Turkish Lentil Soup - KindSoups

Turkish Lentil Soup

Loved the combination of spices before the lemon and mint were added.  Almost didn’t add them because I didn’t want to ruin the taste - but it was even better afterwards.  Relatively easy prep also.  I had sweet potatoes on hand, so used them instead of Russets - all delicious.  Part of KindSoups Around the World in 2023.  Unfortunately, there was another earthquake in Turkey on the day of the zoom meeting.  The KindChef, Alexa Abelatey, whose husband is from Turkey, showed us the geography and where the 3 earthquakes occurred.  

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 medium yellow onions, diced
• 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and diced (or sweet potatoes)
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 teaspoons cumin
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoons black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoons cayenne OR Aleppo pepper
• 15 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 3 cups red lentils, picked through (for small stones) and rinsed
• 3 teaspoons dried mint
• 3 lemons
• 
  
• Instructions

•  Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onions and sauté for 4 minutes.
• Add the diced carrots and diced potatoes to the pot. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic cloves and stir for 30 seconds.
• Add the tomato paste, cumin, salt, paprika, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir for 30 seconds and then deglaze the bottom of the pot with a small amount of the chicken or vegetable stock.
• Add the remaining stock and lentils. Stir and increase heat till the soup is boiling. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• If the soup is getting too thick, add water or more broth. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the dried mint. Using an immersion blender or a stand blender, blend the soup till it’s creamy and all the ingredients are incorporated.
• Optional Paprika Oil – Heat the oil in a small pot and add the paprika. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Continue to stir till fully incorporated.
• Serve with lemon wedges. If you’d like, add a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a drizzle of paprika oil

Health and Safety Information

In order to protect the the quality of our KindSoup program, we ask that volunteers conscientiously observe the following guidelines:

• Start with clean hands and wash again frequently as needed throughout the cookiprocess.
• Start with clean kitchen surfaces and utensils (antibacterial wipes do a great job).
• Keep longer hair tied back.
• Follow other common sense procedures, such as never returning a tasting spoon to the pot!

Thank you for maintaining a high cleanliness standard for our KindSoup donations!