Turkish Lentil Soup

Smooth red lentil soup finished with a rich tomato-butter sauce

Contents

1. Ingredients
2. Instructions

Ingredients

For the soup

• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 1 onion
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, cut into pieces
• 2 small potatoes, cut into pieces
• 2 small tomatoes, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon hot chili flakes
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 200g red lentils, rinsed
• 1.5 liters boiling water

For the tomato sauce

• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• 30g vegan butter
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Instructions

Step 1: Sauté the vegetables

Peel and dice all the vegetables. Heat the sunflower oil in a soup pot, add the vegetables, and sauté over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes.

Step 2: Cook and blend the soup

Rinse the red lentils under cold water and add them to the pot. Add the salt and chili flakes and stir well. Pour in the boiling water while stirring continuously. Bring to a boil and cook with the lid slightly ajar for 25–30 minutes. Once the vegetables are tender, remove from the heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

Step 3: Make the tomato sauce and finish

In a separate saucepan, heat the sunflower oil and melt the vegan butter into it over low heat. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Stir in about one ladle of the blended soup, then pour the tomato sauce back into the main pot and stir well. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed and simmer over low heat for another 5–8 minutes.

Step 4: Serve

Serve hot with extra chili flakes and, optionally, a swirl of (vegan) cooking cream.