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Greek Lentil Soup with Feta – Fakes

December 19, 2016 by Edyta 16 Comments

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Edyta
Author at Eating European
Recipe developer, photographer and the writer behind the Eating European food blog of European and Mediterranean healthy and delicious recipes
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This Greek Lentil soup is called ‘Fakes’ and it’s a staple of traditional Greek cuisine. And its deservingly achieved staple status. Fakes is served with lots of olive oil(!), red wine vinegar, and topped with feta; thereby elevating Lentil Soup to another level.

Greek Lentil Soup with Feta in a blue ball

The Best Greek Lentil Soup

So, my friend told me that her husband makes the best lentil soup ever – and typically she’s spot on. He’s Greek and has some pretty good recipes in his repertoire, like this amazing Greek Spinach Rice with Feta. I had been asking for this soup recipe for a really long time and they finally consented to let it go public.

Recently, he called me and revealed all his little secrets to make this Greek Lentil Soup with Feta outstanding. Keep reading….you won’t be disappointed.

Two bowls: blue and orange of Fakes (Greek Lentil Soup) with feta with spoon and chopped parsley on a side.

What is needed to make the best Greek Lentil Soup

First off, you can use any lentils you want. They differ in the time required to cook, but you’ll be able to taste along the way and see if your lentils need more time or are done. I used green lentils, as I always buy them at my local Trader Joe’s.

If you want to make this soup creamier you could also use red lentils, as I did in this Tomatoes Red Lentil Coconut Soup.

Next, you’ll need some good quality olive oil. As with most Mediterranean cuisines, this soup is cooked with a generous helping of olive oil.

The first secret that my friend disclosed is that he uses just a  bit of olive oil at the beginning to sauté veggies, and the then he bookends it with LOTS of olive oil to drizzle once the soup is cooked. This way, as he put it, ‘you can really taste the amazing fresh taste of olive oil in your soup.’

How to Make Fakes (Greek Lentil Soup)

  • To start this Greek Lentil Soup, you’ll need to saute some onions, carrots, and potatoes in olive oil. Traditionally, the potato is not part of this soup, but he adds it to give it another level of texture. And I love potatoes, so I was all in.
  • After the veggies saute for a couple of minutes, you can add rinsed lentils to coat them with olive oil and veggie juices.
  • Following this comes the seasoning. According to my friend, you can get a little creative here. He adds a couple of spices that surprised me: some turmeric, and brace yourself for this…a little bit of soy sauce. Who would have thought it…soy sauce in a Greek dish? I gave it a go and absolutely loved it. Use your discretion on that one, but I think it really works.
  • Then you just add either water or veggie broth and let everybody cook together until veggies and lentils are soft.
  • Check for seasoning, and add some salt and pepper as required.
  • Now, time to stick the landing! You can either do it in the pot or once the soup is portioned out into the bowls – I chose the latter. I added soup to the bowls and then drizzled it generously with olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar.
  • Then I added crumbled feta cheese and some parsley.

The finished product: UNBELIEVABLE! If you’re a lentil lover, you will want to make this Greek Lentil Soup with Feta all the time. I’m sure about that. Enjoy my friends.

Bowls of Greek lentils soup with feta with spoons on a side

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Fakes (Greek Lentil Soup) in two bowls

Here is your printable recipe:

greek-lentil-soup-2

Greek Lentil Soup with Feta - Fakes

This Greek Lentil soup is called 'Fakes' and it's a staple of traditional Greek cuisine. And its deservingly achieved staple status. Fakes is served with lots of olive oil(!), red wine vinegar, and topped with feta; thereby elevating Lentil Soup to another level.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Greek
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 373kcal
Author: Edyta

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon Olive oil For sautéing veggies and about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon per serving (See note 1)
  • 1 Onion Medium yellow, chopped
  • 1 Potato Russet, peeled and cubed (See note 2)
  • 1 Carrot Medium, peeled and sliced
  • 2 cloves Garlic Chopped
  • 1 cup Lentils Rinsed (See note 3)
  • 1 tablespoon Soy sauce , 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon of coriander, 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano - all of these are optional (See note 4)
  • 5-6 cups Vegetable broth Or Water ( See note 5)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Red wine vinegar (about 1 teaspoon per serving) ( See note 6)
  • Crumbled feta (about 1 teaspoon per serving) ( See note 7)
  • Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the dutch oven or other heavy pot;
  • Add onions and saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent;
  • Add carrot and potato and saute for another 2 minutes;
  • Add garlic and cook for a minute;
  • Add rinsed lentils and let them cook for a minute;
  • Add spices as you wish (soy sauce, turmeric, coriander, dried oregano, salt, pepper);
  • Add 5 cups of water or vegetable broth;
  • Cook for about 30 minutes or until the lentils and vegetables are cooked, add water or broth if needed;
  • Check for seasoning, add salt and pepper if desired;
  • Once the soup is cooked, divide into soup bowls, add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to each soup, 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon of crumbled feta;
  • Add some chopped parsley for garnish;
  • You can also add a little bit of dried oregano (Greek would be best);
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

1. The secret to the amazing taste of this soup is a fresh extra virgin olive oil added once the soup is cooked.
2. Potato is optional as it is not traditionally part of the Greek soup but it adds texture and tastes great.
3. You can use any lentils you like; they differ in the time they cook but you can always taste them and see if they need more time.
4. All this seasoning is optional; you can use any spices you like.
5. I suggest starting with 5 cups of water or broth and adding more if the soup is too thick.
6. Red wine vinegar, as well as extra virgin olive oil, makes this soup so unique.
7. For the finish touches, you can add crumbled feta, parsley and/or dried oregano.

Nutrition

Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 1501mg | Potassium: 776mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3215IU | Vitamin C: 11.6mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 5.6mg
Tried this recipe?Show me @eatingeuropean or tag #eatingeuropean!

 

 

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Read about the author Edyta here or follow Eating European on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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Filed Under: Ethnic Recipes, European Recipes, Gluten Free, Greek, Healthy, Lunch, Mediterranean, Quick and Easy Meals, Soup, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marina

    February 17, 2017 at 6:21 am

    I LOVE your photos of this soup.

    Reply
    • Edyta

      March 8, 2017 at 11:08 am

      Thank you Marina!

      Reply
  2. michele

    July 6, 2017 at 1:31 pm

    5 stars
    Nothing beats a great bowl of lentil soup! I can’t believe Ive never tried adding feta… thats a brilliant idea!

    Reply
    • Edyta

      July 6, 2017 at 1:35 pm

      Feta goes well with so many dishes. I’m addicted 🙂

      Reply
  3. Dannii

    July 6, 2017 at 2:01 pm

    I love a good lentil soup, as it’s really filling and budget friendly too. I love the idea of adding feta to it.

    Reply
  4. Emily

    July 6, 2017 at 2:38 pm

    5 stars
    This soup sounds so healthy and delicious, I’d love this for dinner any day of the week!

    Reply
    • Edyta

      July 6, 2017 at 2:39 pm

      Thanks Emily

      Reply
  5. rika - san diego food blogger

    July 6, 2017 at 3:47 pm

    5 stars
    I love green lentils soup! This soup looks so tasty and healthy!

    Reply
    • Edyta

      July 6, 2017 at 6:06 pm

      Thanks Rika!

      Reply
  6. Hannah Healy

    July 6, 2017 at 4:20 pm

    Yummy! This looks like such a light and refreshing soup!

    Reply
    • Edyta

      July 6, 2017 at 6:06 pm

      It really is. Thanks for checking it.

      Reply
  7. May

    January 29, 2019 at 4:39 pm

    Hi Edtya,

    I made this soup recipe this afternoon and my husband and I just finished having a bowl. We both thought it was delicious, thank you again for another great recipe! Yummy on this cold snowy day in the Hudson Valley.

    Reply
  8. May

    January 29, 2019 at 4:42 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Edtya,

    I made this soup recipe this afternoon and my husband and I just finished having a bowl. Very easy to put together. We both thought it was delicious, thank you again for another great recipe! I used red lentils from Trader Jo’s. Yummy on this cold snowy day in the Hudson Valley.

    Reply
    • Edyta

      January 29, 2019 at 5:13 pm

      Fantastic! I usually use the green lentils from Trader Joe’s for this soup but I do like the red lentils too. I’m happy you liked the recipe. Stay warm in Hudson Valley 🙂

      Reply
  9. Madala-argus

    February 14, 2021 at 10:21 pm

    5 stars
    Delish! Hubby also loved it. Also tastes good with lemon juice alternative to the red wine vinegar

    Reply
    • Zoe

      November 15, 2021 at 12:48 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Edyta
      We regularly make this soup, it’s a firm family favourite in our house! I have to make extra as the family turn up with tubs to take away!
      I also like to add celery when in season, it is also delicious.
      Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Edyta. I’m a recipe developer, photographer, and writer behind the Eating European food blog of European and Mediterranean healthy and delicious recipes. I consider myself a home chef with a cultivated passion for amazing food.
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Hi, I'm Edyta. I’m a recipe developer, photographer, and writer behind the Eating European food blog of European and Mediterranean healthy and delicious recipes. I consider myself a home chef with a cultivated passion for amazing food.
I’m also a reformed New York State attorney, who practiced for several years only to thereafter decide that this was my real passion. Maybe one day I decided to step back to the courtroom, but in the meantime I’m enjoying spending my time with my kids, my husband, my kitchen and YOU! Read More…

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