Fakés Soupa – Greek Lentil Soup

30 Days of Greek Cooking: Day 13 of 30

The fakés soupa recipe I’ve perfected is absolutely incredible! It’s made with tons of fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil, and a touch of red wine. Now, I love meat as much as the next omnivore, but oftentimes meat can turn me off and I crave a plant-based meal. I’ve been trying to incorporate more and more vegetarian/vegan dishes into my menus, working my way up to an at-least-once-a-week goal. However, the mere thought of having to make two different meals one night because my fiancé refuses to eat things without meat is crazy to me… so I have to do this at a snail’s pace and carefully select the most flavor-packed substitutions.

Despite the fact that this soup is entirely vegan, my meat-loving fiancé actually went back for seconds AND demolished the leftovers! This gives me hope that we can enjoy other meatless dishes on a more frequent timetable. The trick is getting the man of the house to suck it up and at least try. All in all, I intend on making fakés soupa at least once a month… it’s that f-ing delicious!

What is fakés soupa?

“Fakés soupa” (fah-kehs sou-pah) is traditional Greek vegan lentil soup. The word “fakés” is the Greek translation for “lentils” and “soupa,” obviously, is the word for “soup.” So, there you have it: lentil soup. This soup is a healthy, hearty, plant-based, vegan dish packed with tons of good-for-you nutrients. The Mediterranean Diet is all about consuming tons of healthy fats, vitamins, & nutrients through loads of extra virgin olive oil and plant-based meals. Lentils are actually one of the Mediterranean superfoods. As a matter of fact, a diet with high intake of lentils can reduce your risk of cancer, diabetes, & heart disease. In this soup, the protein and fiber-packed lentils are blended with vitamin C-rich tomatoes & olive oil containing tons of “healthy fats.” You can just FEEL your body detoxing while eating it!

When cooking with lentils, it’s important to soak them prior to use (even if the package says you don’t have to). Soaking helps break down the complex sugars inside lentils which cause digestion issues when consuming them. Soak lentils for at least 2-3 hours before cooking, but absolutely soak them overnight if you have the time. Be sure to completely cover them with water and then some because these legumes will absorb a ton and nearly double in size while soaking. Once the lentils are soaked, give them a nice rinse and then set them aside until you’re ready to add them to the pot.

Slices of pita bread are the perfect pairing for any Mediterranean soup recipe. If you want to go the extra mile, consider adding a dollop of tzatziki on top with toasted pita. Check out my easy homemade tzatziki sauce recipe for some inspiration.

Items you’ll need to make this recipe:

• Cutting board & knife
• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoons
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle
• Medium/large stockpot

Coming soon: Instant Pot and Slow Cooker variations of this recipe!

Fakés Soupa – Greek Lentil Soup

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• Author: Christina Taylor
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Classic Greek vegan lentil soup made with chunky tomatoes, tons of fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil, & red wine vinegar to give it that extra zing!

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Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups (1 lb. package) lentils

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 large carrot, diced

3 ribs celery, thinly sliced

5 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup red wine (see notes*)

6 cups vegetable stock

1 can (28 oz.) petite diced tomatoes

2 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped & rounded (see notes*)

2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped & rounded

1 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped & rounded

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped & rounded

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped & rounded

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3 bay leaves

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

salt

black pepper

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Instructions

Night-before prep:

1. In a medium pot, add lentils. Cover lentils with water and soak overnight. In the event you do not have time to soak overnight, 1-2 hours soaking will do just fine.

Cooking instructions:

1. Pour soaked lentils into colander. Strain out water, rinse thoroughly, then set aside.
2. In a medium/large stockpot (like this one) heat 4 tablespoons EVOO over medium-high heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Add celery and carrot and cook for 3 minutes, continuing to stir. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add red wine and stir. Allow wine to warm (about 1 minute), then turn heat down a pinch and allow wine to reduce by half. Reduction will take 10-15 minutes.
4. Add basil, rosemary, parsley, mint, cumin, salt, & pepper. Stir to combine.
5. Add vegetable stock, canned petite diced tomatoes, soaked lentils, & bay leaves. Stir to combine, then raise heat and bring to a boil.
6. Once boiling, add oregano. Stir, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
7. Remove from heat. Uncover and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO and red wine vinegar.
8. Serve in bowls with toasted pita bread. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Notes

sangiovese and chianti are the best varieties of red wine to use in cooking because they have moderate tannin. If you don’t have access to either of these, a pinot noir or lighter cabernet will suffice.

pinch off the top set of leaves from several mint sprigs and set aside to use as garnish.

• Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Soup
• Method: One-Pot
• Cuisine: Greek

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