Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 medium Russet potato, peeled and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne or Aleppo pepper
- 5 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1 lemon, sliced
Optional Paprika Oil
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (canola or safflower) or butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons paprika
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and sauté onions: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and sauté for about 4 minutes until they become translucent and fragrant.
- Add carrots and potatoes: Add the peeled and diced carrots and potatoes to the pot. Continue to sauté for another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften the vegetables evenly.
- Add garlic: Add the sliced garlic cloves and stir constantly for 30 seconds to release their aroma without burning.
- Add spices and tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, salt, paprika, dried oregano, black pepper, and cayenne or Aleppo pepper. Cook the mixture for 30 seconds to toast the spices and deepen the flavors. Then deglaze the pot by adding a small amount of broth and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom.
- Add remaining broth and lentils, bring to boil: Pour in the remaining 5 cups of vegetable or chicken broth and add the red lentils. Stir everything together and increase the heat to bring the soup to a boil.
- Simmer the soup: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the soup becomes too thick during the cooking process, add up to 1 cup of water to loosen the texture.
- Blend the soup: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the dried mint. Use an immersion blender or transfer portions of the soup to a stand blender and blend until smooth and creamy, fully incorporating all ingredients.
- Prepare optional paprika oil: In a small saucepan, heat the neutral oil or butter over low heat. Stir in the paprika and remove from heat immediately. Continue stirring until well combined and fragrant.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with lemon wedges for squeezing, and optionally drizzle with the paprika oil. You may also sprinkle chopped parsley for added freshness and color.
Notes
- You can substitute vegetable broth with chicken broth depending on your preference.
- If you prefer a chunkier texture, blend only half the soup and leave the rest as is.
- Adjust cayenne or Aleppo pepper to control the heat level.
- Leftover soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- For a vegan version, ensure vegetable broth is used and substitute butter with plant-based oil in the paprika oil.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Turkish
- Diet: Vegetarian
