Turkish · Free recipe
Smoky Red Lentil Soup
Red lentils collapse into a thick, golden soup in half an hour, carried by onion, carrot, smoked paprika, and a touch of Aleppo pepper. A sizzling butter and mint drizzle poured over each bowl adds a bright, toasty finish.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
Method
-
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion and carrot for 6 to 7 minutes, until softened.
-
Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, and cumin and cook for 1 minute, until the spices are fragrant and the paste coats the vegetables.
-
Add the lentils and broth, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have completely broken down.
-
Puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth, adding a splash of water if it is thicker than you like. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt.
-
Just before serving, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat until foaming, then add the Aleppo pepper and mint and swirl for 20 seconds until the butter turns red and smells toasty.
-
Ladle the soup into bowls and spoon the sizzling spiced butter over the top.
Zest note from the test kitchen
Rinse red lentils until the water runs mostly clear; the surface starch otherwise creates a scum that foams up and can make the soup taste slightly dusty.
