Mercimek Corbasi is a Turkish soup with lots of flavor. This healthy lentil soup is not only filling but also perfect for a cold day. While this particular soup is Turkish, it does have similarities to that of different countries. What makes this dish special is the blend of spices that it has. If you’re ready to warm up this chilly day, let’s start cooking. 

Turkish Lentil Soup, makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 large or 3 small 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 or Aleppo pepper
• 5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1 lemon, sliced

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and sauté for 4 minutes.
2. Add the diced carrot and diced potato to the pot. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the garlic cloves and stir for 30 seconds.
4. Add the tomato paste, cumin, salt, paprika, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir for 30 seconds and then deglaze the bottom of the pot with a small amount of vegetable stock.
5. Add the remaining stock and lentils. Stir and increase heat till the soup is boiling. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
6. If the soup is getting too thick, add up to 1 cup of water.
7. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the dried mint. Using a blender, blend the soup till it’s creamy and all the ingredients are incorporated.
8. Serve with lemon wedges. If you’d like, add a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a drizzle of paprika oil.