Greek Lentil Soup

Lentils and beans play an important role in the plant-based diet of Greece. Every family in Greece makes a lentil soup similar to this. This particular recipe comes from my husband’s grandmother in southern Greece. Don’t skip the vinegar at the end; It brings out the flavor of the other ingredients and gives it the acidity it needs.

Yield
8 Servings
Preparation time
5 minutes
Cooking time
45 minutes
Total time
50 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb brown lentils (dried)
8 C water (up to 10 cups)
1 C tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes)
1 large bay leaf
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
4 clv garlic
1 white onion (large onion, chopped into small pieces)
1 carrot (medium, peeled, sliced in half moons)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp dried red chili flakes
¼ C olive oil
1 ½ Tbsp red wine vinegar
Instructions

1. Sort and rinse lentils.

2. Add lentils and the remaining ingredients except for the vinegar, into a 6-quart pot. Water should cover the lentils by about 3 inches. Add more water, if needed.

3. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to above medium. Cook soup, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and soup is thickened, about 45 minutes- 1 hour.

4. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf. Add red wine vinegar at the end and stir. Serve with crusty bread.