Lentil Soup (Fakés Soupa)
A thick, deeply savoury Greek soup of brown lentils simmered slowly with tomato, garlic and bay leaf, finished with a generous splash of vinegar that makes every spoonful taste bright and alive.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Rinse the lentils
Tip the lentils into a sieve and rinse under cold running water, picking out any small stones or shrivelled lentils as you go. Brown and green lentils do not need soaking, so they go straight into the pot later.
- 350 g lentils
✅ Done when: the rinsing water runs mostly clear
Build the sofrito
Heat half the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring often, for 6–8 minutes until softened and lightly golden, then stir in the garlic for the last minute so it does not burn.
- 45 ml olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 4 cloves garlic
✅ Done when: the vegetables are soft and smell sweet, with the garlic just fragrant
Simmer the soup
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Season late
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Finish with vinegar
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Serve
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Rinse the lentils
Tip the lentils into a sieve and rinse under cold running water, picking out any small stones or shrivelled lentils as you go. Brown and green lentils do not need soaking, so they go straight into the pot later.
- 350 g lentils
✅ Done when: the rinsing water runs mostly clear
Build the sofrito
Heat half the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring often, for 6–8 minutes until softened and lightly golden, then stir in the garlic for the last minute so it does not burn.
- 45 ml olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 4 cloves garlic
✅ Done when: the vegetables are soft and smell sweet, with the garlic just fragrant
Simmer the soup
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Season late
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Finish with vinegar
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Serve
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
The Story Behind the Dish
Lentils have been grown and eaten around the Mediterranean since antiquity, prized as a cheap, filling food that kept well through the winter. In Greece, fakés soupa became a fixture of humble home cooking and of the Orthodox fasting table, where it provided protein and warmth without meat or dairy.
Every region and family has its own small variations, but the method stays the same: a slow-built sofrito, tomato for depth, bay leaf for perfume, and a splash of vinegar stirred in right at the end to lift the whole pot.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It is the Greek answer to a cold day: thick, earthy and deeply savoury, made brighter by the sharp edge of vinegar that cuts through the richness of the olive oil.
💡 Fun Fact
Many Greeks consider fakés soupa better the next day, once the lentils have had time to drink in the tomato, garlic and vinegar overnight.
Greece, countrywide
37.98°N, 23.73°E
Related recipes
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!