Greek Lentil Soup

A staple of Mediterranean cuisine is also one of my favorites: Greek Lentil Soup. This savory dish of legumes and vegetables is a lenten staple in most Greek households. It’s also an easy weeknight dish, and the perfect leftover meal to take to work for lunch.

The preparation for Greek Lentil soup is straightforward. A sauté of onion, carrots, and celery, along with some herbs like bay leaf, oregano and salt and pepper is all you need to make this dish flavorful. The star of the show is the splash of red wine vinegar added to the pot after the lentils are finished simmering. Red wine vinegar brightens all of the flavors and adds a tart flavor that makes each mouthful a sensory experience!

I remember my Mom soaking lentils for hours when I was a kid to help soften them.  But nowadays, as long as you do a careful check through your lentils for shriveled and hard bits, a slow simmer will soften and cook the legumes to perfection.

Serve this meal with a Greek salad (with plenty of feta cheese), and some crusty bread. Better yet, serve it to your friends and family and enjoy some meaningful conversation together.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Goya brand red lentils  (or green, if you prefer!)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion (or two small)
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, strings removed and coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 sweet red pepper, chopped
• 2 bay leaf
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 6 cups vegetable (to make this dish Vegan) or chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• Sour cream: Optional

How to make Greek Lentil Soup:

1. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over a medium high heat.
2. Add onion, celery, red pepper, and carrot. Saute 2-3 minutes until veggies begin to soften.
3. Add garlic. Saute 30 seconds.

1. Add remaining ingredients up to the red wine vinegar
2. Bring to a boil
3. Lower heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

1. Check lentils — add 1/4 cup liquid at a time if they have soaked up too much liquid. This dish should have a soup-like consistency.
2. Cook 10 minutes more and check again. They are ready when lentils are soft and tender.
3. Check for seasoning. Add a pinch of salt at a time until the seasoning is right for you.
4. Turn off heat. Stir in vinegar. Again, taste for tartness. You can add more vinegar if you’d like it more tart.
5. Ladle into soup bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream. Serve with salad and bread.
6. Enjoy!

5 from 1 vote

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Greek Lentil Soup

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

 

Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

• Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over a medium high heat.
• Add onion celery, red pepper, and carrot. Saute 2-3 minutes until veggies begin to soften.
• Add garlic. Saute 30 seconds.
• Add remaining ingredients up to the red wine vinegar
• Bring to a boil
• Lower heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Check lentils — add 1/4 cup liquid at a time if they have soaked up too much liquid. This dish should have a soup-like consistency.
• Cook 10 minutes more and check again. They are ready when lentils are soft and tender.
• Check for seasoning. Add a pinch of salt at a time until the seasoning is right for you.
• Turn off heat. Stir in vinegar. Again taste for tartness. You can add more vinegar if you’d like it more tart.
• Ladle into soup bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream. Serve with salad and bread.
• Enjoy!

Instructions

1. Add remaining ingredients up to the red wine vinegar
2. Bring to a boil
3. Lower heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Check lentils — add 1/4 cup liquid at a time if they have soaked up too much liquid. This dish should have a soup-like consistency.
5. Cook 10 minutes more and check again. They are ready when lentils are soft and tender.
6. Check for seasoning. Add a pinch of salt at a time until the seasoning is right for you.
7. Turn off heat. Stir in vinegar. Again, taste for tartness. You can add more vinegar if you’d like it more tart.
8. Ladle into soup bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream. Serve with salad and bread.
9. Enjoy!

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