Easy Greek Lentil Soup (Fakes Soupa)

Vegan Greek Lentil Soup is easy to make with pantry staples. Top it with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar for a dish the whole family will love.

I make it a habit to keep dry lentils in my pantry. They are inexpensive, high in protein and fiber, and extremely versatile. I use them to make everything from vegan meatloaf muffins to cold lentil salad to hearty soups like this one.

Jump to:

• Ingredients and substitutions
• Instructions
• Expert tips
• Instant Pot directions
• Serving suggestions
• Storing and freezing
• More lentil recipes
• 📋 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Ingredients and substitutions

• Dry lentils: For this recipe, choose green or brown lentils. Red lentils cook much quicker, are softer, and don't hold their texture. Save them for recipes such as Red Lentil Potato Soup.
• Red onion: I prefer red onion in this recipe, but sweeter white onion works well, too.
• Carrots and celery: Don't have them? Or don't care for them? Simply leave them out.
• Tomato paste: A little concentrated tomato gives this soup a complex depth of flavor. Learn more about this magic ingredient by reading 15 Vegan Recipes with Tomato Paste.
• Red wine vinegar: I recommend drizzling a little red wine vinegar over each bowl of soup when serving. But you can use a squeeze of fresh lemon juice instead.

For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Instructions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute until soft and slightly translucent.
2. Add the garlic, carrot, and celery and saute for a couple of more minutes.
3. Stir in the lentils, vegetable broth, water, tomato paste, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat.
4. Simmer until the lentils are soft, stirring occasionally, at least 20 minutes, or up to 30-40 minutes, depending on your texture preference. Remove the bay leaf, taste, and add salt and pepper, as needed.

Expert tips

• Be sure to wait to season with salt until after the soup is finished cooking. Otherwise, the lentils may become tough or take longer to become tender.
• Lentils to do not require soaking. But rinse them well in cold water to remove any dust or debris. 
• This soup is very thick like a stew. If you prefer a thinner soup, add an additional 1-2 cups of liquid.

Instant Pot directions

Use the Saute function to saute the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Then add the lentils, broth, water, tomato paste, and bay leaf and lock the lid. Pressure Cook on high for 7 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serving suggestions

While it's delicious straight from the pot, my favorite way to serve Greek Lentil Soup is to top each bowl a drizzle of olive oil and red wine vinegar. It's filling on its own or with some crusty bread.

Or try it along with other Greek-inspired dishes like Mediterranean Tofu Tacos, Lemon Roasted Potatoes, or Vegan Greek Salad.

Growing up, I had several friends whose parents were originally from Greece. One of the dads owned a Greek restaurant and cooked my friend and me delicious meals after he picked us up from school on the days he was in charge of carpool. This simple dish is one of the recipes he passed along to my mom since I enjoyed it so much.

Storing and freezing

Leftover soup can be covered and refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. I like to freeze servings in individual portions in mason jars or small glass containers with lids. Be sure to allow a little room at the top since the liquid will expand when frozen.

To reheat, first defrost the frozen container of soup in the refrigerator overnight. It will be thicker, so you may want to add a little water before reheating it in a pot on the stove or in a microwave-safe bowl.

For tips on freezing, refer to USDA Freezing and Food Safety.

More lentil recipes

And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.

If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★

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