A bowl of Greek lentil soup, in Greek fakes and a piece of bread could possibly be the most unpretentious and delicious meal one can have. This fakes recipe is so easily made with few ingredients and is a hearty and comforting meal for the whole family.
Whenever my mother made fakes their subtle aroma filled the rooms of our Athenian home and gave my small self a sense of comfort and reassurance. Most of the time I indulged in two bowls of the delicious soup, with lots of fresh bread, pieces of feta cheese and olives.
I always reach out to this soup when I want a simple but delicious meal. There are a few kinds of lentils and I usually use the green or brown variety. Brown lentils are one of the most common varieties of lentils, have a mild, earthy flavor and they easily hold their shape once cooked. Green lentils have a slightly peppery flavor and firm texture but have the longest cooking time out of all the varieties.
I find this lentil soup one of the easiest soups to make. You basically throw everything in a large pot and an hour or so later you have a delicious, healthy, nutritious meal.
Make sure to rinse the lentils and drain well. 1. In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and the garlic. Sauté for 1-2 min. Add the carrots and celery and sauté for 3-5 minutes. 2. Stir and add the lentils, mix well.
3. Add the tomatoes and softly smash them with your spoon. Mix well. 4. Add vegetable stock, mix all very well, bring to a boil and then lower heat to minimum. Simmer for 1 hour or so. Keep checking every 15 min to see how cooked the lentils are. Some cook quicker then others. When they have your desired texture remove from het and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Lentils are ready to be served.
More Soups Please!
If you liked my fakes recipe please try my tomato toup with feta & basil, an ideal partner to crusty bread. A very easy and comforting soup is the traditional Greek chickpeas soup, it is delicious and humbly perfect. And real winner is my red kabocha soup with porcini mushrooms, it is creamy and sophisticated with layers of flavor that leave you satisfied & pleasantly surprised.
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Ingredients
- 1 16 oz green Lentils You can also use brown lentils, just adjust the cooking time.
- 1 red onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves smashed
- 2 carrots cut in 1/4 inch pieces
- 2 stalks celery cut in 1/4 inch pieces
- 32 oz vegetable stock
- 28 oz tomatoes smashed with a spoon or your hands :-). I use San Marzanno, I love the sweet taste and velvety texture.
- 1 /4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- freshly ground pepper
- salt
For serving
- red hot chili pepper flakes
- red wine vinegar
- extra virgin olive oil
- warm crusty bread
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils and drain well.
- In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and the garlic. Sauté for 1-2 min.
- Add the carrots and celery and sauté for 3-5 minutes.
- Stir and add the lentils, smashed tomatoes (you can also smash the tomatoes with your spoon after you add them in) and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil for 1-2 min.
- Lower the heat to the minimum. Cover the pot and simmer for 60-90 minutes. Cooking time depends on the kind of lentils you are using. I am using green lentils that require longer cooking. Check lentils often until they have the desired texture. Adjust liquids too, you might need to add a little water or stock to achieve your desired soup consistency).
- Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Serve lentils in bowls with a slight sprinkle of red hot chili pepper flakes, a 1 tbsp olive, a tbs of red wine vinegar (optional) and warm crusty bread on the side.
Nutrition
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