Hearty, nourishing and oh so flavourful! This Spicy Turkish-Style Red Lentil Soup is the perfect healthy lunch or dinner when the savoury cravings strike. The best part? This comforting soup is ready in just 20 minutes and super easy to make.

Spicy Turkish-Style Red Lentil Soup
I’m always down for comforting and nourishing soup, especially when they are as delicious as this Spicy Turkish-Style Red Lentil Soup. I really love to eat lentil soup at Turkish restaurants because I love the spice combination, taking red lentils on another level.
Finally, I took the leap and decided to develop my own quick and easy lentil soup recipe.
I’m claiming it now that this is the best lentil soup recipe you’ll have in your arsenal because it comes with tons of flavour without needing a ton of ingredients. Red lentils, onion, garlic, tomato paste, water and a couple of spices is all you need to whip up this delicious soup in just 20 minutes.
Moreover, it is the ideal nourishing low-carb lunch or dinner when you crave something hearty and comforting without being heavy. One serving of this easy lentil soup recipe clocks in at just 268 calories. Does it get any better than this? It can! A splash of lemon juice as a topping for this red lentil soup is the perfect counterpart to offset the spicy flavour and give it a fresh touch.

Tips for making this easy lentil soup recipe
- Roast the spices with tomato paste, onion and garlic first before adding the lentils and water. This awakens the flavours.
- If you want to add additional flavour, use vegetable or chicken stock instead of water.
- You can also make this soup thicker or thinner by adjusting how much liquid is used. This recipe is made to be a semi-thick and creamy soup.
- This dish is also ideal for meal prep. Make a big batch on the weekend and eat throughout the week. Stored in the fridge, this Spicy Turkish-Style Red Lentil Soup keeps for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

More hearty soup recipes to try
If you like this savoury and nourishing soup, you’ll love these recipes:
Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Chorizo Chips

Spicy Turkish-Style Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 (medium) onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 200 g red lentils (1 cup)
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 l water (1 ¼ cups)
Toppings (optional)
- fresh parsley
- splash fresh lemon juice
- dried chili flakes
Instructions
- Peel and chop onion and garlic.
- Heat vegetable oil in a pot on medium to high heat. Add onion and roast for about a minute. Turn heat to medium and add garlic, tomato paste, cumin, sweet paprika and chilli flakes. Roast for about a minute.
- Pour in red lentils and water, season with salt, and let cook on medium to low heat for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth but not blended through completely.
- Top with fresh parsley, a splash of lemon juice and chilli flakes, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only calculated with the recipe calorie and nutrition calculator provided by verywellfit.com. The author of this website is not a nutritionist nor a doctor. All nutritional data provided in the recipes and correspondent blog posts are for informational purposes only. Do not use the information as nutritional or medical advice.
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