Turkish cuisine soup: a staple of the table
Turkish cuisine soup holds a special place in daily life, from home kitchens to traditional lokantas. In Turkey, a warm bowl of çorba is not just a starter but often a comforting meal on its own. Among the best-known examples are lentil soup, ezogelin, and tarhana, each with a long-standing place in Turkish culinary culture.
If you are exploring traditional foods while visiting places such as the Spice Bazaar or wandering around Sultanahmet Square, trying a classic Turkish soup is one of the easiest and most authentic food experiences in Istanbul.
The most well-known soup of Turkish cuisine: lentil soup, mercimek çorbası
Did you know that lentil soup, indispensable for Turkish dinner tables, is also considered the oldest soup of Turkish cuisine? This unique flavor, eaten by Turks in nomadic times and present in Turkish cuisine since Central Asia, is traditionally prepared with onion, garlic, and broth.
If you want to make lentil soup at home, here is a simple recipe.
Lentil soup ingredients
3 tablespoons of sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped coarsely
1 tablespoon of flour
1 carrot, chopped coarsely
1 large potato, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1.5 cups red or yellow lentils
6 glasses of hot water, prepared with 1 meat water tablet
How to make lentil soup
Add 3 tablespoons of oil to a pan. Fry the chopped onion in the oil. Add 1 tablespoon of flour to the roasted onions and continue cooking until the smell comes out and the color changes slightly. Add the carrot and potato cut into large pieces and keep mixing.
Wash the lentils well, then add them with salt and pepper. Pour in 6 cups of hot water. Close the lid and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and carrots are soft. For a smooth consistency, blend the soup with a hand blender. Cook for another 5 minutes, then remove from the stove.
For the topping, heat 3 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a separate pan. Add 1 teaspoon of ground red pepper and heat the oil for 2 minutes. Pour this over the soup when serving. Enjoy your meal.
Nutrient-rich ezogelin soup, ezogelin çorbası
According to a rumor, this rich and nutritious soup came from the skillful hands of “Ezo bride,” who mixed all the ingredients in the house to feed an unannounced guest. “Ezo” is an old female name, and “bride” is “gelin” in Turkish, hence the name ezogelin. Ezogelin soup is made with red lentils, rice, bulgur, tomato paste, onions, garlic, spices, and meat broth.
For those who want to try this çorba, the recipe is below.
Ezogelin soup ingredients
2 teaspoons of red lentils
3 tablespoons of rice
2 tablespoons of bulgur
1 onion
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon of butter
6 cups of hot water
1 teaspoon mint
1 teaspoon salt
How to make ezogelin soup
Boil some hot water in a big pan. Add 2 tea glasses of washed and drained red lentils. Then add 3 tablespoons of rice, 2 tablespoons of bulgur, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for about 35 minutes and check whether the lentils are soft.
In a different pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the onion and start frying. Add 1 teaspoon of tomato paste, then 1 teaspoon of mint, and continue frying for 2 more minutes. Remove this roasted sauce from the heat and add it to the pan where the legumes are boiling. Cook the soup for another 10 minutes after mixing well. Serve hot with lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Enjoy your meal.
A taste in world literature: tarhana soup, tarhana çorbası
Tarhana soup, one of the essential products added to world cuisine culture by the Turks, is one of the most beloved traditional soups. The way it is stored introduced a new preservation technique to international cuisines. Although tarhana differs by region, all varieties manage to bring the flavor of the sun to winter tables. It is also often associated with UNESCO-related culinary heritage discussions; for current details, it is best to check UNESCO.
Tarhana soup ingredients
4 tablespoons of powdered tarhana
1 tablespoon of dried mint
7 glasses of water
1 tablespoon of sunflower oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 teaspoon of salt
1 clove of garlic, crushed
How to make tarhana soup
Take the powdered tarhana in a large mixing bowl. Add the mint and 2 glasses of room-temperature water, then whisk well. Let the tarhana soften at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the oil and butter to a large saucepan and melt over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and tomato paste and start frying. Add the softened tarhana mixture and stir. Then add the remaining 5 cups of water to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Serve the soup hot without waiting. Since it thickens as it cooks, you may want to add water if you plan to consume it later. Bon appetit.
Where to eat traditional Turkish soups in Istanbul
If you would rather taste these soups outside the home, Istanbul has many long-loved soup stops. Some are close to historic neighborhoods and landmarks such as the Grand Bazaar, making them easy to add to a day of sightseeing. You can also read more about Turkish culinary culture and the country’s food traditions on GoTürkiye.
Şayan, Beşiktaş
Şayan, one of the famous soup stops in Istanbul, is a place where celebrities and football players stop when they want to have a delicious soup.
Historical (Tarihi) Haliç İşkembecisi, Fatih
Historical Haliç İşkembecisi is a place on the Haliç that will take you back to ancient times. This traditional soup stop, which gives peace to guests with its original structure, has been in service since 1938.
Hünkar, Nişantaşı
How would you like to spare some time for a bowl of soup amid the bustle of Nişantaşı? While thinking about which one to choose among dozens of daily meals, you may realize that your table is already full of comforting options.
Kanaat Lokantası, Üsküdar
Kanaat, which starts serving soup at 6 o’clock every morning, is for those who want to say hello to the day with a warm and satisfying taste.
Karaköy Çorba Evi, Beyoğlu
Karaköy Çorba Evi is a little different from the places you may be used to. In this soup house, an average of 15 kinds of soup are prepared during the day. Traditional delicacies, local soups, meat soups, and vegetable soups can cheer your stomach at almost any time of day.
Why soup matters in Turkish food culture
From simple lentil soup to richer regional recipes, çorba remains one of the most comforting parts of Turkish food culture. It can be modest, practical, nourishing, and deeply traditional all at once. Whether you make it at home or order a steaming bowl in Istanbul, soup is one of the most approachable ways to understand everyday Turkish cuisine.
