Turkish
Mercimek Çorbası
Turkish red lentil soup
A smooth Turkish red lentil soup with onion, carrot, tomato, cumin and a buttery paprika finish.

Bright, satisfying and built for real life.
This recipe brings together the generous flavours of Turkish cooking in a format that works on a busy day. Read through the method before starting and adjust seasoning to your taste.
The recipe
Mercimek Çorbası
Ingredients
Main
Method
- 1
Soften the onion and carrot in half the butter, then stir in tomato paste and cumin.
- 2
Add lentils, potato and stock and simmer until everything is very tender.
- 3
Blend until smooth and adjust the consistency with hot water.
- 4
Melt the remaining butter with paprika, spoon it over the soup and serve with lemon.
Mercimek çorbası is a widely loved Turkish red lentil soup, commonly served smooth with lemon and paprika butter.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Freezing
Freeze only when the finished texture remains suitable; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating
Reheat gently until piping hot throughout, unless the dish is intended to be served chilled or at room temperature.
Keep cooking
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