splashes. If using a countertop blender, work in small batches, vent the lid according to its instructions, and hold a folded towel over the lid. Hot liquid expands in a blender, so do not fill it to the top.
Adjust the consistency and seasoning. Return the pot to low heat. Stir in the salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. If the soup is thicker than you like, add hot water or broth a little at a time; if it is too thin, simmer it uncovered for a few minutes. Taste and adjust salt or lemon. The soup should pour easily but still feel substantial.
Make the mint butter and serve. Melt the butter in a small skillet over low heat. Add the dried mint and optional pul biber, and stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant; do not let the mint darken or burn. Ladle the soup into bowls and spoon a little of the butter mixture over each portion. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Tips

Choose red split lentils. They soften quickly and puree smoothly. Green or brown lentils hold their shape and need a longer cooking time, so they will make a different, more textured soup rather than a direct swap.
Use water if broth is unavailable. Water keeps the flavor clean and lets the lentils and tomato paste stand out. Low-sodium vegetable broth adds savoriness; taste before adding the full amount of salt. Chicken broth also works if you do not need the soup to be vegetarian.
Handle pul biber as a seasoning, not a requirement. Turkish red pepper flakes have a fruity warmth. If you cannot find them, use a small pinch of ordinary crushed red pepper, which can taste sharper and hotter. Leave it out for a mild soup, or add it at the table so each person can choose.
Blend safely and avoid scorching. An immersion blender is the simplest option, but let the soup settle briefly before blending and keep the blade below the surface. Stir regularly during the simmer, especially after blending if you continue reducing it, because thick lentil soup can stick to the pot.

Serving Suggestions

Serve mercimek çorbası as a first course or as a light main meal. Warm flatbread, pide, or crusty bread makes it easy to scoop up the last spoonfuls, while a simple salad of cucumber, tomato, and parsley adds freshness. A plate of olives or sliced raw vegetables can round out a casual meal without competing with the soup.

Set lemon wedges on the table even if you have already stirred lemon juice into the pot. A fresh squeeze brightens each bowl, and the amount can be adjusted to taste. For a more filling meal, serve the soup before grilled vegetables, rice, or a main dish. If serving several courses, use smaller bowls: the lentils make it satisfying even in a modest portion.

Variations

For a slightly earthier flavor, add ½ teaspoon (about 1 g) of ground coriander with the cumin. For a more tomato-forward bowl, increase the tomato paste to 1½ tablespoons (about 24 g), but taste before adding extra salt because some pastes are already salty. A pinch of Aleppo-style pepper can stand in for pul biber, although the exact heat and fruitiness will vary.

To make the soup heartier without changing its basic character, stir in a handful of cooked rice or small pasta after blending and simmer until warmed through. For a more rustic texture, blend only about half the pot, or mash some of the soft vegetables with a spoon instead of pureeing everything. If you prefer a dairy-free soup, the recipe already uses olive oil in the base and can be finished with a dairy-free butter alternative or simply with olive oil and mint.

For a gluten-free bowl, check the labels on broth and tomato paste and serve with gluten-free bread; the ingredients listed here do not include wheat. To make it vegan, use water or vegetable broth and replace the butter in the topping with olive oil. The taste will be a little less creamy and buttery, but mint and pepper still give the finish its characteristic aromatic lift.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftover soup promptly and refrigerate it within 2 hours in a covered, shallow container. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The lentils continue to absorb liquid as the soup sits, so expect it to thicken; stir in water or broth when reheating to restore a pourable consistency.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming throughout. For food safety, leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C); check with a food thermometer if you are unsure. You can also microwave a serving in a microwave-safe bowl, covered loosely, stirring partway through and checking that it is hot all the way through. Avoid repeated cooling and reheating of the whole pot.

For longer storage, freeze the soup in meal-size airtight containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Leave a little room for expansion, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat as above. The texture may look slightly separated after thawing; whisk or stir it while warming, then adjust with a splash of water. Add fresh lemon or a new mint-butter topping after reheating for the brightest flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does mercimek çorbası mean?
It means lentil soup in Turkish: mercimek is lentil and çorbası means soup. The name most often refers to a red-lentil soup, though home recipes differ in their vegetables, seasoning, and whether the finished soup is fully smooth.

Is mercimek çorbası the same as ezogelin soup?
No. Both commonly contain red lentils, but ezogelin often includes bulgur and sometimes rice, with a more textured result. Mercimek çorbası is often blended smooth. Ingredients and texture can vary, so a restaurant’s version may not match every description exactly.

Can I make this soup without a blender?
Yes. Simmer until the lentils and vegetables are very soft, then mash them thoroughly with a potato masher. The result will be thicker and less silky, but still enjoyable. You can also leave it unblended for a rustic texture; chop the vegetables quite small so they are pleasant in each spoonful.

Why is my lentil soup too thick?
Red lentils absorb liquid as they cook and continue thickening as the soup cools. Stir in hot water or broth a few tablespoons at a time until it reaches the consistency you want. Recheck the salt and lemon afterward, since extra liquid can dilute the seasoning.

Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Make the soup up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it promptly. For the best flavor and texture, store the mint-butter topping separately and prepare it just before serving. Reheat the soup gently, thin it if needed, and finish with lemon to refresh the flavor.

Is Turkish lentil soup usually spicy?
It is often warmly seasoned rather than very hot. Cumin, mint, and paprika bring aroma, while pul biber can add mild to noticeable heat depending on the type. Since the pepper topping is optional in this recipe, you can keep the pot mild and let diners add more at the table.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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