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Turkish Red Lentil Soup
 
recipe image
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 40 Minutes
Servings: 4
I was going nuts looking for the perfect red lentil soup recipe that had just the right spice blend after enjoying it immensely at my favorite local Turkish joint and getting a bit bored with my standby lentil soup recipe. This is based on various Turkish lentil soup recipes with my own flair. It didn't come out exactly like the tasty soup at Turkuaz, but it did come out good enough for me to keep making it!
Ingredients:
1 quart vegetable broth
1 teaspoon olive oil (can be left out i like it for the creaminess)
1 cup red lentil
1 carrot, finely diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste (for a richer soup just use a whole 6-oz can)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika (smoked for extra zing!)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 dash garlic powder (just one shake)
1 dash cayenne pepper (a few shakes)
2 bay leaves
Directions:
1. Combine everything into a pot, and bring to a boil.
2. Lower the heat, loosely cover the pot, and let simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils have completely softened.
3. Let the soup cool for about 5-10 minutes (you can also cheat and just pop the pot in the fridge or freezer for a couple minutes while catching up on work and texting, like I did!).
4. Pour the soup in a blender to puree it nicely.
5. After pureeing, I sometimes like to pop in a can of big white beans like great northern beans, navy beans, cannellini, or butterbeans with a little fresh cilantro if I happen to have any on hand. These are found in piyaz, another delicious meze.
6. Garnish with lemon and/or fresh mint, and serve with some delicious pitas, toasty Turkish bread, or sigara bourek!
By RecipeOfHealth.com