Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Ezogelin)
A creamy Turkish red lentil soup simmered with bulgur, cumin, and paprika, finished with fresh lemon.
Ezogelin çorbası shows up on nearly every Turkish restaurant menu for good reason: it's a humble bowl of red lentils, a little bulgur, and warm spices that somehow tastes like more than the sum of its parts. This version keeps it simple, simmering lentils and bulgur together in vegetable broth with cumin, paprika, and a spoonful of tomato paste, then finishing with lemon juice for brightness.
Red lentils cook down into a naturally thick, creamy soup without any cream at all, and because the base is mostly lentils and broth, each bowl delivers a substantial amount of fiber alongside plant protein — one reason lentil soups like this are often chosen within a diabetes-conscious or heart-healthy eating pattern. It's also entirely vegan and reheats well for a weekday lunch.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1/4 cup fine bulgur — or rice
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper — to taste
- 1 tsp dried mint, sizzled in a little oil — for garnish
These ingredients are common at Middle Eastern grocers; a well-stocked international supermarket usually carries them too.
Instructions
- 1Heat olive oil in a pot; sauté onion until soft, about 5 minutes.
- 2Add garlic, tomato paste, cumin, and paprika; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3Stir in lentils, bulgur, and broth; bring to a boil, then simmer 25-30 minutes until lentils are soft.
- 4Blend partially with an immersion blender for a creamy texture, leaving some texture if you like.
- 5Stir in lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.
- 6Ladle into bowls, top with a pinch of dried mint sizzled in oil, and serve with lemon wedges.