🧆

Turkish Lentil Kofta

Name: Mercimekli Köfte
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 79 min
Yield: 6 porsiyon
Cuisine: Türk Mutfağı
Ingredients: 1.5 su bardağı Kırmızı mercimek; 1 su bardağı İnce bulgur; 3.5 su bardağı Su; 1 adet Kuru soğan; 4 yemek kaşığı Zeytinyağı; 1 yemek kaşığı Domates salçası; 1 tatlı kaşığı Biber salçası; 5 dal Taze soğan; 0.5 demet Maydanoz; 1 çay kaşığı Kimyon; 1 çay kaşığı Pul biber; 1 tatlı kaşığı Tuz; 2 yemek kaşığı Limon suyu

A Turkish no-meat classic made with red lentils, fine bulgur, tomato paste, onion, herbs, and lemon.

Easy⏱️ 1 hr 19 min📖 1 min readServes 6~235 kcal🇹🇷 Turkish🌍 Full translation

20 min prep 18 min cook 41 min rest

Vegan
#Easy
#Budget-Friendly

Keeps the screen on · step-by-step guide · built-in timer

Download PDF

Timeline

Total 1 h 19 min

Prep20 min
Resting/Marinating41 min
Cooking18 min

Ingredients

6 servings

Quick:

For the meatballs

1.5 su bardağı(~300 ml) Red lentils
1 su bardağı(~200 ml) Fine bulgur
3.5 su bardağı(~700 ml) Water

Kavurmak için

1 adet Yellow onion
4 yemek kaşığı(~60 ml) Olive oil
1 yemek kaşığı(~15 ml) Tomato paste
1 tatlı kaşığı(~10 ml) Pepper paste

For the greens

5 dal Scallions
0.5 demet Parsley

General

1 çay kaşığı(~5 ml) Cumin
1 çay kaşığı(~5 ml) Red pepper flakes
1 tatlı kaşığı(~10 ml) Salt

For serving

2 yemek kaşığı(~30 ml) Lemon juice

What else can I make with these ingredients?

Instructions

1
Cook the red lentils with the water over medium heat for 18 minutes, until tender.
18 min
18:00
2
Remove the pot from the heat, add the fine bulgur to the lentils, stir, cover, and rest for 15 minutes.
15 min
15:00
3
Dice the yellow onion small and soften it in olive oil for 6 minutes.
6 min
06:00
4
Add the tomato paste and pepper paste to the onion and fry for 2 minutes.
2 min
02:00
5
Add the paste mixture to the lentil bulgur, then knead with cumin, red pepper flakes, and salt for 4 minutes.
6
Finely chop the scallions and parsley, add them to the mixture, and balance the flavor with lemon juice.
7
Squeeze the mixture into walnut-size patties and serve on lettuce leaves.

💡 Tip: Add the bulgur while the lentils are still hot; after 15 minutes under the lid, the mixture comes together without drying out.

🍽️ Serving suggestion: Serve mercimekli kofte with lettuce leaves, lemon wedges, and optional ayran for a crowded tea table.

Good sources

Approximate vitamin / mineral assessment based on the recipe's ingredients. For precise nutrition tracking, consult a doctor or dietitian.

Protein source
Iron
Vitamin C
Fiber

Nutrition (per serving)

~235

kcal calories

g protein

g carbs

g fat

Protein 15%Carbs 58%Fat 27%

Approximate values, derived from ingredient amounts using USDA FoodData Central and TÜBİTAK Turkish Food Composition Database. Actual values can vary by roughly ±20% depending on cooking method, brand, and portion size. For diet or medical conditions, consult a dietitian or doctor.

This recipe may contain allergens

Gluten

Allergens are derived automatically from the ingredient list, covering the main groups of the EU-14 food allergen standard (gluten, milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, seafood, sesame, celery, mustard). Cross-contamination (shared kitchen equipment, shared surfaces) isn't tracked, if you have a serious allergy, review the full ingredient list yourself and ask about preparation.

Community Adaptations (0)

No adaptations yet. Be the first to add one!

FAQ

How many servings does Turkish Lentil Kofta make?
This recipe serves 6.
How long does Turkish Lentil Kofta take?
Prep 20 minutes, cooking 18 minutes, including 41 minutes of passive resting; 79 minutes in total.
Is Turkish Lentil Kofta difficult?
This recipe is rated easy.
How many calories does Turkish Lentil Kofta have?
Approximately 235 kcal per serving. Protein: 9g, carbs: 34g, fat: 7g.
Which allergens does Turkish Lentil Kofta contain?
This recipe contains Gluten. Check it against your dietary needs.
How many ingredients does Turkish Lentil Kofta need?
This recipe needs 13 ingredients.

Be the first to review

To leave a review, sign in.

Give this recipe its first star

No reviews yet, did you try it? How did it turn out, what did you change? Help the next cook.

Other versions of this recipe

Try a similar recipe in the same category at a different complexity.

🔄 Simpler

Feijão Tropeiro

3 steps, 5 ingredients, 36 min

Open recipe →

✨ Fancier

Kuru Fasulye

7 steps, 9 ingredients, 641 min

Open recipe →

Similar recipes

Selected from the same category and tags

Sort:

Legume Dishes

Found an error in this recipe?

Instructions

Cook the red lentils with the water over medium heat for 18 minutes, until tender.

18 min

18:00

Remove the pot from the heat, add the fine bulgur to the lentils, stir, cover, and rest for 15 minutes.

15 min

15:00

Dice the yellow onion small and soften it in olive oil for 6 minutes.

6 min

06:00

Add the tomato paste and pepper paste to the onion and fry for 2 minutes.

2 min

02:00

Add the paste mixture to the lentil bulgur, then knead with cumin, red pepper flakes, and salt for 4 minutes.

Finely chop the scallions and parsley, add them to the mixture, and balance the flavor with lemon juice.

Squeeze the mixture into walnut-size patties and serve on lettuce leaves.

FAQ

How many servings does Turkish Lentil Kofta make?

This recipe serves 6.

How long does Turkish Lentil Kofta take?

Prep 20 minutes, cooking 18 minutes, including 41 minutes of passive resting; 79 minutes in total.

Is Turkish Lentil Kofta difficult?

This recipe is rated easy.

How many calories does Turkish Lentil Kofta have?

Approximately 235 kcal per serving. Protein: 9g, carbs: 34g, fat: 7g.

Which allergens does Turkish Lentil Kofta contain?

This recipe contains Gluten. Check it against your dietary needs.

How many ingredients does Turkish Lentil Kofta need?

This recipe needs 13 ingredients.

Timeline