Soup every day
In Turkey, çorba (soup) is eaten at any time of day: at a soup shop on the way to work, at the start of dinner, and at almost every Ramadan iftar. Turkish soups are usually thick and smooth rather than thin, and they’re finished with a little butter sizzled with red pepper or dried mint, the Turkish version of a .
The dishes
Mercimek çorbası is the national soup: red lentils (our masoor daal) cooked with onion and carrot, blended smooth and served with lemon. Ezogelin adds bulgur, rice, tomato and pepper paste and dried mint for a heartier bowl.
Beans and chickpeas are everyday comfort food, eaten with rice much like daal-chawal. Kuru fasulye is white beans in a tomato sauce, sometimes with a little meat, and is often called Turkey’s national dish. Etli nohut is chickpeas slow-cooked with lamb or beef, close to our chana gosht.
Tips from a Pakistani kitchen
- Soak beans and chickpeas overnight and use a pressure cooker; it cuts the cooking time sharply.
- Blend lentil soups with a stick blender for the smooth Turkish texture.
- Squeeze lemon at the table. It brightens every lentil and bean dish.
- Use stock if you have it. Chicken or mutton yakhni gives far more depth than water.
- Keep the spices gentle. Turkish soups rely on paprika, mint and black pepper rather than garam masala; put on the table for heat.
How to serve
Serve soup in bowls with lemon wedges and warm bread. Serve beans and chickpeas over şehriyeli pilav with pickles, raw onion and a glass of ayran. Our Turkish soups guide explains the other soups you’ll meet in Turkey.
More to try
Yayla çorbası is a tangy yogurt and rice soup finished with mint butter, and domates çorbası is the simple tomato soup served with grated cheese.