Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Mint

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ onion , diced
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 0.25 cups diced tomatoes , drained
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 0.5 cups red lentils
• 0.25 cups fine bulgur wheat
• 0.25 cups rice
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 0.5 teaspoons cayenne pepper , Optional
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather the ingredients.

2. 2

   Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Stir in chicken stock, lentils, bulgur, rice, tomato paste, mint, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils and rice are tender, about 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Puree soup with an immersion blender until smooth.