- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 300 g
- 2 tbsp
- 1 tbsp
- 40 g
- 2 tbsp
- 1 ½ l
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- 20 g
- 1 tsp
Process
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Rinse the red lentils and rice under cold running water until the water runs clear, then drain well.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and grated carrot and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens slightly and smells sweet.
Add the drained red lentils, rice, hot vegetable broth, dried mint, paprika, salt and black pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and rice are completely soft and the soup has thickened.
Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth, or leave it slightly chunky if you prefer. If it is too thick, loosen with a splash of hot water.
For the drizzle, melt the butter in a small pan over low heat, add the red pepper flakes and swirl for 20 seconds, then remove from the heat.
Ladle the soup into bowls, spoon the red pepper butter over the top and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze in at the table.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is not cooking the lentils long enough: they should collapse completely into a puree, so give them the full 25 minutes and taste before blending.
- Rinse the lentils and rice very well. Unrinsed lentils throw off a thick foam that can catch and burn on the bottom of the pot.
- Stir the pot every few minutes while simmering. Red lentils sink and scorch easily; if you smell toast, add a splash of hot water and scrape the base immediately.
- The soup thickens a lot as it sits. Adjust with hot broth or water right before serving, and season with salt only after the lentils are fully soft.
Substitutions
- red pepper paste→1 tbsp tomato paste plus 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- vegetable broth→water with 1 extra tsp salt and a pinch of sugar
- butter→olive oil for a dairy-free drizzle
- rice→bulgur, rinsed, same weight
Storage & reheating
Cool the soup completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It thickens considerably when cold, so reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, adding hot water or broth a few tablespoons at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency. The soup freezes well for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as above. Keep the red pepper butter separate and melt it fresh just before serving.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my ezogelin soup turn out thick and gluey?
Red lentils and rice release a lot of starch, and the soup keeps thickening as it stands. Whisk in hot water or broth a few tablespoons at a time until it flows off a spoon, and remember that it will tighten again once it cools in the bowl. If it is already gluey, thin it more aggressively than feels right, since the lentils will absorb some of the added liquid.
Can I make ezogelin soup without red pepper paste?
Yes. Use an extra tablespoon of tomato paste plus half a teaspoon of sweet paprika, or a spoonful of finely chopped roasted red pepper. The soup will lose a little of its deep red color and mild heat, but the flavor stays close. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes at the end if you want that warmth back.
How do I know when the lentils are fully cooked?
They should be completely collapsed with no distinct lentil skins left, and the rice should be soft enough to mash against the side of the pot with a spoon. Taste a spoonful: if you feel any graininess or bite, simmer another 5 minutes. Blending too early leaves a slightly gritty texture that no amount of extra cooking fixes later.
Can I freeze ezogelin soup?
Yes, it freezes very well for up to 3 months. Cool it fully, portion it into freezer-safe containers leaving 2 cm of headspace, and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water, because the thawed soup will be much thicker than when it went in.
Is ezogelin soup supposed to be spicy?
Traditionally it is only mildly warm, not hot. The heat comes from the red pepper paste and the pul biber butter, both of which are usually mild. If you are using a hot paprika or chili flakes, start with half the amount and adjust after tasting, since the lentils themselves are sweet and mild.
Can I use canned lentils instead of dried red lentils?
It works in a pinch but changes the texture. Use about 500 g of drained canned lentils, add them after the onion and carrot are soft, and simmer only 10 minutes with the rice so the rice has time to cook. Skip the long simmer, or the lentils will turn to mush and the soup will taste flat.
What do I serve with ezogelin soup to make it a full meal?
Crusty bread or a wedge of flatbread for dipping, lemon wedges on the side, and a simple salad of cucumber, tomato and onion with olive oil. A spoonful of plain yogurt swirled in at the table is also common. The lemon is not optional for most Turkish cooks; it brightens the whole bowl.
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