Description
This traditional Turkish Lentil Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish made with red lentils, vegetables, and aromatic spices. The lentils are simmered to tender perfection, then blended into a smooth, creamy texture. Enhanced with a vibrant homemade paprika oil and served with fresh lemon wedges, this soup is perfect for warming up your soul with a taste of classic Turkish cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 medium Russet potato, peeled and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or Aleppo pepper)
- 5 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1 lemon, sliced
Optional Paprika Oil
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (canola or safflower or butter)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
Instructions
- Sauté Onion: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and sauté for 4 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add Carrots and Potato: Add the diced carrots and potatoes to the pot. Continue sautéing for another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine flavors.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the sliced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add Spices and Tomato Paste: Mix in the tomato paste, cumin, kosher salt, paprika, dried oregano, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir well for about 30 seconds, then deglaze the bottom of the pot with a small amount of the broth to lift any browned bits.
- Simmer Soup: Pour in the remaining vegetable or chicken broth and add the red lentils. Stir to combine, increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Adjust Consistency: If the soup thickens too much during cooking, add up to 1 cup of water to reach your desired consistency.
- Blend Soup: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the dried mint. Using an immersion blender (or transfer in batches to a stand blender), blend the soup until it becomes creamy and smooth, incorporating all the vegetables and lentils.
- Prepare Paprika Oil (Optional): In a small saucepan, heat the neutral oil over low heat. Add the paprika and stir to combine, then remove from heat and continue stirring until fully incorporated, creating a vibrant paprika oil.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with lemon wedges, and if desired, sprinkle chopped parsley and drizzle with the prepared paprika oil for added flavor and color.
Notes
- For a vegan option, use vegetable broth and neutral oil instead of butter.
- Adjust the cayenne or Aleppo pepper to your preferred spice level.
- Serve with fresh crusty bread for a hearty meal.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- The soup thickens as it cools, so add water or broth to thin it when reheating if needed.
