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Red Lentil Soup with Potato and Lemon
Turkish red lentil soup, called kırmızı mercimek çorbası, is a classic dish and a ubiquitous offering in Turkish eateries. There are many versions of the soup, some with a base of chicken stock, others made vegetarian; some that include only with lentils plus a few aromatics, others fortified with rice. Istanbul home cook Emine Nese Daglar, and grandmother of chef Cagla Gurses, taught us her pressure-cooked version, which we adapted for conventional stovetop simmering. To add flavor and color, she uses a Turkish pepper paste called biber salçası; as a substitute we find tomato paste plus roasted red peppers work nicely. She also blends her soup to a smooth, elegant puree, as is traditional, but we prefer to keep ours rustic in texture. Lemon juice is an essential ingredient in kırmızı mercimek çorbası. It brings a brightness that balances the earthiness of the lentils.
4
Servings
Tip
Don’t serve the soup immediately after stirring in the lemon juice.* Allow it to stand for a few minutes so the flavors mix and meld.
50 minutes
15 minutes active
Ingredients
-
⅓
cup extra-virgin olive oil
-
1
medium yellow onion, chopped
Directions
-
01In a large saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
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July 10, 2023
Amazing!
I added more roasted red peppers and didn’t have any potatoes on hand, and it turned out incredible. I added some red chili flakes as well for a mild kick. I left out the lemon juice as it had enough acidity from the residual roasted red pepper brine. I had two large servings of this for dinner. Truly fantastic! Far, far better than any red lentil soup I’ve had in a Turkish restaurant.
March 26, 2023
Perfect for mild flavor eaters
No everyone can't eat or, don't like really spiced food. This was great for me, tasty!
March 21, 2023
Warming & Simple
I read the reviews of this before I made it. This recipe is delicious. I followed the recipe as written with changes: I used a box (1 pint) of chicken stock and two cups water and squeezed the juice of a half lemon in at the end instead measuring out 2 TBS. This is special soup especially on a cold, rainy day in LA.
February 23, 2023
Comfort Food
I have to admit, I was a bit leary about this recipe, having only 2 spices, but, it was a pleasant surprise. We loved it, the only change I made was to use lime juice because I didn't have any lemons. VERY GOOD soup. A great soup for a cold winter's night.
February 23, 2023
Another excellent, easy vegan soup!
The potatoes drew me in. At first I thought this wasn't much different from the Red Lentil Soup with Aleppo Pepper (Milk Street) and a red lentil soup w/carrots and cilantro that we love. But it's not the same and stands on its own. I was concerned it would be bland after reading one review, but we didn't think so at all. The potato cubes added texture and thickness to the soup-- especially the next day. We love lemon, so used 3 tbsp instead of 2. Next time I would add more potato because, well, I love potatoes.
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