Mercimek Çorbası (Turkish Lentil Soup)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!