Fakes soupa – Greek lentil soup with vinegar and herbs Recipe
Fakes soupa is a simple yet very filling Greek soup made with brown lentils, tomatoes, and vegetables. It’s finished with vinegar and olive oil, which gives it an interesting, slightly tangy flavor, different from typical Polish soups. In Greece it’s an everyday weekday dish, a bit like our lentil soup, just more olive-oil-rich and herb-forward.
Fakes soupa is one of the staple Lenten dishes in Greece, often served on meatless days. In many households it appears every week because it’s cheap, filling, and relies on pantry ingredients.
This classic Greek lentil soup stands out thanks to the finishing touch of olive oil and red wine vinegar, which gives it a distinctive tangy, aromatic flavor. It’s simple, inexpensive, and very filling, making it perfect for everyday cooking.
Why this version works
- Brown lentils don’t need soaking and still hold their shape well.
- Sautéing the vegetables before simmering builds an umami base without using stock.
- Adding the vinegar only at the table keeps the flavor bright and layered.
- Simple ingredients and a single pot mean the soup is ready in under an hour.
Chef's tips
Don’t skip rinsing the lentils – it helps remove excess starch and any impurities. Adjust the amount of vinegar individually in each bowl; some people like it very tangy, others prefer just a hint of acidity.
How to serve
Serve with crusty bread, olives, and optionally a simple Greek salad on the side. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh oregano or parsley on top will make the soup even more aromatic.
Watch out for
- Boiling the soup too vigorously will make the lentils fall apart and turn it into a mushy porridge.
- Don’t salt the soup right at the beginning – the lentils can toughen and take longer to cook.
- Don’t pour vinegar into the whole pot; after reheating, the flavor will become harsh and one-dimensional.
Substitutions
- You can swap brown lentils for green ones, extending the cooking time by a few minutes.
- If you don’t have Greek herbs, use Herbes de Provence instead of oregano.
- Red wine vinegar can be replaced with white wine vinegar or a mild white wine-based vinegar.
Ingredients
- brown lentils dry, rinsed - 250 g
- carrot cut into small cubes - 2 piece
- celery stalk cut into slices - 2 stalk
- onion chopped - 1 piece
- garlic chopped - 3 clove
- canned tomatoes chopped - 200 g
- bay leaf - 2 piece
- dried oregano - 1 teaspoon
- olive oil for cooking and serving - 3 tablespoon
- red wine vinegar for serving, amount to taste - 2 tablespoon
- salt or to taste - 1 teaspoon
- black pepper - 0.25 teaspoon
- water - 1.5 l
- bay leaf field left intentionally blank, use the earlier bay leaf - 0 piece
Preparation
- In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for 3–5 minutes, until it softens and becomes translucent but does not start to brown.
- Add the carrot cut into a small dice, the celery stalk, and the chopped garlic. Sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables soften slightly and become very fragrant, and the bottom of the pot is lightly coated with oil.
- Add the rinsed brown lentils, canned tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, and pour in the water. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the soup just gently simmers rather than boiling vigorously.
- Cook covered for 30–35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes so the lentils don’t stick to the bottom. The lentils should be soft inside but still hold their shape and flatten only slightly when gently pressed with a spoon.
- Towards the end of cooking, remove the bay leaves and season the soup with salt and pepper. If it’s too thick and resembles a stew, add a little water; if it’s too thin, cook for 5–10 minutes without the lid until it thickens slightly and becomes more velvety.
- If you want a creamier texture, take out 1–2 ladles of the soup, blend until smooth, then pour it back in and stir until the whole soup has a slightly creamy consistency but with visible lentils.
- Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Drizzle each portion with a teaspoon of olive oil and 1–2 teaspoons of wine vinegar, starting with the smaller amount, then taste and add more vinegar if needed.
- Serve immediately, preferably with a slice of wholemeal or rustic bread for dipping into the soup and soaking up the oil from the surface.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This is one of those soups that taste even better the next day, when the flavors have had time to meld. It’s ideal for cooking a big batch at the start of the week and reheating for quick, comforting meals.
