Fakes. It’s the the hearty Greek lentil soup that everyone sees on the men at every Greek/gyro diner worldwide. This is the main Greek comfort food soup when the weather turns cool. Super healthy, vegan, and really easy to make.

Lentil soup is the perfect example of the simplicity of most Greek cooking. Just a handful of ingredients that become a hearty and earthy meal.

And it’s one of the healthiest things you can put in your mouth. Lentils are about 25% protein by weight. That make this an essential food for vegans looking for their protein needs.

They are also a great source of dietary fiber. It’s low glycemic index helps stabilize blood sugar levels and helps lower cholesterol levels. It’s also loaded with folate (vitamin B9) and iron. Combine that with the goodness of the vegetables, and you have a real superfood.

But this is about eating yummy, so let’s cut to the chase and make some. It’s the easiest soup to make after a ramen cup!

You can actually skip most steps, just dump everything in a pot and simmer for an hour or two. But here is my most recent one that involves a saute step.

The next recipe makes 12 servings. It’s a lot.

FAKES

Makes 12 cup size servings

• 1 lb. brown lentils
• 4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 8 cups water
• salt and pepper
• splash of red wine vinegar when serving

Wash lentils and remove any small pebbles or scary looking lentils.

Put olive oil in soup pot and heat to medium high. Put in onion, carrot, celery and saute for a few minutes until it just starts caramelizing. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.

Add the spoon of tomato paste and cook for another minute. I always cook the tomato paste until its sticking to the pan. The flavors really burst out that way.

Then add the lentils and water. Bring to a good boil, then turn down to a simmer. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for about an hour to 90 minutes. I’ll also toss in a bay leaf or two if I have it sitting around. It’s ready once the lentils are soft to your liking. I can let it sit on the stove on a super slow bubble for hours.

Serve with some red wine vinegar to splash on to get that pop of brightness.

VARIATION 1: – Just dump it all in a pot and cook 90 minutes or more

VARIATION 2: – Add a green! Try spinach in it. You can add it when heating leftovers. Makes it a whole new experience.

Or add some cumin. Even adding more tomato is good. I’ve done many spins on this basic recipe. Of course, there is a reason the original recipe is the main way to have it. It’s addictive.

That’s it. Eat it!

OPA!