Turkish lentil soup

Turkish lentil soup is something I've made several times, especially on days when I need a warm, quick, and uncomplicated meal. The first time I received the recipe from someone from Constanța, originally Turkish, and I noted the straightforward way things are done. I've adapted it a bit to my habits, but the basic principle has remained the same. It cooks quickly and doesn't require complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.

Quick info

Total time: about 45-50 minutes
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
Servings: 4-5
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: fasting soup / main dish / lunch or dinner

Ingredients

300 g red lentils
1 large potato
2 medium carrots
1 medium onion
1 red bell pepper or sweet pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika (Kotanyi or any good sweet paprika)
1 small cup of oil (about 50 ml)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt (to taste)
About 1.5 liters of water (used in two stages)

Preparation method

1. Rinse the red lentils with cold water, drain, and set aside. Peel the potato, carrots, and onion, then cut all the vegetables into larger cubes. Do the same with the bell pepper.

2. In a medium-sized pot, place the lentils, potato, carrots, onion, and bell pepper. Pour 1 liter of water over them and add a little salt. Bring everything to a boil over medium heat, without a lid.

3. When the vegetables and lentils are well cooked (about 25-30 minutes, depending on the size of the cubes), turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, puree everything directly in the pot until you get a smooth cream.

4. In a small frying pan, heat the small cup of oil. Add the two tablespoons of tomato paste and stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes, until it lightens in color. Gradually add a few ladles of the pureed soup, stirring constantly, so that the paste thins out and doesn't clump.

5. Pour the contents of the frying pan (the oil with the thinned paste) back into the pot with the soup. Mix well.

6. In a separate pot, bring half a liter of water to a boil and then pour it into the soup to thin it out, depending on how thick or liquid you want it.

7. In the previously used frying pan (no need to wash it), add a little more oil (a few tablespoons), add the sweet paprika and dried thyme. Let it cook over low heat for 15-20 seconds, stirring, just enough to heat it up and release its aroma, but not to burn the paprika.

8. Pour this flavored oil with spices over the soup and stir. A small part of this mixture can be kept for decoration if you like.

9. Taste and adjust with salt if needed. Serve hot, possibly with lemon or herbs, but it's also very good plain.

Why I make the recipe often

It's a quick, hearty, and meatless soup. Red lentils cook quickly, require little attention, and the ingredients are almost always at home. It’s suitable for fasting days or for anyone wanting something easy to digest. It doesn't leave many dishes, and leftovers keep decently in the fridge.

Tips and variations

Tips

If you want the perfect smooth texture, you need a good immersion blender.
Be careful with the paprika when frying it, don't burn it. If it smokes, it's already too much.
You can adjust the consistency to your preference: thicker like a cream soup or thinner, like a broth.
It's okay to cook with or without a lid, but without a lid more water evaporates, so check the level at the end.

Substitutions

Instead of bell pepper, you can use sweet pepper or even a regular red bell pepper.
Thyme can be replaced with a little oregano or nothing if you don't have it.
Hot paprika can be used for a bit of spice, but don't completely replace the sweet paprika.
You can use any tomato paste, as long as it's concentrated.

Variations

If you want a slightly different taste, you can add a little garlic to the water from the start, but it's not traditional in this version.
Some add lemon juice when serving if you prefer it sour.
You can also add a little black pepper at the end.

Serving ideas

Serve hot in deep bowls.
Goes well with flatbread, homemade bread, or croutons.
You can sprinkle a little oil with paprika kept for decoration and a few parsley leaves on top.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use green or brown lentils?
I do not recommend it. Red lentils cook quickly and have the right texture for this cream soup. Other types take longer to cook and remain firmer.

2. Can I skip frying the tomato paste?
No. Frying changes its taste and makes it sweeter, without the raw taste.

3. Is the immersion blender a must?
Yes, for the smooth texture. Without a blender, the soup won't turn out the same, but if you don't have one, you can mash it with a fork, but the result will be rustic.

4. How thick should the soup be?
It depends on preferences, but the recipe above leads to a cream soup, not a very liquid one. You can adjust with hot water at the end.

5. How long does it last in the fridge?
It can be kept for 2-3 days in a covered container. When reheating, you can add a little water if it thickens too much.

Nutritional values

Estimate for one serving (out of 5 servings):

Calories: 250-300 kcal
Protein: 10-13 g
Carbohydrates: 40-45 g
Fats: 8-10 g
Fiber: 7-9 g
The soup is filling, a good source of plant proteins and complex carbohydrates. Values depend on how much oil and water you use. The calculations are approximate.

Storage and reheating

The soup keeps well for 2-3 days in the fridge, in a covered container. When reheating, add a little water if it thickens. I do not recommend freezing, the texture will not be as pleasant after thawing.

 Ingredients: 300 g red lentils, one large potato, 2 medium carrots, one suitable onion, one red bell pepper or roasted pepper, one teaspoon sweet paprika Kotanyi, one cup of oil, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, one teaspoon dried thyme.

 Tags:  lentil soup