Yesil Mercimek Corbasi (Green Lentil Soup)
A rustic, deeply savoury green lentil soup from the Anatolian home kitchen — earthy lentils simmered with carrot, potato and a paprika-scented paste base. Proper cold-weather comfort in a bowl.
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Ingredients
250 g (1 1/4 cups) green lentils, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, diced small
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp mild pepper paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried mint
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, plus extra to serve
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1.5 litres (6 cups) hot water or vegetable stock
1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
Lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the green lentils in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear, then leave to drain.
- 2
Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the chopped onion for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- 3
Stir in the tomato paste and pepper paste and fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the oil turns brick red and smells sweet.
- 4
Add the diced carrot and potato and toss them in the paste for a minute so they are well coated.
- 5
Tip in the lentils, pour over the hot water or stock, add the cumin and black pepper and bring to the boil.
- 6
Reduce the heat, cover partially and simmer gently for 30-35 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are completely tender.
- 7
Season with salt, stir in the dried mint and pepper flakes and simmer for a final 2 minutes.
- 8
Ladle into bowls and serve hot with lemon wedges and warm bread on the side.
While red lentil soup gets all the fame abroad, ask any Turkish home cook and they will tell you that yesil mercimek corbasi is the soup of everyday family tables. Green lentils hold their shape as they simmer, so the soup eats almost like a stew — hearty enough to be a full supper with nothing more than warm bread on the side.
The flavour backbone is the classic Turkish duo of tomato paste and pepper paste bloomed in olive oil with onion. Do not rush this step; frying the pastes for a couple of minutes wakes up their sweetness and gives the broth its brick-red colour. A spoon of dried mint stirred in at the end is the traditional finishing touch in central Anatolia.
Unlike red lentils, green lentils do not collapse into a puree, so there is no blending involved — just gentle simmering until everything is tender. If the soup thickens too much as it sits, loosen it with a splash of hot water and re-season. All the store-cupboard staples here, from Duru lentils to Oncu pastes, are the same brands you would find in a bakkal in Turkey, delivered across the UK by Turkish Online Market.
Serve piping hot with lemon wedges for squeezing, a scatter of pepper flakes and plenty of crusty or pita bread. Leftovers taste even better the next day.
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