Turkish Green Lentil Stew: Yeşil Mercimek Yemeği
You don’t need a Turkish grocery store to make yeşil mercimek yemeği, a home-style green lentil stew with onion and tomato paste. The ingredients are easy to find, and everything cooks on the stovetop. Serve it with bread for dipping or a little rice on the side
This recipe is vegan, using olive oil and water. In Turkey, other versions may contain butter, meat or meat stock.
Serves: 4
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 40–50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1½ cups dried green lentils, about 300 grams, rinsed and checked for small stones
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Turkish sweet red pepper paste, optional
- 5 cups hot water, about 1.2 liters, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon salt, then adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Red pepper flakes, optional
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Shopping note: Choose ordinary dried green lentils. Brown lentils also work, though cooking times vary. Red split lentils soften and break down much faster, giving this dish a different texture. Turkish pepper paste, called biber salçası, is optional. The stew can work with tomato paste alone.
How to make it
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Partially cook the lentils. Put the rinsed lentils in a saucepan and cover generously with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Drain. They should still be firm.
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Soften the onion. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
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Cook the paste. Stir in the tomato paste and optional pepper paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring so they do not catch on the bottom.
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Simmer the stew. Add the drained lentils, hot water, salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat. Partially cover and simmer for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender. Older lentils may take longer.
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Adjust the consistency. The finished dish should have tender lentils in a generous, lightly thickened broth. If it becomes dry before the lentils soften, add more hot water. If it is too watery, simmer uncovered for a few minutes.
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Taste and serve. Adjust the seasoning and let the stew stand for 5–10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and optional red pepper flakes.
What to serve alongside it
Keep the lentil stew as the main dish. Bread, a small portion of rice or bulgur pilaf, sliced onions or pickles can accompany it. Squeeze lemon into your own bowl to taste.
A few useful details
- No stock is necessary. Onion, tomato paste and lentils provide the base flavour. If you use vegetable stock, check its ingredients and reduce the added salt.
- Watch the pot toward the end. Lentils absorb liquid as they cook and continue to thicken while resting.
- For a gluten-free meal, use ingredients labeled gluten-free where needed and serve with rice rather than bulgur or ordinary bread.