- Course: Soup
- Turkish
- Traditional
- Lentil Soup
- Soup
- Starter
- Turkish Cuisine
Authentic Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Süzme Mercimek)
Silky, velvety Turkish red lentil soup made with Cilin split red lentils, fragrant butter, and a sizzling mint and red pepper drizzle.
- Prep
- 15 minutes
- Cook
- 25 minutes
- Total time
- 40 minutes
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
Served around the clock in every corner of Turkey, from morning soup houses to fine restaurants, süzme mercimek çorbası is the quintessential Turkish comfort food.
The Cilin Lentil Advantage
The colour and texture of lentil soup come from the lentils themselves. Red lentils are sold hulled and split, so they need no soaking and break down quickly as they cook. Cilin red lentils are sieved, cleaned and sized at our plant in Mersin, giving the soup its warm orange colour and smooth texture.
Chef's Secrets
- Flour roux: Lightly cooking a spoonful of flour with the aromatics creates a permanent emulsion, preventing the soup from separating as it cools.
- Silky blend: Puree thoroughly with an immersion blender or pass through a fine sieve for authentic restaurant texture.
- Sizzling butter: Never skip the finishing drizzle of foaming butter infused with dried spearmint and Aleppo-style pepper flakes.
Our production is TSE and Halal certified and runs under ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 management systems.
To source Cilin red lentils wholesale or for export, get in touch with our team.
Ingredients
Servings: 6
- 1.5 cups (270 g) Cilin Split Red Lentils
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 small carrot, grated or diced
- 1 small potato, diced
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6 cups hot water or bone/chicken stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional, for vibrant color)
- Topping: 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp dried mint, 1 tsp Turkish red pepper flakes
- For serving: Fresh lemon wedges
Method
Rinse Cilin split red lentils in cold water until clear; drain.
Melt butter and olive oil in a soup pot. Add diced onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until soft.
Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Add the diced carrot, potato, and drained red lentils. Stir to combine.
Pour in the hot stock or water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 20-25 minutes until vegetables are completely soft.
Puree with an immersion blender until completely silky and smooth. Season with salt, cumin, and turmeric; simmer for 2 minutes.
In a small pan, melt the topping butter until bubbling. Stir in dried mint and pepper flakes, immediately removing from heat.
Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle generously with the hot mint-pepper butter, and serve with lemon wedges.
The product in this recipe
Cilin Red Lentils
Cilin Red Lentils, cleaned, sieved and sized at our facility in Mersin, is the heart of this dish.
View the productSourcing this product for wholesale or export?
We supply retailers, wholesalers, restaurants and importers in packs from 1 kg to 25 kg. Tell us what you need and we will prepare a quote for you.