Traditional Turkish Ezogelin Soup
A deeply comforting Turkish red lentil soup with fine bulgur, rice, and aromatic dried mint. Rich in plant protein and dietary fiber for lasting fullness and warm digestive comfort.
Prep
10 min
Cook
30 min
Total
40 min
Makes
4 servings
Created together. Shared with you.
Made by Leyla + Lila
Leyla created this recipe with Lila and shared it with the perimenopause community.
The feel-good payoff
Why this meal can feel especially good in perimenopause
Think practical wins: steadier energy, comfortable fullness and one less food decision. Your response is personal, so use the prompts below to notice what works for you.
Perimenopause symptoms and relief · Office on Women’s HealthDigestive comfort
A portion that works for you
Fiber and plants can support digestion, but more is not always better overnight. Start with a comfortable portion and build gradually.
Notice: comfort + portion
Comfortably satisfied
Fullness that has staying power
This meal is designed to feel substantial, so finishing it can feel like the meal is complete rather than the start of an evening of grazing.
Notice: fullness 2–3 hours later
Steadier energy
Feel fueled, not flattened
A complete meal with protein, carbohydrates and fats is designed to offer more staying power than a quick carb-only fix.
Notice: energy 1–3 hours later
More staying power
Make the next few hours easier
This meal is built to be more sustaining than a snack-sized stopgap, with enough substance to carry you into the next part of the day.
Notice: energy + fullness later
Setup
Get set up
Choose your servings, gather what you need, then cook along below.
Prep
10 min
Cook
30 min
Total
40 min
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Equipment
Blender
Time saver
Prep the vegetables and measure pantry ingredients earlier in the day to shorten cook time.
Do these three things first
- 1Set out all ingredients before cooking
- 2Measure the pantry ingredients before heating the pan
- 3Read through the steps once before you begin
Ingredients
Gather as you go
Ingredients
Cook along
Instructions
0 of 8 steps complete
Next: Heat the olive oil in a large…
- 01
Heat the olive oil in a large…
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, around 300°F (150°C).
Tap card to mark done - 02
Add the yellow onion and garlic clove…
Add the yellow onion and garlic clove to the pot. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
Look for: soft and translucent
Tap card to mark done - 03
Stir in the tomato paste and red…
Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper paste. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and deepened in color.
Look for: fragrant and deepened in color
Tap card to mark done - 04
Add the red lentil
Add the red lentil, fine bulgur, and white rice to the pot, stirring well to coat the grains in the paste mixture.
Tap card to mark done - 05
Pour in 1
Pour in 1.2 liters (5 cups) of water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over high heat.
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Reduce heat to low
Reduce heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer gently for 25 minutes until the lentils, bulgur, and rice are completely tender.
Look for: the lentils, bulgur, and rice are completely tender
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Stir in the dried mint and red…
Stir in the dried mint and red pepper flake. Season lightly and simmer uncovered for another 3 to 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
Look for: slightly thickened
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Remove from heat and let sit for…
Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes before serving warm with fresh lemon slices if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Allow: 5 minutes
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