This Turkish soup features a delicious, healthful combination of lentils and whole-grain bulgur. A drizzle of sizzling spiced olive oil gives the soup a final flourish.

Makes 8 servings, about 1 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 onions, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed (see Tip)
1/3 cup bulgur
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cumin; cook for 1 minute. Add broth, lentils, bulgur, tomato paste and bay leaf; bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook over low heat until the lentils and bulgur are very tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
2. Ladle about 4 cups of the soup into a food processor and puree. Return the pureed soup to the soup pot and heat through. Stir in lemon juice and season with pepper.
3. Just before serving, ladle the soup into bowls. Heat the remaining 4 teaspoons oil in a small skillet and stir in paprika and cayenne. Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of the sizzling spice mixture over each bowlful and serve immediately.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 218 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 4 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrate; 13 g protein; 7 g fiber; 126 mg sodium; 406 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Fiber (29% daily value), Iron (15% dv).
2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat

TIP: Tip: You can replace red lentils with brown lentils; add 1/2 cup water and simmer 40 to 45 minutes.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare through Step 2. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

This was an excellent soup, fairly spicy, which in my book is a great thing. Hearty, filling, and very tasty. And the sizzling oil on top makes this soup excellent.

Courtney, Redwood City, CA

It's a success whenever I serve it. If I am out of bulgur, I use barley. It has to simmer a bit longer but it's still delicious. I've learned that many muslims use this soup to break fast during Ramadan.

Cathy, Cliton, NJ

I've been staring at a jar of brown lentils for months and decided it was time to use them! This soup is delicious and was super-easy to make after an exhausting day. I love spicy food, but the oil/pepper/paprika drizzle was a bit much, so I just used a little less and there was plenty of heat.

Michelle, South Burlington, VT