The Turkish pantry

Lentils (green, cooked)

Cooked green lentils should be tender enough to eat but still hold their shape in Tutmaç soup. Drain them before measuring when the recipe specifies cooked lentils.

Last updated: 17 October 2026

Green lentils that have already been cooked. Their water content makes the same weight different from dry lentils; salted canned lentils may also differ from plain boiled ones.

Cooked green lentils in a cream bowl with a green rim.

Types & forms

Plain boiled and drained

Ready for a recipe that explicitly starts with cooked lentils; keep the grains intact where possible.

Canned or seasoned lentils

Check salt and other additions. Drain or rinse only as the recipe and product instructions require.

What to look for when buying

For a ready-cooked product, choose plain green lentils and inspect the pack for added salt or flavorings.
If cooking from dry, buy green lentils rather than split red lentils; the latter soften into a different texture.

Prepare & cook

If starting with dry lentils, sort and rinse them, then cook according to the package until tender. Measure the cooked amount after draining.
Fold cooked lentils into the soup at its specified stage. Avoid vigorous stirring that breaks them down while the noodles finish cooking.

Store it well

Cool cooked lentils promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate at 40°F or below. Use within 3–4 days, or freeze.
Keep cooked lentils separate from raw meat and use clean utensils. Follow an earlier package instruction for an opened commercial product.

Substitutions depend on the dish

Dry green lentils

Need separate cooking and yield more weight after absorbing water; not a same-weight replacement.

Cooked red lentils

Usually lose their shape more readily and change the soup’s body; use only in a recipe adapted for them.

Nutrition

Government reference example: Lentils boiled without salt, variety not specified ^[1]

Per 100 g edible portion
Nutrient	Amount
Energy	116 kcal
Protein	9.02 g
Total fat	0.38 g
Saturated fat	0.05 g
Carbohydrate	20.1 g
Dietary fiber	7.9 g
Total sugars	1.8 g
Sodium	2 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg
Calcium	19 mg
Iron	3.33 mg
Potassium	369 mg
Vitamin D	0 µg

Per 100 g of the stated reference food. This government example describes mature lentils boiled without salt, without a green-variety specification. It is not a green-cultivar assay, salted canned lentils, dry lentils or finished soup. Values are rounded for readability; “not reported” does not mean zero. A “<” value is below the source’s measurement limit.

Nutrition values come from the reference source named above. They are published reference values, not our own measurements. Actual products and cooking methods may change the values.

At the Turkish table

Tutmaç Çorbası combines cooked green lentils with noodles and yogurt. Keeping the lentils tender but distinct gives a contrast to the soft noodles rather than turning the soup into a purée.