Turkish hot lunch: soup, sulu yemek and more

In Turkey, a bowl of soup almost always starts or accompanies a meal. Çorba is not a side dish but a daily habit, and that tradition comes in especially handy at lunchtime. A warm bowl of soup or a hearty stew with sauce is exactly what turns lunch into a real moment of rest.

At Yasemin we cook these classics fresh and 100% halal. If you are looking for a hot lunch with character, Turkish cuisine is a treasure trove.

Why Turkish soup makes an ideal hot lunch

Soup is warm, easy to digest and still filling, and there is endless variety. From creamy to spicy, from lentils to yoghurt: there is always a çorba to suit your mood and the day. Soup also reheats easily, and you can take it along in a thermos flask. Browse the full range of Turkish soups.

Popular Turkish soups for lunch

• Mercimek çorbası: the well-known red lentil soup, creamy and rich in protein.
• Ezogelin çorbası: lentils with bulgur and tomato, hearty and filling.
• Yayla çorbası: a fresh yoghurt soup with rice and mint.
• Domates çorbası: classic tomato soup, mild and loved by young and old.

Sulu yemek: Turkish stews with sauce

Besides soup, Turkish cuisine has sulu yemek: 'dishes with liquid', in other words hearty stews in a flavourful sauce. Think of white beans (kuru fasulye), stewed vegetables or meat with tomato and herbs. Warm, nourishing and, with rice or bread, a complete hot lunch. Want to know more about Turkish cuisine? Read whether Turkish food is healthy.

Delivered fresh, hot again in no time

Fancy a Turkish hot lunch without spending hours in the kitchen yourself? Yasemin delivers fresh, hot dishes to your home, 100% halal and never frozen. All you do is heat them up. More inspiration? Check out our hot lunch ideas.

Frequently asked questions

What is a typical Turkish hot lunch?

A typical Turkish hot lunch is a bowl of çorba (soup) or a sulu yemek (stew with sauce), often with bread or rice on the side. Warm, hearty and nourishing.

What is sulu yemek?

Sulu yemek literally means 'dishes with liquid': Turkish stews in a flavourful sauce, such as white beans or stewed vegetables with meat.

Is Turkish soup healthy?

Many Turkish soups, such as lentil soup (mercimek), are light and rich in protein. They make a nourishing hot lunch without being heavy.

Can you take Turkish soup to work for lunch?

Yes, soup is ideal to take along. In a thermos flask it stays warm for hours, and in the microwave it is back to temperature in no time.