The Ministry records that Düğün Çorbası was served to guests during wedding celebrations that continued for days and nights, which explains its name: literally, “wedding soup.” Recipes vary across Türkiye. Some regional versions include yogurt, milk, chickpeas or grains; the version here keeps to the Ministry's lamb broth with an egg, lemon and flour liaison, finished with red-pepper butter. It is a practical home interpretation, not a claim that every region prepares the soup in the same way.
Düğün Çorbası — Recipe Card
Turkish Lamb Wedding Soup with Lemon-Egg Liaison
Makes 6 servingsUS cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Düğün Çorbası
Simmer the lamb
Put the lamb and 1200 ml (5 cups) cold water in a heavy pot. Bring slowly to a gentle boil and skim off the foam. Lower the heat, partially cover and simmer for 60–75 minutes, until the meat is fork-tender and has reached at least 63°C (145°F), followed by a 3-minute rest.
Strain and prepare the meat
Lift the lamb onto a clean plate and strain the broth into a clean pot. Let the meat cool for 10 minutes, then discard the bones and excess fat and shred or dice the meat into small bite-size pieces. Skim excess fat from the broth; if evaporation has reduced it below about 1 litre (4 1/4 cups), add only enough hot water to restore that volume.
Make a smooth liaison
Whisk the flour and egg in a bowl until no lumps remain, then whisk in the lemon juice. While whisking continuously, add about 240 ml (1 cup) of the warm broth a little at a time so the egg mixture warms gradually.
Thicken the soup gently
Return the broth to low heat and add the lamb. Pour in the tempered liaison in a thin stream while whisking. Cook gently for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until the soup lightly coats a spoon and reaches 74°C (165°F). Do not let it boil violently.
Season carefully
Add the salt gradually, tasting after each addition because the broth concentrates as it cooks. Keep the soup over very low heat while preparing the butter; if it becomes thicker than a pourable cream soup, loosen it with a small splash of hot water.
Finish with paprika butter
Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Stir in the sweet paprika or mild red pepper for 15–20 seconds, just until fragrant; do not scorch it. Ladle the soup into warm bowls, spoon the colored butter over the surface and serve immediately.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-wedding-soup-dugun-corbasi. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Regional variations
Düğün Çorbası is a family of regional soups rather than one fixed formula. Kocaeli's official version uses lamb neck, milk and egg yolks; other regions add yogurt, chickpeas or grains. This recipe follows the Ministry's national lamb, egg, lemon and flour version.
Dietary note
The base recipe contains lamb, wheat, egg and dairy. It is not vegetarian or gluten-free, and flour substitutions are not presented as a one-for-one change because they alter the liaison's texture.
Heat level
Mild when made with sweet paprika or mild Turkish red pepper. For more heat, replace half of the paprika with 1/2 tsp pul biber; use a genuinely mild pepper for children or heat-sensitive diners.
Boneless alternative
For convenience, use 350 g (12.3 oz) boneless lamb shoulder and replace up to half the water with unsalted lamb or beef stock. Taste before adding the full amount of salt; the flavor will be good, though the broth will have less body than one made with bones.
How to store and reheat Düğün Çorbası
Cool the soup promptly and refrigerate it in shallow covered containers within 2 hours. Keep at 4°C (40°F) or below and use within 3–4 days. Reheat only the portion needed over low heat, stirring often, until it reaches 74°C (165°F); avoid a hard boil, which can split the liaison. Freezing is safe but not recommended for texture because the egg-flour emulsion may separate after thawing.
Düğün Çorbası: questions and answers
Why is it called Düğün Çorbası?
Düğün means wedding. Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism notes that the soup was served to guests during wedding celebrations that lasted for days and nights.
Why did my soup become grainy?
The egg mixture was probably heated too quickly or the soup boiled hard after it was added. Whisk warm broth gradually into the liaison first, add it in a thin stream and keep the pot at a gentle heat.
Can I make the soup a day ahead?
Yes. Chill it within 2 hours, refrigerate covered, and reheat slowly while whisking until the center reaches 74°C (165°F). Add the paprika butter after reheating for the freshest aroma.
