Greek Lentil Soup (Fakes)

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Full disclosure, I hated eating fakes growing up. It was my least favorite food on the planet and my dad and I would have arguments every time it was served. He was very strict and would not let me get up from the table unless I ate them all. I was stubborn and would inevitably end up eating ice cold fakes.

Things have drastically changes since then and now I gladly make and enjoy torturing my own kids on fakes night. Just kidding about the torture part. The fakes they are not too keen on. But my kids begrudgingly eat them without too much of an extended table stay.

Ingredients:

The ingredients are short and straight forward with this recipe. The olive oil is a Mediterranean must. The carrot, celery, onion, garlic and bay leaves are all standard in lentils and most soups. I use brown lentils but you can also use green. The tomato paste is a must because it’s was thickens the soup up. My mother uses water, not vegetable broth. Both work just fine.

I like my fakes to have more of a chili like consistency. So basically I leave the pot uncovered during the cooking process. If you want more of a soupy and brothy situation, cover the pot while its simmering for 15 minutes, then uncover. If your soup needs more liquid, NEVER add cold water to it. Always heat the water first before adding it in to the pot.

PRO TIP: ALWAYS salt this dish at the very end when the fakes are cooked through to your preference. The salt will prevent the legumes from reaching their peak tenderness. Some people prefer more of a bite to their lentils and some with more of a tenderness and softness. I prefer the later personally.

Thank you for visiting Hungry Happens! If you make this dish or any other from our site, we would greatly appreciate you taking the time to comment and rate the recipe! LOVE YOUR LIFE!

Greek Lentil Soup (Fakes)

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4 from 1 vote

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 37 minutes mins

Ingredients 

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large celery stalk, diced
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 2 large cloves garlic, halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lb brown lentils
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium. Add in the carrot, celery, onion, garlic and bay leaves. Toss to coat and then cover the pot and allow to sauté on low heat for 5 minutes.
• To a separate small pot, add your lentils and cover them with water. Cover the pot and heat them on high until the water almost begins to boil. Remove from heat and drain.
• Next, add in the tomato paste and toss to coat everything. Pour in the broth, water, lentils and cumin. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and allow to cook for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook another 10-15 minutes or until the lentils are to your preferred tenderness. Once they are done, season with the salt to taste. Do not salt the dish until the lentils are done.
• Remove the bay leaves and garlic pieces from the pot. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and optionally add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar or some fresh squeezed lemon.

Notes

If your soup needs more liquid, NEVER add cold water to it. Always heat the water first before adding it in to the pot.

I love eating this soup with some crusty bread and Kalamata olives.

Nutrition

Calories: 679kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 1608mg | Fiber: 48g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2149IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 12mg

Author: Stella Drivas