Equipment
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 30 ml olive oil, divided
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 gold potato, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 g tomato paste
Lentils and Liquid
- 200 g red lentils, rinsed until water runs clear
- 1000 ml vegetable broth, low sodium preferred
- 3 g ground cumin
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper
Mint Oil and Garnish
- 30 ml olive oil
- 3 g dried mint
- 2 g aleppo pepper
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 393 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 49 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1276 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 774 mg
- Calcium
- 92 mg
- Iron
- 7.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 58 mg
- Phosphorus
- 205 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 253 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 18 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 13 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.37 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.14 mg
- Niacin
- 1.8 mg
- Folate
- 126 mcg
- Water
- 351 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Wash the red lentils thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water until the water runs completely clear, removing any dust or debris.
Heat 30ml of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and potato, and cook until the onions soften and become translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute until the tomato paste darkens slightly and becomes highly aromatic.
Add the rinsed red lentils, vegetable broth, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a boil at 100°C/212°F.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes. Check occasionally and stir to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom.
Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully use an immersion blender to puree the soup until perfectly smooth and velvety. If the soup is too thick, stir in up to 100ml of hot water until the desired consistency is reached.
In a small skillet, heat the remaining 30ml of olive oil over medium-low heat. Stir in the dried mint and Aleppo pepper. Cook for 30 seconds until the spices sizzle and release their fragrance, being careful not to burn the mint.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Drizzle the warm mint and pepper oil over the top of each bowl, and serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.
Chef's Notes
- Red lentils (kırmızı mercimek) do not require soaking, but washing them thoroughly is non-negotiable. Rinsing removes the dusty residue that can make the final soup foamy and muddy.
- The potato in this recipe acts as a natural thickener and emulsifier, giving the pureed soup a creamy texture without the need for dairy.
- Do not skip the lemon juice at the end. The bright acidity of the lemon cuts through the earthy, heavy notes of the lentils and elevates the entire flavor profile.
- For a richer, non-vegan variation, substitute the olive oil used for the mint topping with unsalted butter. The browned milk solids pair beautifully with the dried mint.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Soup will thicken as it cools; thin with a little water when reheating.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in individual portions. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add a splash of water if too thick.
Troubleshooting
Soup is too thick and resembles a porridge
Cause: Red lentils absorbed more liquid than expected, or too much water evaporated during simmering
Fix: Stir in boiling water or hot vegetable broth, 50ml at a time, until the proper velvety soup consistency is restored
Prevention: Ensure the lid is tight fitting to minimize evaporation, and measure lentils precisely
Soup tastes flat or overly earthy
Cause: Insufficient acid or salt to balance the starchiness of the potatoes and lentils
Fix: Squeeze half a lemon directly into the pot and add an extra pinch of fine sea salt
Prevention: Use a well-seasoned broth and ensure fresh lemon is served alongside
Mint oil topping tastes bitter
Cause: The dried mint and spices were heated too long or at too high a temperature, causing them to burn
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Discard the burnt oil and quickly make a new batch
Prevention: Only heat the oil briefly over medium-low heat and remove it immediately once it becomes fragrant
Cultural Context
Mercimek Çorbası is ubiquitous across Turkey, served in every setting from home kitchens to local tradesmen restaurants known as lokantas. It is traditionally eaten at all times of the day, including breakfast, and is considered a fundamental comfort food. The signature drizzle of spiced, mint-infused oil over the top is a hallmark of Turkish soup presentation.
