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–+ servings

Easy 30 Minute Turkish Lentil Soup

Turkish lentil soup is the most warming (but still healthy) soup recipe going. Red lentils, fragrant spices and only 30 minutes!
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Soup
Cuisine: Turkish- inspired
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Author: Deborah Rainford

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) vegetable oil
  • 1 (1) brown onion, diced
  • 3 cloves (3 cloves) garlic, minced
  • 2 (2) small carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) tomato paste, puree
  • 190 g (1 cups) red lentils
  • 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoon (1 ½ teaspoon) paprika
  • 900 ml (3 ⅗ cups) vegetable stock, made from a stock cube
  • juice of ½ lemon

For serving

  • fresh mint leaves
  • chopped pistachios
  • creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt
  • cracked black pepper

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot- it will shimmer- sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until they’re starting to turn golden and have softened.
  • Add in the tomato puree, carrots, and lentils, and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Mix in the cumin and paprika and pour in the vegetable stock. Gently simmer until the carrots and lentils are soft, about 20 minutes.
  • Blend the soup until it's smooth and creamy using either an immersion blender or an upright blender. Then squeeze in the lemon juice. Whisk everything well and taste to adjust the seasoning.
  • Divide into bowls and top with the creme fraiche, pistachios and mint leaves.

Notes

  1. All of the toppings are optional but highly recommended. If you're keeping it minimal then a drizzle of olive oil is amazing too.
  2. Store this lentil soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. This makes it perfect for batch cooking. 
  3. Use extra water or stock to thin down the soup if you find it a little on the thick side. The thicker it is the more filling it will be. 

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 639mg | Potassium: 436mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3814IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 3mg
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