Mercimek Corbasi (Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe)

Bowl of mercimek corbasi red lentil soup garnished with chili oil and cilantro.

5 from 6 votes

Mercimek Corbasi (Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe)

Warm, comforting and delicious, this Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Corbasi) is an incredibly easy, accessible and affordable recipe to make any time of year, but especially during the month of Ramadan to break your fast. The soup is garnished with tangy lemon, fresh cilantro and a gorgeous Aleppo pepper infused olive oil. Best of all, it is ready in under 30 minutes!

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Levantine, Middle Eastern, Turkish

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $8

Ingredients

4 tbsp Olive oil - Divided
2 Celery stalks - Trimmed and Chopped
1 Onion - Peeled and Chopped
1 Carrot - Peeled and Chopped
1 Potato - Peeled and Chopped
2-3 Garlic cloves - Minced
1-2 tbsp Fresh ginger - Grated or minced
1 tsp Ground cumin
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tbsp Tomato paste
1 cup Red lentils - Rinsed and picked over
4-5 cups Chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbsp Turkish red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper flakes
Garnish with chopped cilantro, lemon wedges

Instructions

Sautee Aromatics. To a large pot set on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, celery, onions, carrot, potato, minced garlic, ginger, cumin, and a big pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. Sautee on medium until soft, 4-5 minutes.
Add tomato paste. To the same pot, add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Sautee for 2-3 minutes so that the tomato paste can get some caramelization.
Add lentils and broth. Add the rinsed lentils and broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
Simmer. Reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 20-25 minutes until the lentils and potatoes are tender. Set aside to cool slightly for 5 minutes.
Blend. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until there are no longer any large chunks. It doesn’t have to be completely smooth.
Adjust seasoning. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Make chili oil. In a frying pan set on medium-high, fry 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 tablespoon of chili flake. Swirl and stir. Be careful not to burn the chili peppers. This will take 30-60 seconds.
Serve. Serve your soup with fresh cilantro and a drizzle of the chili oil. A big squeeze of fresh lemon juice is a must!

Video

Notes

Refer to the post above for step-by-step recipe photos.

Important ingredient notes:

Red Lentils: This recipe should only be made with red lentils.
Vegetables: A classic combination of celery, carrot, and onion form the basis for the soup. A potato helps add some heartiness to the soup. If you prefer a lighter soup, you can skip the potato.
Broth: Choose chicken stock or vegetable stock. It's up to you.
Ginger: This is not a traditional addition, but I like adding a bit of grated ginger for a subtle heat and warm flavor. You can keep the soup traditional and leave the ginger out.
Tomato Paste: I use a bit of tomato paste mostly to ensure the final product is a bright orange color. It doesn’t add much in terms of flavor, so you can skip it too.
Fresh herbs: I grew up eating this soup garnished with chopped cilantro, but feel free to use parsley too.
Chili flakes: Using chili flakes is optional. You can use Turkish pul biber, Aleppo or regular chili flakes.

Additions: Feel free to add other spices like smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, even turmeric. You can also add some red pepper paste.

Serve this Turkish cuisine staple as an appetizer any time of the year. But it is a great Ramadan recipe to break your fast with. Pairs nicely with crusty bread like my whole wheat no knead bread, Lebanese pita, Taboon (Palestinian flatbread) or Turkish Pide Bread (Ramazan Pidesi).

Nutrition