Budget week Student survival Meal prepvegetarianvegandairy-free

Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)

Name: Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 200g red split lentils, rinsed; 1 large brown onion, chopped; 1 large carrot, diced; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp tomato purée; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp paprika; ½ tsp dried mint; ½ tsp dried thyme; ¼ tsp ground black pepper; ¼ tsp red chilli flakes; 950ml hot vegetable stock; Pinch of fine sea salt

Velvety spiced red lentil soup packed with warming cumin, mint and zippy chilli flakes.

30 min serves 4 Easy Watch

Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)

Ingredients

200g red split lentils, rinsed500g

1 large brown onion, chopped1 pack

1 large carrot, diced500g

1 tbsp olive oil500ml

1 tbsp tomato purée200g

2 tsp ground cumin40g

1 tsp paprika40g

½ tsp dried mint15g

½ tsp dried thyme15g

¼ tsp ground black pepper50g

¼ tsp red chilli flakes30g

950ml hot vegetable stock8 cubes

Pinch of fine sea salt350g

Method

Pick through your lentils for any foreign debris, rinse them 2 or 3 times, drain, and set aside. Fair warning, this will probably turn your lentils into a solid block that you’ll have to break up later
In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté the olive oil and the onion with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes, then add the carrots and cook for another 3 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and stir it around for around 1 minute. Now add the cumin, paprika, mint, thyme, black pepper, and red pepper as quickly as you can and stir for 10 seconds to bloom the spices. Congratulate yourself on how amazing your house now smells.
Immediately add the lentils, water, broth, and salt. Bring the soup to a (gentle) boil.
After it has come to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot halfway, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils have fallen apart and the carrots are completely cooked.
After the soup has cooked and the lentils are tender, blend the soup either in a blender or simply use a hand blender to reach the consistency you desire. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.
Serve with crushed-up crackers, torn up bread, or something else to add some extra thickness. You could also use a traditional thickener (like cornstarch or flour), but I prefer to add crackers for some texture and saltiness. Makes great leftovers, stays good in the fridge for about a week.

Cost to cook

serves 4 · I have the cupboard staples

Mostly estimated prices. Full-pack shop cost · about £14.68 of it is what this recipe actually uses.

Find it in store

Search the ingredients at your stores:

Tesco Asda

£18.96 est. · serves 4

Ingredients

200g red split lentils, rinsed500g

1 large brown onion, chopped1 pack

1 large carrot, diced500g

1 tbsp olive oil500ml

1 tbsp tomato purée200g

2 tsp ground cumin40g

1 tsp paprika40g

½ tsp dried mint15g

½ tsp dried thyme15g

¼ tsp ground black pepper50g

¼ tsp red chilli flakes30g

950ml hot vegetable stock8 cubes

Pinch of fine sea salt350g

Method

Pick through your lentils for any foreign debris, rinse them 2 or 3 times, drain, and set aside. Fair warning, this will probably turn your lentils into a solid block that you’ll have to break up later

In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté the olive oil and the onion with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes, then add the carrots and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir it around for around 1 minute. Now add the cumin, paprika, mint, thyme, black pepper, and red pepper as quickly as you can and stir for 10 seconds to bloom the spices. Congratulate yourself on how amazing your house now smells.

Immediately add the lentils, water, broth, and salt. Bring the soup to a (gentle) boil.

After it has come to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot halfway, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils have fallen apart and the carrots are completely cooked.

After the soup has cooked and the lentils are tender, blend the soup either in a blender or simply use a hand blender to reach the consistency you desire. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.

Serve with crushed-up crackers, torn up bread, or something else to add some extra thickness. You could also use a traditional thickener (like cornstarch or flour), but I prefer to add crackers for some texture and saltiness. Makes great leftovers, stays good in the fridge for about a week.