Greek Lentil Soup (Fakes)

zafood
Jan 10, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Jan 17, 2022

Greek Lentil Soup (Fakes; Φακές). Besides being incredibly delicious and extra-comforting, I love Greek Lentil Soup, or "Fakes" in Greek (pronounced "fah-khes"), for many reasons. Firstly, it's incredibly easy to make and calls for mostly pantry staple ingredients. Secondly, this soup freezes very well, making it perfect for those nights when you're hungry and don't feel like cooking! Fakes typically call for brown lentils because they hold their shape well during the cooking process. Any other type of lentil will not hold their shape for this recipe.

Why You Will Love This Greek Lentil Soup:

Incredibly easy to prepare.
Freezes very well.
Uses mostly pantry staples.
Perfect for meal prepping.
Wholesome, comforting and very nutritious.

Ingredients

1 cup (8 ounces or 200 grams) brown lentils
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup (80 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 (16 ounce) can pureed tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
4 cups water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons vinegar, optional

Instructions

Rinse the lentils well. Pick over the lentils and remove any small stones.
Boil the Lentils: Add the lentils to a large pot with approximately 2-3 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
Drain: Remove from heat and drain the lentils.
Add the Remaining Ingredients: Put lentils back into the pot. Add the 4 cups of water, olive oil, tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion, bay leaf, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then loosely cover and let simmer for about an hour.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. If desired, serve with a splash of vinegar, crusty bread, feta, or parmesan. Enjoy!