Traditional Greek lentil soup is full of fibre, plant-based protein and iron. Lentils and legumes, in general, are great meat alternatives and are the star ingredient in this comforting soup! You can easily use a vegetable broth and skip the crumbled feta cheese to make fakes into an indulgent vegan lentil soup.
Fakes soup is made primarily with diced carrots, celery, onions, garlic, tomato paste, vegetable broth, and small brown lentils (Le Puy lentils are my favourite!). This a very nutritious, easy-to-make, affordable and deliciously satisfying soup recipe!
This Fakes recipe (pronounced Fah-kess) will quickly become a favourite soup during those cold winter months! This a simple and delicious recipe that comes together beautifully in less than an hour. Fakes can also be frozen and partially prepped ahead of time to save you some time.
RECIPE TIPS
- When sautéing the white onions and garlic with olive oil, keep an eye on them and lower the heat if you need to so that the onions don’t burn.
- You can swirl in a little balsamic glaze reduction on top (my fave!), but you could add balsamic or red wine vinegar instead, extra virgin olive oil, or a little bit of crumbled feta cheese. You could also sprinkle red chilli flakes for a little subtle heat or dried oregano for an extra Mediterranean flavour.
- Fakes are perfectly paired with toasted crusty bread, Greek salad, or enjoy this delicious and filling soup on its own! The combination of tender and hearty lentils, sweet balsamic reduction, and salty feta cheese is incredible! The little kid in me never thought I would say this about fakes, but now it’s one of my favourite soups!
- To prep this soup a day or two ahead of time, you can dice the carrots, celery, garlic, and white onions and store them in separate containers in the fridge until you’re ready to use them for the soup.
- Depending on the type of lentils you choose to use, the cooking time may differ from what is written in this recipe. Just keep an eye on the lentils, and you can take out a small amount on a plate to try and see if the lentils are done. Lentils don’t need too long to cook, but if you like them softer, you can cook them longer.
KITCHEN TOOLS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS RECIPE
- Large pot
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cutting board
- Paring knife
INGREDIENTS NOTES
Lentils (French Puy Lentils): I love using this variety because they hold their shape but become soft and firm (if that makes sense) as they cook. They don’t fall apart or split like other lentils. But if you love lentil soups because the lentils split apart and the soup becomes more creamy, then you may enjoy making this soup with traditional green, yellow, or red lentils instead.
When using French green lentils (du Puy), I like to cook them on their own for 5 minutes in boiling hot water. I then strain the lentils before adding the lentils to the soup. Why do I do this? As they cook, these lentils release a lot of colour, making the soup extra dark, so I like to cook them first.
This step also reduces the cooking time once the lentils are added back into the soup. These lentils will need to boil longer in the soup compared to other lentils, but the lentils should be ready after cooking for 35-40 minutes.
Bay leaves: I love the look of bay leaves cooking in soups and sauces. I feel like it’s a visual cue that adds that extra layer of comfort. But if you don’t have bay leaves or don’t want to buy a jar just for this recipe, you can sprinkle in a little bit of dried oregano instead. Probably about 1/2 a teaspoon or so. You can also add some dried oregano on top when you’re serving the lentil soup.
Better Than Bouillon roasted vegetable base: You could use the Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken flavour (not vegetarian or vegan), another vegetable stock, homemade chicken stock, or a low-sodium stock or base. If you opt for low-sodium broth or base instead, then you will have more control over how much salt is added to the recipe. You can try the recipe for salt as you go and adjust the salt to taste.
Tomato paste: Tomato paste intensifies the flavour of slow-cooking soups. It also adds a little colour and softens the soup’s flavour. You could also add a small can of Italian peeled whole plum tomatoes (398 ml) to the vegetables instead of tomato paste.
Allspice: This spice really is a game-changer for this recipe. This ground seasoning tastes like a combination of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
Bell pepper: The diced bell pepper adds some sweetness to the soup. You could use red pepper, yellow pepper or orange bell pepper. I wouldn’t recommend using green bell pepper since it’s slightly bitter and not as sweet as the other bell peppers.
WHAT ARE FRENCH LENTILS?
French lentils are also called Puy lentils, du Puy lentils, lentils du Puy, or French green lentils. However, they are different than green lentils! They’re also different from red and brown lentils because they’re smaller and hold their shape when cooked, so I love using them when making Greek lentil soup. If you love the lentils splitting apart and having more of a creamy texture, then you can definitely use green, red, or brown lentils instead of french lentils.
The flavour of green lentils is a little more earthy and peppery compared to other lentils. You should be able to find puy lentils at your grocery store, but if not, smaller specialty stores should have them. I’ve included a photo of what they look like below!
HOW TO MAKE GREEK LENTIL SOUP: STEP BY STEP
STEP 1: Boil the lentils. Combine about 3 cups of water and 1 cup of lentils in a medium-sized saucepan, cover with a lid, and bring the water to a boil. About 5 minutes. Then, strain the lentils in a fine mesh strainer, discard the liquid, and set the lentils aside.
STEP 2: Sauté the vegetables. Peel and finely dice the carrot, celery, onion, and bell pepper and set aside. Peel the pearl onions and garlic cloves and leave them whole. I like to score the pearl onions and pierce their sides so that they cook through in the soup.
In a large pot, heat up olive oil over medium-low heat. Add in the diced onions and garlic cloves, and sauté until the onions are translucent. Then add in the pearl onions, diced carrots, celery, bell pepper, and tomato paste. Continue to sauté over medium-low heat, uncovered for about 8-10 minutes.
STEP 3: Add in the lentils, water, and vegetable base. Add the partly cooked lentils and 5 cups of water to the pot with the vegetables. Allow the water to come to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the roasted vegetable base. Stir together and reduce the heat to a simmer.
STEP 4: Simmer the soup. Add in the bay leaves, allspice seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. You could also add in chilli flakes for a little bit of heat. Loosely cover the pot with a lid and simmer the soup for 35-40 minutes. The soup will thicken slightly as the lentils cook. Near the 30-minute mark, you can try some of the soup to see if you’d like to add any more salt or pepper.
If the lentils are tender, then the soup is done, but if you like the lentils to be softer, you can boil the soup for longer. Once the lentils are ready, turn off the heat. Serve the fakes with a drizzle of olive oil on top, balsamic glaze or red wine vinegar. Optional to sprinkle with a little bit of crumbled feta cheese, dried oregano, or red chilli flakes. Serve with fresh crusty bread. Enjoy!
HOW LONG DOES LENTIL SOUP LAST IN THE FRIDGE?
Allow the lentil soup to cool completely before storing it in the fridge or the freezer. The lentil soup shouldn’t sit out for more than two hours. Lentil soup can last for up to five days when stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
Or lentil soup can easily be frozen if you want to enjoy it at a later date. If stored correctly in a freezer-safe container or freezer bags, lentil soup (fakes) will last for up to three months in the freezer. To thaw out, defrost the lentil soup in the fridge overnight.
You can reheat the soup in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. You may need to add a small amount of additional broth or water if necessary to reheat the soup, but Fakes are just as delicious the next day.
If you’re heating the lentil soup after it has been in the fridge or the freezer, it’s recommended not to refrigerate again or re-freeze the lentil soup.
Discover the best ways to store lentil soup, how to freeze lentil soup, and how to reheat lentil soup! Plus, here are a few tasty side dish ideas!
Greek Lentil Soup Recipe (Fakes)
Equipment
- Large pot
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cutting Board
- Paring knife
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils French du Puy Lentils
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion peeled and finely diced – approximately 1 1/4 cups diced
- 1 large carrot peeled and finely diced – about 1/3 cup diced
- 1-2 celery stalks washed and finely diced – about 1/2 a cup diced
- 1 bell pepper yellow, red, or orange – about 3/4 diced
- 5-6 small pearl gold onions peeled, scored, and pierced
- 3-4 garlic cloves peeled and whole
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 3/4 teaspoon allspice powder
- 5 cups water for the soup + more water to pre-boil the lentils
- 4 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon roasted vegetable base
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Red chilli flakes optional
- Crumbled feta cheese optional
Instructions
- Boil the lentils. Combine about 3 cups of water and 1 cup of lentils in a medium-sized saucepan, cover with a lid, and bring the water to a boil. About 5 minutes. Then strain the lentils in a fine mesh strainer, discard the liquid, and set the lentils aside.
- Sauté the vegetables. Peel and finely dice the carrot, celery, yellow onion, and bell pepper and set aside. Peel the pearl onions and garlic cloves and leave them whole. I like to score the pearl onions and pierce them so that they cook through. In a large pot, heat up the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add in the diced onions and garlic cloves, and sauté until the onions are translucent. Then add in the gold pearl onions, diced carrots, celery, bell pepper, and tomato paste. Continue to sauté the vegetables uncovered over medium-low heat for about 8-10 minutes.
- Add in the lentils, water, and roasted vegetable base. Add the partly cooked lentils and 5 cups of water to the pot with the vegetables. Cover with a lid and allow the water to come to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the vegetable base. Stir together and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer the soup. Add in the bay leaves and allspice seasoning. Cover the pot loosely with a lid and simmer the soup for 35-40 minutes. The soup will thicken as the lentils and vegetables cook. Once the lentils are ready, turn off the heat. Serve the fakes with a drizzle of olive oil on top, balsamic glaze or red wine vinegar. Optional to sprinkle with a little bit of crumbled feta cheese, dried oregano or red chilli flakes. Serve with fresh crusty bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- When sautéing the white onions and garlic with olive oil, keep an eye on them and lower the heat if you need to so that the onions don't burn.
- Depending on the type of lentils you choose to use, the cooking time may differ from what is written in this recipe. Just keep an eye on the lentils, and you can take out a small amount on a plate to try and see if the lentils are done. In general, lentils don't need too long to cook, but if you like them softer, you can cook them longer.
Nutrition
Date Published: February 5, 2023
Comforting Greek Lentil Soup Recipe (Fakes)
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