Turkish · Lunch · Dinner
Ezogelin Soup
Ezogelin çorbası
A warming Turkish soup of red lentils, bulgur and rice simmered with tomato and onion until thick and silky, finished with a sizzle of mint and paprika oil. Hearty, budget-friendly and naturally plant-based.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Serves
- 6
Calories come from: Carbs 63% · Fat 21% · Protein 16%
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Ingredients
For 6 servings- 1 cup200 gRed lentils
- 1/4 cup40 gFine bulgur
- 1/4 cup50 gWhite short-grain rice
- 1 large150 gOnion, finely chopped
- 1 medium60 gCarrot, finely grated
- 2 cloves6 gGarlic, minced
- 3 tbsp48 gTomato paste
- 1 tbsp14 gOlive oil (for the soup)
- 1 tbsp14 gOlive oil (for the topping)
- 7 1/2 cups1,750 gWater
- 2 tspDried mint
- 1 tspSweet paprika
- 1/2 tspRed pepper flakes (pul biber)
- 1/2 tspGround cumin (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp9 gSalt
- 1/2 tspBlack pepper
- 1 medium60 gLemon, cut into wedges
Steps
- 1
Rinse the red lentils and rice together in a sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain.
- 2
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- 3
Add the onion and carrot and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until soft but not browned.
- 4
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 5
Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute to cook off its raw taste.
- 6
Add the lentils, rice and water, and bring to a boil.
- 7
Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring now and then so nothing sticks.
- 8
Stir in the bulgur, salt, black pepper and cumin (if using) and simmer for 10–15 minutes more, until the lentils have broken down and the grains are tender. Add a splash of hot water if it gets too thick.
- 9
For a smoother soup, blend briefly with a stick blender, leaving some texture.
- 10
Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a small pan over low heat, take it off the heat and stir in the dried mint, paprika and red pepper flakes for a few seconds without letting them burn.
- 11
Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with the mint and paprika oil, and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use coarse bulgur instead of fine bulgur if that is what you have, adding a few extra minutes of simmering until it is tender.
- For a gluten-free version, replace the bulgur with an extra 1/4 cup of rice or with quinoa, since bulgur is made from wheat and every other ingredient is naturally gluten-free.
- Swap the red pepper flakes (pul biber) for a pinch of regular chili flakes or extra sweet paprika if you can't find them or want it milder.
- For a lighter finish, skip the topping oil and simply stir the dried mint and paprika into the soup at the end.
Storage
Cool and refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days; the soup thickens as it sits, so loosen it with hot water and reheat until steaming hot. It can be frozen for up to 3 months, but make the mint and paprika oil fresh when serving.
Make ahead
Make the whole soup up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge, then reheat with a splash of water. Prepare the mint and paprika oil just before serving so the spices stay fragrant.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: Gluten
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (401 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 241 kcal | 60 kcal |
| Protein | 10.4 g | 2.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 39.3 g | 9.8 g |
| of which sugars | 2.9 g | 0.7 g |
| Fiber | 6.3 g | 1.6 g |
| Fat | 5.7 g | 1.4 g |
| of which saturated | 0.8 g | 0.2 g |
| Sodium | 612 mg | 153 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
