Turkish Red Lentil Soup is a flavorful and nutritious soup that combines red lentils, vegetables, and a blend of spices. It’s a delicious and hearty dish that’s perfect for any meal! Yum!
Turkish red lentil soup is arguably an autumn or winter soup, but nah, I still make it regularly during summer — it’s that good. 🙂
Every serving is a complete meal. The lentils, bulgur, eggplants, and spinach are combined and seasoned with typical Turkish spices.
You’ve got that hint of nuttiness from the cumin, heat from the chili paste mix, and freshness from the lemon and dried mint — just an explosion of flavor in every spoonful.
What to serve with it?
You can have it with some bread, but in all honesty, we just enjoy it as is. Admittedly, sometimes we add more chili flakes or another squeeze of lemon. But that’s it — absolutely delicious!
FOR MORE CLASSIC TURKISH RECIPES, CHECK OUT THESE POSTS!
Ingredients
- Red lentils – I always use dried red lentils when I make this Turkish soup.
- Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil, if possible, especially since you will use it as a sauce poured into the last part of cooking.
- Garlic – minced or grated.
- Onion – chopped finely so they disappear entirely in the red lentil soup when served.
- Eggplant – keep the skin and chop it into small cubes.
- Bulgur – go for the coarse bulgur.
- Spinach – you can use baby spinach or regular ones, chopped finely.
- Stock – I typically use vegetable stock to make Turkish red lentil soup with mint.
- Tomato paste – just use your favorite brand.
- Herb, spices & seasoning – cumin, dried mint, chili flakes, salt, and lemon.
How to make Turkish red lentil soup
Start by cooking the red lentils: combine 1.5 cups of water and the red lentils in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Simmer until the red lentils are cooked, then remove it from the heat and drain.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan. Once ready, add the garlic and chopped onion.
Cook until the onion has softened, then add the cumin and dried mint.
Mix for a couple of minutes — make sure the heat is not too high.
Add the eggplant and coarse bulgur, then mix.
Pour the stock, cover it with a lid, and bring it to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for about fifteen minutes or until the eggplant and bulgur are cooked.
While the soup is simmering, heat the remaining olive oil in a pan or skillet, then add tomato paste and chili flakes — combine and cook for three to four minutes, then set aside.
Add the red lentils, chopped spinach, and lemon juice into the pan, then season with salt.
Cover with a lid and continue simmering for about three minutes.
Add the chili tomato sauce mixture to the red lentil soup.
Mix for a minute, taste, and adjust seasoning, then remove pan from heat.
Transfer into serving bowls — and enjoy!
Helpful tips
- There is no need to soak the lentils overnight. Just rinse and remove any small stones or debris.
- Remember to chop the eggplants into small cubes. They need to be small enough that they almost disintegrate when cooked.
- Do not hesitate to add more spinach if you prefer.
Recipe variation
- Bulgur. You can use fine and medium bulgur if that’s what you have, but coarse or extra coarse are typically used by locals.
- Stock. Chicken stock will work as an alternative to vegetable stock.
It looks absolutely tempting, right? Try it one of these nights, then! I’m sure this Turkish soup with red lentils and lemon will also become a regular in your kitchen. 🙂
OR GET MORE IDEAS FROM THIS LIST OF FOREIGN SOUP RECIPES!
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📖 Recipe
Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Medium-to-Large Pot
Ingredients
- 120 grams red lentils (4.20 ounces or 1/2 cup)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons dried mint
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 50 grams coarse bulgur (1.75 ounces or 1/4 cup)
- 1 medium eggplant, chopped into small cubes
- 5 & 1/2 to 6 cups stock
- 65 grams spinach (1 & 1/2 to 2 cups when chopped)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- salt, to season
Instructions
- Combine 1.5 cups of water and red lentils in a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Simmer until the lentils are cooked, then remove it from the heat and drain.
- Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan, and once ready, add garlic and onion.
- Cook until the onion has softened, then add the cumin and dried mint.
- Mix for a couple of minutes — make sure the heat is not too high.
- Add the eggplant and coarse bulgur, then mix.
- Pour the stock, cover it with a lid, and bring it to a boil.
- Lower the heat and simmer for about fifteen minutes or until the eggplant and bulgur are cooked.
- While the soup is simmering, heat the remaining olive oil in a pan or skillet, then add tomato paste and chili flakes — combine and cook for three to four minutes, then set aside.
- Add the cooked lentils, chopped spinach, and lemon juice into the pan, then season with salt.
- Cover with a lid and continue simmering for about three minutes.
- Add the chili tomato sauce mixture to the soup.
- Mix for a minute, taste, and adjust seasoning, then remove from heat.
- Transfer into bowls — and serve!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: No need to soak the lentils overnight. Just rinse and throw away small stones or debris that you see in it.
- Refer to the post’s ‘Recipe variation‘ section for substitutions.
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