Turkish-Style Ezogelin Lentil & Bulgur Soup
A comforting Turkish red lentil and bulgur soup, warmed with mint and paprika, low in sodium and fat.
Ezogelin is a Turkish staple for good reason—red lentils and fine bulgur cook down together into a thick, warming soup, finished with dried mint, cumin, and a touch of paprika. It's the kind of dish that tastes like it's been simmering for hours, even though it comes together in half that time.
Red lentils and bulgur together bring a genuinely high fiber content along with plant protein, and the tomato paste, mint, and cumin build flavor without leaning on salt at all—just one tablespoon of olive oil is used to soften the onion at the start. A finishing squeeze of lemon adds brightness in place of extra seasoning, and the whole pot stays low in both sodium and saturated fat.
Thin it with a little extra broth if it thickens too much on standing—lentil soups have a way of continuing to absorb liquid even off the heat.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion — chopped
- 2 cloves garlic — minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste — no salt added
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 0.5 tsp ground cumin
- 0.5 tsp paprika
- 0.75 cup red lentils — rinsed
- 0.25 cup fine bulgur
- 5 cups vegetable broth — low-sodium
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley — chopped
These ingredients are common at Middle Eastern grocers; a well-stocked international supermarket usually carries them too.
Instructions
- 1Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat; sauté onion 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic, tomato paste, dried mint, cumin, and paprika; cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- 2Stir in lentils, bulgur, and vegetable broth; bring to a boil.
- 3Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils and bulgur are tender and the soup has thickened.
- 4Stir in lemon juice and adjust texture with a splash of water if needed.
- 5Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley.