Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Potatoes

Turkish red lentil soup, often called mercimek çorbası, is a smooth, gently spiced soup usually made with red lentils, vegetables and broth or water. This hearty version adds potatoes for a fuller texture; Turkish home recipes vary, and the soup is commonly served hot with lemon and a spiced butter finish.

Ingredients

1½ cups (285 g) dried red lentils, picked over and rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
2 medium Yukon Gold or other all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes, about 12 oz (350 g)
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, about 5 oz (150 g)
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced, about 2½ oz (75 g)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, about 6 g
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
½ teaspoon (1 g) sweet paprika
6 cups (1.42 L) low-sodium vegetable broth or water, plus a little more to thin the soup if needed
1¼ teaspoons (7 g) fine salt, or less if using salted broth
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon (2 g) pul biber, also called Aleppo-style pepper, or ½ teaspoon (1 g) red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried mint
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges, about 4 oz (115 g)

Instructions

Prepare the lentils and vegetables. Pick through the lentils for any small stones or debris, then rinse them in a fine-mesh strainer. Peel and cube the potatoes, chop the onion and carrot, and mince the garlic. Red lentils do not need soaking; rinsing removes loose starch and dust and helps the finished soup taste clean.
Soften the onion. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is soft and translucent but not browned. If the onion begins to stick, lower the heat and add a teaspoon of water rather than letting it scorch.
Build the flavor base. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin and paprika. Cook for 1 minute, stirring so the paste coats the onion and the spices become fragrant. Add the diced carrot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice. The carrot does not need to become completely tender at this stage; it will finish cooking in the broth.
Add the potatoes, lentils and liquid. Tip in the potatoes and rinsed lentils, and stir for 1 minute to distribute the tomato and spices. Pour in the broth or water, then add the salt and black pepper. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned paste, which adds flavor and prevents it from sticking during the simmer.
Simmer until tender. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady, gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for 25 minutes, stirring every 5 to 7 minutes so the lentils do not settle and catch on the bottom. The potatoes should be easy to pierce with a fork, and the lentils should have collapsed. If the soup boils vigorously, lower the heat; a hard boil can make the bottom stick before the potatoes soften.
Blend to the texture you like. Take the pot off the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth, keeping the blender head submerged to avoid splashes. For a little texture, blend only part of the pot, or mash some of the potatoes and lentils against the side with a ladle. If using a countertop blender, work in small batches, leave space for steam to escape, and never seal hot soup in a tightly closed blender. Return the blended soup to the pot.
Make the spiced butter. In a small pan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the pul biber and dried mint and cook for about 2 minutes, just until fragrant. Keep the heat low: pepper flakes can taste bitter if they burn, and dried mint needs only a brief warming to release its aroma.
Finish and serve. Stir the soup and check its consistency. Add broth or hot water a little at a time if it is thicker than you prefer, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and spoon some of the spiced butter over each serving. Serve with a lemon wedge for squeezing at the table.

Tips

Rinse, but do not soak, the lentils. Rinsing is enough for this quick-cooking soup. Soaking can make red lentils break down sooner and may leave the vegetables waiting for the right texture.
Choose the liquid to suit the meal. Water gives a clean, mild flavor and lets the cumin, lemon and butter stand out. Low-sodium vegetable broth makes the soup more savory; if your broth is salted, begin with less salt and adjust after blending.
Keep the simmer gentle and stir the bottom. Red lentils release starch as they cook, so they can stick in a thin-bottomed pot. A heavy pot, low simmer and occasional scraping are more useful than constant stirring.
Use a practical pepper substitute. Pul biber has a fruity, mild heat and is sold in Turkish or Middle Eastern groceries and many spice shops. If you cannot find it, use red pepper flakes for sharper heat, or mild paprika for color with little heat; the soup will still work but the butter topping will taste different.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this soup as a light main course with warm pide, crusty bread or flatbread for dipping. A simple side salad of cucumber, tomato and parsley adds freshness, while olives or a plate of sliced raw vegetables make an easy accompaniment. For a more substantial table, pair it with rice, bulgur or a small cheese-and-herb pastry, keeping the soup as the first course or serving a smaller bowl alongside.

Lemon is more than a garnish here: a squeeze brightens the earthy lentils and balances the buttery, peppery finish. Let each person add lemon to taste rather than stirring a large amount into the pot, especially if you expect leftovers. A small pinch of extra dried mint or pul biber over the bowls is also useful, but add it lightly so it does not overpower the soup.

Variations

Make it vegan. The soup itself contains no dairy until the finishing butter is added. Replace the butter with olive oil or a plant-based butter, then warm the pul biber and mint in that fat. Olive oil gives a fruitier finish and is a straightforward option if you do not keep plant-based butter.

Use Turkish pepper paste if available. A spoonful of biber salçası, a concentrated Turkish red pepper paste, can replace the tomato paste for a more pepper-forward flavor. Mild and hot versions vary in intensity, so start with 1 tablespoon (about 18 g) and reduce the added salt if the paste is salty. If it is hard to find, the tomato paste and paprika in this recipe are practical substitutes, though they do not have the same depth.

Adjust the vegetables or texture. You can replace the carrot with an equal amount of celery for a less sweet base, or add a little extra potato for a thicker soup. For a more rustic bowl, blend only half the soup; for a very smooth finish, blend thoroughly and pass it through a sieve if desired. Avoid adding large amounts of extra vegetables without increasing the liquid, or the soup may become too thick to simmer evenly.

Change the seasoning at the table. A pinch of extra cumin gives a warmer, earthier note, while a little more pul biber makes the topping hotter. Keep the base seasoning fairly restrained and let diners add lemon and heat individually; that approach also makes the pot easier to serve to people with different preferences.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the soup promptly and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking, in shallow airtight containers. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The lentils and potatoes continue to absorb liquid as the soup sits, so it will usually be thicker the next day; loosen it with a splash of water or broth while reheating rather than adding a large amount all at once.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often until it is steaming throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C), the safe temperature for reheated leftovers. You can also microwave an individual portion in a covered, microwave-safe bowl, stirring halfway through and checking that it is hot throughout. Add the lemon and spiced butter after reheating for the freshest flavor.

For longer storage, freeze the soup in meal-sized airtight containers for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality. Leave a little space at the top because liquid expands as it freezes. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as above; if the texture seems grainy or unusually thick after thawing, stir well and add hot water or broth a little at a time. Freezing the soup before adding the butter topping can help the finish taste fresher, but the fully finished soup can also be frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do red lentils need to be soaked before making soup?
No. Rinse them well and add them directly to the pot. Red lentils cook quickly and soften during the 25-minute simmer, so soaking is unnecessary and can make them break apart sooner than the potatoes.

Can I use green or brown lentils instead?
You can, but the result will be different. Green and brown lentils hold their shape more and generally need a longer simmer than red lentils, so the potatoes may become very soft before the lentils are ready. For the smooth, cohesive texture of this recipe, red lentils are the best choice.

Can I make the soup without a blender?
Yes. Red lentils naturally break down and the potatoes soften, so you can mash the soup with a potato masher or the back of a ladle for a thick, rustic texture. It will not be completely smooth, but it will still be cohesive. Avoid pouring hot soup into a food processor that is not designed for hot liquids.

Why did my soup become so thick?
Lentils absorb liquid as they cook and continue to thicken the soup while it cools, particularly after refrigeration. Stir in warm water or broth a few tablespoons at a time until it reaches the consistency you want. If it is thin immediately after cooking, simmer it uncovered for a few minutes, stirring regularly.

Is this soup spicy?
The soup base is mildly seasoned; most of its heat comes from the pul biber in the butter topping. Use mild paprika instead for a gentler finish, or serve the spiced butter on the side so each person can choose how much to add. Red pepper flakes tend to be hotter and more direct than pul biber.

Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Prepare the soup a day ahead and refrigerate it promptly, then reheat it gently with a little extra broth or water. For the best aroma, make the spiced butter shortly before serving and add fresh lemon at the table rather than mixing it into the storage container.

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

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).