Turkish-Style Ezogelin Lentil & Bulgur Soup

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.