Greek Lentil Soup: A Mediterranean Favorite

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Greek Lentil Soup is an easy, healthy, incredibly delicious Mediterranean style soup you will fall in love with. Made with pantry ingredients, it’s a hardy bowl of lentils, onion, sweet carrots and celery in a savory warm soup. Greek-inspired herbs and spices transform this oh-so-simple soup into a feast you’ll find yourself making often.

Naturally vegetarian, this soup can also be vegan by omitting the salty feta garnish.

This Greek Lentil Soup, otherwise known as fakes (pronounced “fah-kehs”) is a Mediterranean staple. Traditionally served with a drizzle of olive oil and a finish of vinegar, it’s a healthy Mediterranean Diet meal to cozy up with.

What to Love About Greek Lentil Soup

• A one-pot, easy and hardy soup
• Filled with Greek and Mediterranean flavors
• Healthy and filling!

Mediterranean Diet: Lentils

If you’re familiar with the Mediterranean Diet, you will know that lentils are a staple and delicious mainstay in this way of eating.

Lentils are highly nutritious, offering a wide range of nutrients. Packed with B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and potassium, “Lentils are made up of more than 25% protein, which makes them an excellent meat alternative. They’re also a great source of iron, a mineral that is sometimes lacking in vegetarian diets.”

If you love lentils, a couple of popular lentil recipes on the blog are Curry Lentil Soup and Barley Lentil Soup.

For me, Greek Lentil Soup has always been a favorite. When I was first married, it was a recipe I discovered in The New American Diet cookbook. While I relished this healthy soup, my husband wasn’t a fan.

Since then, years later, he has become a staunch advocate of this soup. What do they say about persistence? Yep! Adding additional robust, aromatic, Mediterranean flavors didn’t hurt either!  

So let’s talk about the ingredients:

Greek Lentil Soup Ingredients

This easy soup is inspired by Greek flavors and ingredients. Ingredient measurements are in the recipe card below.

Aromatics: Onions, sweet carrots, and celery are sautéed in a good quality olive oil until tender. To round out the soup, I always add a chopped potato. I love the texture and hardiness it brings.

Herbs: This soup has a simple combination of dry oregano, bay leaves (I’m using fresh) and a pinch of red pepper flakes to liven the flavors.

Lentils: I’m using brown lentils in this soup because they always occupy space in my pantry. But experiment with your favorite. For more information about which lentils to choose, see my Curry Lentil recipe under the heading of “Lentil Varieties.”

Red Wine Vinegar: If you’re not a vinegar fan, this can be eliminated. And the soup is still delicious. But… I would highly recommend trying it. Truly, it takes an already yummy soup up another couple of notches.

Fresh Parsley and Feta: I absolutely love adding fresh herbs to almost everything made in my kitchen. They bring bright and fresh flavors to so many dishes. The feta topping is completely optional, but honestly, I can’t imagine the soup without it’s salty finish. And when it melts into the soup, um… yes, it’s so, so good!

How to Make Greek Lentil Soup

This one-pot soup recipe is incredibly easy. Step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below, but here is an overview of the simple steps:

1. Wash lentils in a strainer and set aside.
2. Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil until translucent.
3. Stir in the water, rinsed lentils, potato, bay leaves, dried oregano, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the lentils are very soft; about 30 to 35 minutes.
4. Stir in the vinegar and serve.

Can Greek Lentil Soup be made in the Instant Pot?

This soup can absolutely be made in a pressure cooker. Here’s how:

1. Sauté the onions, carrots and celery in olive oil until softened.
2. Sprinkle oregano, salt and pepper over the vegetable, stir, and turn off the sauté function, scraping up any stuck on bits.
3. Pour in the water, add the bay leaves, chopped potato, and rinsed lentils. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Lock the lid in place and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes and then naturally release the pressure.
5. Stir in the red wine vinegar and serve topped with fresh parsley and feta if desired.

More Lentil Soup Recipes You May Also Enjoy

• Easy Sausage Lentil Soup for Cozy Days
• Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Sausage and Spinach
• Curry Lentil Soup: Easy and Delicious!
• Instant Pot Lentil Soup
• Easy Indian Curry Lentil Soup Recipe with Turmeric and Cumin