This is a classic Turkish dish that is simple but satisfying. Don’t worry if your knife skills aren’t up to par: since the soup is pureed in the food processor, you don’t have to agonize over slicing onions and carrots into perfectly diced sizes and shapes. The soup also freezes well, so make double the recipe and save half the batch for another time.

Serves: 4

Rinse lentils well and drain.

In a large stock pot over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and pinch of salt. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add carrots, lentils, garlic, oregano, cumin, and tomato paste, and sauté for an additional 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken stock and 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender, about 45 to 50 minutes. Strain soup, reserving both solids and liquids. Add all of solids to food processor with 4 cups of liquid and puree about 1 minute, until it is smooth but still has some texture to it. Add additional liquid to achieve desired consistency. Adjust seasoning, return to pot, and warm. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.