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A bowl of golden Turkish lentil soup with a paprika butter drizzle and lemon.

Authentic Turkish Restaurant-Style Lentil Soup

A velvety, golden red lentil soup made with a savory beef broth base and a touch of turmeric. Served with a signature paprika butter drizzle.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Turkish
Calories: 157
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Red Lentils (thoroughly washed)
  • 2 cloves Garlic (whole)
  • 1 tbsp Butter
  • 1 tbsp All-purpose Flour
  • 6 cups Beef Broth (cold)
  • 1 tsp Ground Turmeric
  • Salt (to taste)
For the Topping:
  • 1 tbsp Butter (or) Vegetable Oil
  • 1 tsp Sweet Paprika (or) Red Pepper Flakes

Equipment

  • Deep Soup Pot: For sautéing and simmering.
  • Immersion Blender: Essential for achieving the smooth restaurant texture.
  • Whisk: To ensure the flour roux and broth combine without lumps.
  • Small Skillet: For preparing the paprika butter topping.

Method
 

  1. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pot and whisk in the flour. Sauté until fragrant.
    Sautéing butter and flour to create a light roux for lentil soup.
  2. Add the washed red lentils to the pot and sauté for 2 minutes with the flour.
    Adding washed red lentils to the butter and flour mixture in a pot.
  3. Toss in the whole garlic cloves and stir to combine.
    Adding fresh garlic cloves to the lentil soup base.
  4. Pour in the cold beef broth and add salt. Bring to a simmer at 100°C (212°F).
    Pouring beef broth over red lentils in a soup pot
  5. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes until the lentils are completely soft.
    Simmering red lentils in broth on low heat until tender.
  6. Stir in the turmeric, then use an immersion blender to process until perfectly silky.
    Blending Turkish lentil soup with an immersion blender until smooth.
  7. In a small skillet, heat butter and paprika until sizzling. Drizzle over the soup.
    Preparing a paprika butter topping for Turkish lentil soup.

Video

Notes

Always serve this soup with a fresh lemon wedge on the side. The acidity of the lemon cuts through the richness of the beef broth and butter, making the flavors pop. If the soup feels too thick after blending, just whisk in a little extra hot water until you reach your desired "ipek" consistency!