Easy Greek Lentil Soup
This Greek Lentil Soup Recipe is a classic Greek dish that is simple to make and has simple flavors but definitely not a boring soup. This comforting classic soup is made in 1 pot, freezer-friendly, and always nourishing and delicious. Greek Lentil soup or “fakes soup” as we call it in Greek is made with simple ingredients and can be enjoyed for a simple dinner with crusty bread and with olives, feta and even a Greek salad. It is a classic for a reason and a dish on most Greek tables once a week! We love our bean and legume dishes so much not only for their nutrition but how easy they are to cook and enjoy but also because they are usually so comforting. This lentil soup is definitely not fancy but its is satisfying with a hearty texture and rustic cozy flavor.
Why You Will Love This Greek Lentil Soup:
- Super easy to make
- Warm, comforting and so good for you.
- So much simple flavor
- Packed with plant-based protein and nutrients
- Stores great and is even better the next day and its even freezer-friendly
- Super flexible! If you don’t have any of the veggies or spices on hand, there are plenty of substitution options.
- Affordable - a great meal if your trying to stretch the budget
Greek Lentil Soup Ingredients
- LENTILS: Brown lentils are the classic lentils in Greek Lentil soup but green lentils work well too. Puy lentils or baby lentils don’t work as well either do red lentils. Lentils are a great source of plant-based protein, fiber, magnesium and folate. So not only delicious, and nutritious but filling too.
- ONION & GARLIC: Yellow or sweet onion work best here. I use 3 cloves of garlic. Feel free to use as much or as little as you like.
- VEGETABLES: One carrot for little sweetness, pop of colour, celery and red bell pepper for flavor. Not all Greek lentil soups are alike, region and family dictates what goes into it. My mom almost always adds red bell pepper but not always celery - I love to add both for a heartier more flavorful soup.
- SPICES: A mix of dried oregano and dried thyme for a tasty rustic flavor profile. I also love to add some chili flakes and of course salt and black pepper. I always add a bay leaf to mine too. If you would like to add a pinch of paprika for a little extra flavor feel free to.
- DICED TOMATOES: I like to use canned finely diced tomatoes but you can use fresh tomatoes - approx 1 lb or many make their Greek lentil soup with tomato paste or tomato sauce instead.
- BROTH: To keep the soup vegetarian or vegan, use vegetable broth. Otherwise, you can certainly make it with chicken broth or bone broth. You could also substitute some of the broth for water if you prefer that. I usually use low sodium or low salt broth.
- VINEGAR: Lentils really benefit from a hit of acidity to wake up the flavors. Not everyone loves it - for example my mom never adds vinegar but its a staple add in for some family recipes. If I do add it it’s either red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar. Just a a little splash stirred in before serving is all that is needed if you decide to add it. If you prefer to use lemon juice that works too.
- FRESH HERBS: When it comes to fresh herbs in this soup I typically add in some fresh parsley. I don’t usually use fresh oregano or fresh thyme but if that is all you have most definitely use fresh over dried.
- ADD INS: Not traditional but you can also add in other hearty ingredients - feel free to add more veggies into the soup like diced potatoes or Greens (I have a reputation for adding a couple of handfuls of spinach the last few minutes of cooking time). Parmesan cheese for salty flavor works too. You can also play with the spices - traditionally we don’t add cumin or any warming spices to Greek Lentil soup but if you want to add it in please feel free to - that goes for anything else you would like to add. Some people even like to sear sausage before sautéing the vegetables and adding the sausage back into the pot as it simmers.
How to make Greek lentil soup:
- SAUTE the veggies in olive oil.
- ADD the spices and garlic and cook stirring 30 seconds to really add loads of flavour to the veggie base
- STIR in the stock, tomatoes, lentils, and bay leaf and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
- SIMMER partially covered until veggies and lentils are tender.
- STIR in the chopped parsley, and season more to taste
- SERVE warm, with more fresh parsley, a small splash of vinegar if using, a drizzle of olive oil and some chili flakes
- BLEND: (optional). I like this soup brothy but if you would like your soup puréed or blended or partially puréed you can do so at this point. Just remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender or traditional blender to do so if you wish for a creamier soup.
Greek Lentil Soup Storage, Reheating & Freezing
- STORAGE: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- REHEATING: Gently rewarm this soup in a saucepan stove top over medium heat until hot. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, stopping to stir every 30 seconds, so it heats up evenly.
- FREEZING: Store soup in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
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Recipe
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 stalk celery, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, stem and core removed and chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried Thyme
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed and drained
- 14 oz diced tomatoes (or 2 tbsp tomato paste)
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth/stock
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup fresh Parsley, chopped
For Serving
- chili pepper flakes optional
- red wine vinegar optional
- extra virgin olive oil optional
- more fresh chopped parsley
- Feta cheese
Directions
- Heat oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven, over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, peppers, and celery and sauté / cook, stirring occasionally until they are softened, 7-8 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, lentils, oregano, thyme, chili flakes, salt and pepper and cook stirring for 1 min
- Add tomatoes broth, water, bay leaf, salt, and pepper, and bring mixture to a boil.
- Partially cover the pot, and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 30-35 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
- Remove bay leaf, stir in chopped parsley, and ladle into bowls to serve.
- Drizzle with extra olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar if desired, more fresh parsley and chili flakes.
Recipe Notes
- BLEND (optional). I like this soup brothy but if you would like your soup texture to be puréed or blended or partially puréed you can do so at this point. Just remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender or traditional blender to do so if you wish for a creamier soup
- LENTILS: This should work with any type of lentils except Puy Lentils or baby lentils (French lentils, small dark brown/black ones because they hold their shape). Red, yellow, brown, green. The colour of the soup will just be a bit different. Cook times vary slightly as well so just start checking if the lentils are done at around 30 minutes. Absorption of broth will be slightly different too so if you need to add a little more broth or water feel free to to et the consistency you prefer.
- Lentil and bean soups will substantially thicken up as they sit, especially overnight; if this happens and the soup becomes a bit too thick, simply thin it out with a little water or stock. Adjust amounts of broth to desired texture while cooking as well.
- I like to cook my bean/lentil soups in chicken broth or vegetable broth. Many prefer to simply use water - feel free to do either or combination or both.
