Life, Among Other Things

I grew up eating lentil soup on cold, rainy winter days. It was the kind of meal I would come home from school to—a warm bowl waiting after being outside in the cold. Even now, there is something about lentil soup that makes me feel warm before I even take the first bite.

Years later, while living in Turkey, I learned a different way of making it. The Turkish version had its own flavors and little techniques that were different from the soup I grew up with. Eventually, without really planning to, I started combining the two.

Over time, it became my own recipe.

Now I make this soup all the time for my family. My husband and my son absolutely love it, and it has become one of those meals I don’t really have to think about anymore. I know what goes in the pot, I know what it should smell like, and I know exactly what it needs when I taste it.

Maybe that’s my favorite thing about recipes like this. They change as we do. This one started as something I came home to as a child, traveled with me to Turkey, changed along the way, and eventually became something I now make for my own family.

And on a cold or rainy day, it still makes your heart feel warm.

My Red Lentil Soup

Warm, creamy, and simple, this is one of those soups that tastes like it took much more effort than it actually did. Red lentils, potatoes, and carrots cook together until tender, then everything is blended until smooth. The final spoonful of buttery pepper paste gives it a rich, slightly spicy finish.

Serves: 6–8
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35–40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups red lentils, rinsed very well
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1–2 cups water, as needed

For the pepper-butter finish

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon Turkish red pepper paste (biber salçası)
• Optional: Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, just until fragrant.

Add the potatoes, carrots, and rinsed red lentils. Stir in the tomato paste and let everything cook together for about 2 minutes, stirring so the tomato paste coats the vegetables and lentils.

Season with salt and coriander. Pour in the broth and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat, cover partially, and simmer for about 25–30 minutes, or until the lentils have broken down and the potatoes and carrots are completely soft.

Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. If it’s thicker than you like, add a little hot water or broth until it reaches your preferred consistency. Taste and adjust the salt.

In a small pan, melt the remaining butter over low-medium heat. Add the pepper paste and stir for about 30–60 seconds, until fragrant and incorporated into the butter. Don’t let it burn.

Pour the pepper butter into the soup and stir it through. You can also save a little to drizzle over each bowl before serving.

Serve hot with lemon wedges and warm crusty bread.