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Simple yet robust with plenty of flavor
Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Aleppo Pepper Oil
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This simple, yet robust Turkish soup is rich with lemon and tomato. It gets a pleasantly thick body from red lentils, which soften and break down during cooking. The Aleppo pepper is a wonderful addition, lending a gentle heat. If you can't find it, order online or substitute with an additional teaspoon of paprika and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. The soup can be made vegan by substituting olive oil for the butter.
3 tablespoons salted butter
1 medium yellow onion cut into ½-inch dice (about 1 cup)
1 medium garlic clove, finely grated
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup red lentils
2 tablespoons long-grain white rice
5 cups water
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
Chopped fresh mint leaves, to serve (optional)
Lemon wedges, to serve
Ingredients
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3
tablespoons salted butter
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1
medium yellow onion cut into ½-inch dice (about 1 cup)
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1
medium garlic clove, finely grated
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1
tablespoon tomato paste
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1
tablespoon sweet paprika
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½
teaspoon ground cumin
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1
cup red lentils
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2
tablespoons long-grain white rice
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5
cups water
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Kosher salt
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3
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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2
teaspoons Aleppo pepper
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Chopped fresh mint leaves, to serve (optional)
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Lemon wedges, to serve
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Directions
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01In a large saucepan over medium, melt the butter. Once it has stopped foaming, add the onion then sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, paprika and cumin, then sauté for 1 minute.See Demo
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02Add the lentils, rice, water and 2 teaspoons salt, then bring to a boil. Adjust heat to maintain a lively simmer, cover and cook until the lentils and rice are tender and broken down, about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.See Demo
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03Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium, heat the olive oil, swirling to coat the pan. Add the Aleppo pepper and cook until a few bubbles appear and the oil is bright red. Remove from heat and set aside. Serve the soup with Aleppo pepper oil drizzled over each serving. Serve with mint and lemon wedges.See Demo
In the store
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Buy now
Whole Cumin
Cumin's husky, earthy, slightly smoky flavor accentuates the flavors of meats and galvanizes vegetables like cauliflower and beets.
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Buy now
Maria Grammatico Pasticceria Estratto Di Pomodoro Tomato Paste
Dense, glossy and intensely fruity, this may be the most potent tomato paste we’ve ever tasted.
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Buy now
Merula Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Produced from a blend of Spanish olives, Merula extra-virgin olive oil tastes fruity, balanced and bright.
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Buy now
Christopher Kimball by Regal Ware 4-Quart Stainless Steel Saucepan
This covered saucepan offers more volume to match your cooking ambition. It provides superior heat conductivity and cooking performance.
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SO good! The first time I made this, I found out halfway into the recipe that I didn't have any tomato paste, so I tried to think what I could substitute that was acidic, fruity... and remembered that I'd just bought a jar of preserved lemons. (I wonder if the pasta al limone recipe inspired that substitution?) I used a half of a lemon -- I'd stick to one third to one half and not more -- and chopped it very fine, and mixed it in. And it was fantastic. (I actually like this version better!) The Aleppo pepper oil is so good. (I've been cooking scrambled eggs in Aleppo pepper oil and calling them my "dinner eggs".) I've discovered so many new flavors because of Milk Street. Thank you for inspiring us!
This was delicious and substantial! I wanted a green garnish but didn't have any fresh mint. Instead I shredded a handful of baby spinach and tossed it in for the last minute or two, and it became a tasty ingredient.
Happy to see we can now comment on the recipes. I've made this many times and my whole family loves it. I've used olive oil and I've also used ghee in place of whole butter and it turns out great both ways. The Aleppo pepper oil is very good so don't skip it. Even with olive oil, the red lentils give the soup a nice buttery flavor and the smokey Aleppo with the lemon and mint are perfect with the lentils. So easy to make.
One of those so easy to make dishes that it can be ready to ladle into serving bowls in less than an hour after opening the pantry and asking "what's for dinner tonight?" As with all Milk Street recipes we've tried this one is reliable for outcome made as written. Mint garnish is listed as optional, but it really is 'it' as finish element here along with the Aleppo oil and lemon.
This is a great recipe. So simple to make, and full of flavor. More recipes with short active cooking times! :)