Turkish Green Lentil Noodle Soup Recipe
A hearty lentil soup with tender erişte, savory pastes, and a broth that stays balanced as it rests.
Stagger the Lentils and Erişte
Parboil the green lentils separately for 15–20 minutes, then drain their dark cooking water before building the soup. Cook the onion with the tomato and pepper pastes before adding hot water, and add the erişte only when the lentils are nearly tender. Remove the soup from the heat as soon as the noodles are cooked; they continue absorbing liquid during the 5-minute rest.
- Yield
- 1 medium pot of green lentil noodle soup
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
Ingredients for Green Lentil Noodle Soup
Ingredients
How to Make Green Lentil Noodle Soup
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01
Parboil the lentils
18 minutesRinse the green lentils and place them in a pot with enough water to cover them by a few finger-widths. Boil over medium heat for 15–20 minutes, until the lentils begin to soften, then drain.
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02
Sauté the onion and tomato paste
7 minutesHeat the olive oil and butter in the main pot. Soften the finely chopped onion for 4–5 minutes, then add the tomato paste and pepper paste and sauté for 1–2 minutes, until the raw smell fades.
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03
Bring the soup base to a boil
5 minutesAdd 6 cups hot water and stir until the paste dissolves completely. Add the parboiled lentils and boil over medium heat for 5 minutes.
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04
Cook the erişte
8 minutesAdd the erişte and cook for 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, depending on the thickness of the packaged or homemade erişte. Add the salt, black pepper, mint and red pepper flakes during the last 2 minutes.
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05
Rest the soup
5 minutesTurn off the heat and let the soup rest for 5 minutes. Because the erişte absorbs liquid, adjust the serving consistency with 1/2–1 cup hot water if needed.
Mastery Guide
Review the technical details, common mistakes and correct practices that determine the recipe result.
Critical Tips
Parboil and Drain the Lentils
The lentils’ dark cooking water can deepen the soup’s color and will not cook in sync with the noodles.
Best practice: Parboil the lentils separately for 15–20 minutes.
Add the Noodles Toward the End
If the noodles boil too long, they will break down and make the soup too thick.
Best practice: Add the noodles when the lentils are nearly done.
Adjust the Serving Consistency Later
The noodles absorb liquid as they sit.
Best practice: Add hot water if needed 5 minutes after turning off the heat.
Common Mistakes
Starting the Raw Lentils and Noodles Together
The noodles will become mushy by the time the lentils are cooked.
Best practice: Stagger their cooking times.
Adding Water Before Cooking the Tomato Paste
The raw tomato paste flavor may remain.
Best practice: Cook the tomato paste with the onion for 1–2 minutes.
Finishing with the Soup Too Thick
It will thicken further as it rests.
Best practice: Leave it slightly loose when you remove it from the heat.
Why Does This Happen?
Why Does the Soup Become So Thick the Next Day?
The noodles and lentil starch absorb liquid as they sit.
Best practice: Add hot water while reheating.
Why Do the Lentils Fall Apart?
Over-parboiling and prolonged second cooking can break the grains apart.
Best practice: Finish parboiling when the grains are still firm but tender.
Why Is the Color Too Dark?
If the lentil cooking water is added to the soup, it can darken the color.
Best practice: Drain the parboiling water.
Mayana Tips
Balance the Salt in the Broth
Prepared broth can make the soup saltier.
Best practice: Add the salt at the end of cooking.
Check the Thickness of the Homemade Noodles
Homemade noodles may cook in a different amount of time than packaged noodles.
Best practice: Start checking the consistency at 7 minutes.
Add the Mint and Red Pepper Flakes at the End
The flavor weakens with prolonged boiling.
Best practice: Add the spices during the last 2 minutes.
Ingredients & Measurements
Green Lentils
They add texture and protein.
Best practice: For old, very dry lentils, extend the parboiling time.
Noodles
They are the soup's filling dough component.
Best practice: Adjust the cooking time according to their thickness.
Tomato Paste
It adds color and depth of umami.
Best practice: Use tomato paste together with a small amount of pepper paste.
Cooking Techniques
Parboiling
Keeps the cooking times of the lentils and noodles aligned.
Best practice: Boil the lentils separately, then drain them.
Toast the Tomato Paste
Removes the raw flavor.
Best practice: Cook briefly with the onion.
Final Liquid Adjustment
Balances the noodles' continued absorption of liquid.
Best practice: After resting, adjust the consistency with hot water.
How to Store and Make Green Lentil Noodle Soup Ahead
- Serving temperature
Hot, but not boiling, for serving
- Best resting time
Let the soup rest for 5–10 minutes after removing it from the heat to help the consistency settle.
- Refrigerator storage
Cool within 2 hours, then store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Room-temperature limit
Do not leave at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
- Freezing
Soups without yogurt can be frozen in portions for up to 1 month; yogurt-based soups are not recommended for freezing because the texture may separate.
- Thawing method
If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating
Reheat over low to medium heat, stirring; add a little hot water if the soup has thickened.
- Make-ahead steps
The legumes can be boiled ahead and stored in the refrigerator; cooking the noodles on the day of serving gives a better texture.
- Serving suggestion
Adjust the consistency with hot water if needed and serve hot.
Nutrition
1 serving: 1/6 of the recipe; including serving additions
Calculated approximately for 1/6 of the recipe using standard ingredient nutrition values and household-measure conversions. Values are approximate calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Green Lentil Noodle Soup
Do green lentils need to be parboiled first?
Yes; in this recipe, we parboil and drain them for 15–20 minutes to control the color and consistency.
When are the noodles added?
Add them when the lentils are almost cooked, during the final 7–9 minutes.
What should you do if the soup becomes too thick?
Add hot water and stir briefly to reach a serving consistency.
Is beef broth required?
No; you can also make it with hot water. If you use beef broth, add the salt at the end.
Can lentil soup with noodles be frozen?
Yes, but the noodles will be softer after thawing; it turns out better when eaten fresh.
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