Turkish · Lunch · Dinner
Turkish Green Lentil Stew with Bulgur
Yeşil Mercimek Yemeği
A hearty, homely Turkish stew of green lentils and nutty bulgur simmered in a garlicky tomato and onion base, finished with dried mint and a gentle chilli warmth. It is filling, budget-friendly and packed with plant protein and fibre.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 67% · Fat 13% · Protein 20%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 1 cup200 gGreen lentils, dry
- 1/3 cup60 gCoarse bulgur
- 1 medium150 gOnion, finely chopped
- 1 medium80 gCarrot, diced small
- 2 cloves6 gGarlic, minced
- 2 medium200 gRipe tomatoes, grated
- 1 tbsp16 gTomato paste
- 1 tbsp14 gOlive oil
- 1 tspRed pepper flakes (pul biber)
- 1/2 tspGround cumin
- 1 tspDried mint
- 1/4 tspBlack pepper, ground
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 5 cups1,200 gWater
- 2 tbsp30 gLemon juice, to serve (optional)
Steps
- 1
Rinse the lentils in a sieve under cold water and pick out any small stones.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- 3
Add the onion and carrot and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and golden.
- 4
Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 5
Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring so it does not stick.
- 6
Add the grated tomatoes, red pepper flakes, cumin and black pepper and simmer for 3 minutes.
- 7
Add the lentils and the water, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- 8
Rinse the bulgur, stir it into the pot with the salt, and simmer for another 15 minutes until the lentils and bulgur are tender, adding a splash more water if it gets too thick.
- 9
Rub the dried mint between your fingers over the pot and stir it in.
- 10
Turn off the heat, cover and rest for 5 minutes so the bulgur absorbs the juices.
- 11
Serve hot, with a squeeze of lemon juice if you like.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Swap the bulgur for the same amount of rinsed long-grain rice for a gluten-free version, choosing lentils labelled gluten-free and adding water as needed since rice may cook a little faster.
- Replace the bulgur with one diced medium potato, added with the lentils, for a softer, more traditional lentil-and-potato stew.
- Use 1 cup of canned crushed tomatoes instead of the grated fresh tomatoes if good ripe tomatoes are hard to find.
- Use sweet paprika instead of red pepper flakes for a milder stew that kids may prefer.
Storage
Cool and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a covered container for up to 3 to 4 days, then reheat with a splash of water until steaming hot, as the bulgur thickens it as it sits. It can be frozen for up to 3 months, though the bulgur will turn a bit softer.
Make ahead
Chop the onion and carrot and mince the garlic up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. The whole stew can also be cooked a day in advance, as the flavours deepen overnight; just loosen it with water when reheating.
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 (484 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 300 kcal | 62 kcal |
| Protein | 15.6 g | 3.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52.4 g | 10.8 g |
| of which sugars | 5.5 g | 1.1 g |
| Fiber | 9.5 g | 2 g |
| Fat | 4.6 g | 1 g |
| of which saturated | 0.7 g | 0.1 g |
| Sodium | 622 mg | 129 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
