Turkish lentil soup or mercimek corbasi is a really simple and delicious vegetarian soup that makes for a perfect lunch or simple starter.
A silky smooth and creamy soup that uses absolutely no cream and can be switched to vegan by omitting the butter in the paprika topping.
Mercimek Çorbasi
We have become so accustomed to "food fireworks" that simple, subtle, and delicious homely food is often viewed with disdain.
It is a shame because subtlety is just as important in cooking as "wizzbang".
It is the fundamental tenet of soups like my cream of celeriac soup and cream of asparagus soup.
This pretty classic Turkish lentil soup is silky smooth and creamy despite using no cream at all. Its earthy flavour is piqued with subtle hints of dried mint and ground cumin.
It is then given a topping of paprika butter or oil, tahini, sumac, and chives.
And it is so incredibly simple to cook. Soften the onions for 10 minutes, add everything else and a lid, and take a stroll, have a cuppa because your work is done for an hour.
Then blend and tuck in or refrigerate and have Turkish lentil soup or Mercimek Çorbasi for lunch all week long!
This is very much a sister dish to my spicy carrot and lentil soup. If you prefer soups with a little more texture, you must try my lentil and bacon soup!
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of lentils should I use?
Red or yellow lentils are perfect for this dish; there is very little difference in terms of shifts in flavour or texture by choosing either. I often use them interchangeably, just as I do with my spicy carrot and lentil soup.
Yellow lentils give a slightly lighter colour to the dish.
How long will the soup keep?
This recipe is a soup that I will often make up at the weekend and have it for lunch all week. It will save in the fridge for 4-5 days in an air-tight container.
Will it freeze well?
Yes, this Turkish lentil soup freezes perfectly and will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to freeze in heavy-duty freezer bags in portions for one or two.
I then reheat from frozen by dropping the bags into a pan of simmering water. This reduces evaporation and means that the soup is in perfect condition when you pour it out of the bag.
Is this soup vegan?
Yes, the soup itself is vegan. I have it tagged as vegetarian because I strongly favour using butter to create the paprika swirl.
You can turn the whole thing vegan by just using olive oil rather than an olive oil and butter mix. And it is still delicious!
Serving Suggestions
This is often a simple lunchtime soup for me. As a result, will often just grab whatever bread I have lying around to dunk and clean the bowl.
If I am serving it as a light dinner or fancy putting in a bit more effort, then toasting up some pitta bread make perfect dipping chips.
Frying up some carrots or parsnip ribbons, as I do with my curried parsnip soup, also makes a great topping.
One final suggestion would be to make the lemon and parsley crumb that I serve with my sea bream fillet recipe, and sprinkle it on top.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan with a lid.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Vegetable peeler.
- Blender, a stick blender would work too.
- Fine mesh sieve.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Turkish Lentil Soup Recipe Mercimek Corbasi
Ingredients
- 200 g Yellow or Red Lentils 1 Cup
- 1 Medium Onion 150g
- 1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- ½ tablespoon Flour
- 1 Small-Medium Potato 100g
- 1 Small-Medium Carrot 100g
- 1 Litre Vegetable Stock 4 Cups
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Dried Mint
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- Salt to Taste probably not needed
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 50 g Butter 3 Tbsp
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 2 teaspoon Tahini
- Sumac to serve
- Snipped Chives to serve
Instructions
- Peel the onions and cut them into a rough 1.5cm (½-¾") dice.
- Heat the cooking oil in a medium (20cm or 8") saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 10 minutes until the onion softens and begins to colour.
- Peel the carrot and potato and cut both into a rough 1cm (¼-½") dice.
- Add the flour to the cooked onions and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
- Add the lentils, vegetable stock, potato, carrot, black pepper, cumin and mint.
- Drop on a lid, reduce the heat to low-medium and then cook gently for an hour.
- After an hour, transfer the soup to a blender and blend to a smooth paste and transfer, through a fine mesh sieve, back into the pan.Bring it back to eating temperature.
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a separate pan over a medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the paprika, then swirl to mix.
- Serve in a bowl with a swirl of paprika butter and a swirl of tahini, a pinch of sumac and snipped chives.
Sandra
Friday 14th of February 2025
Hi Brian, thank you for the recipe. A friend asked for "something with lentils" and I wanted some soup. I chose your recipe - there are plenty of recipes for Mercimek Corbasi out there - because of the restraint use of spices and the use of mint. And this lets the lentils really shine. total sucess, the pot was empty (usually I can always reserve a plate for lunch). At the same time, this is a wonderful base for variation - add shrimps or make it spicier, thin it out or maybe add some cream.