Mercimek Çorbası (Turkish Lentil Soup)

1 . Stage

Cook the vegetables: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot (4 quarts or larger) over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the celery, carrot, and garlic and sauté until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.

2 . Stage

Add the spices and sweet pepper paste: Add cumin and oregano and stir the spices into the vegetable mixture. Add the tatli biber salçasi and stir until evenly distributed.

3 . Stage

Add the lentils and vegetable stock: Add the lentils to the pot and stir to distribute evenly into the vegetable mixture. Add the vegetable stock and stir. Let the soup come to a boil.  Turn the heat to low, place the lid on the pot, and let the soup simmer until the lentils and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

4 . Stage

Blend the soup and season: Remove the soup from the heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup or work in batches and purée the soup in a blender with the lid cracked.  Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

5 . Stage

Prepare the pul biber butter drizzle: Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Cook the butter until just beginning to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 2 teaspoons olive oil and 2 teaspoons pul biber. Stir to combine.

6 . Stage

Garnish and serve soup: Ladle the soup into bowls. Add 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt on the top of each soup followed by croutons, a drizzle of the pul biber butter, and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley and extra pul biber. Serve. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and eaten within 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat the soup in the microwave or in a saucepan on low heat. Did you love the recipe? Leave us some stars below!