Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Quick Ingredients

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus 2 tbsp to finish)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 (14.5 oz / 411 g) can diced tomatoes (with juices)
1 1/2 cups (300 g) dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
2 cups (475 ml) water
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fine salt (plus more to taste) and 1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp red wine vinegar (plus more to taste)
Whole-grain bread, for serving
Simple salad: 2 cups chopped romaine, 1 cucumber, 2 tomatoes, 1/4 red onion, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp salt

Do This

1. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery in 2 tbsp olive oil for 8 minutes; add garlic for 30 seconds.
2. Stir in tomato paste for 1 minute, then add diced tomatoes.
3. Add lentils, broth, water, bay leaf, oregano, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil.
4. Reduce to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook 25–30 minutes until lentils are tender.
5. Remove bay leaf; lightly mash a cup of soup in the pot to thicken (optional).
6. Off heat, stir in red wine vinegar; serve with a drizzle of olive oil, whole-grain bread, and a quick chopped salad.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Comforting and hearty, with classic Greek flavors from oregano, tomatoes, and bay leaf.
Budget-friendly pantry ingredients, but it tastes like it simmered all day.
Easy to adjust: make it thicker, brothier, vegetarian, or add extra veggies.
Finishing with red wine vinegar and olive oil makes the whole pot taste bright and restaurant-worthy.

Grocery List

Produce: 1 medium yellow onion, 2 medium carrots, 2 celery ribs, 4 garlic cloves, 1 cucumber, 2 medium tomatoes, 1/4 medium red onion, 1 small head romaine (or 1 bag chopped romaine), 1 lemon, fresh parsley (optional garnish)
Dairy: Feta cheese (optional, for the salad or topping)
Pantry: Dried brown or green lentils, 1 can diced tomatoes, tomato paste, low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth), extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, bay leaf, fine salt, black pepper, whole-grain bread

Full Ingredients

For the Greek Lentil Soup (Fakes-Style)

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups / 225 g)
2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup / 130 g)
2 celery ribs, diced (about 3/4 cup / 90 g)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 (14.5 oz / 411 g) can diced tomatoes, with juices
1 1/2 cups (300 g) dried brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over
6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
2 cups (475 ml) water
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tbsp red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, to finish (plus more for drizzling at the table)
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional, for serving)

For Serving

6 slices whole-grain bread (about 1 slice per serving), lightly toasted if you like

Simple Salad (Chopped and Bright)

2 packed cups chopped romaine (about 85 g)
1 medium cucumber, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups / 200 g)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups / 260 g)
1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup / 40 g)
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp fine salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 oz (55 g) feta, crumbled (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep your vegetables and rinse the lentils

Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into small, even pieces so they cook at the same rate. Mince the garlic. Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh strainer under cool water, and quickly pick through them to remove any small stones or debris.

Step 2: Sauté the soup base until sweet and fragrant

Set a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot (at least 5–6 quarts) over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil.

Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, until the onions are soft and the vegetables are starting to look glossy and tender. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant (don’t let it brown).

Step 3: Build flavor with tomato paste and tomatoes

Add 1 tbsp tomato paste and stir constantly for 1 minute. This quick “toasting” step deepens the tomato flavor.

Stir in the canned diced tomatoes (with juices) and scrape the bottom of the pot to lift up any flavorful browned bits.

Step 4: Simmer the lentils with herbs until tender

Add the rinsed lentils, 6 cups broth, 2 cups water, 1 bay leaf, 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot (leave the lid slightly ajar) and simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring every 8–10 minutes, until the lentils are tender but not falling apart.

Step 5: Thicken (optional) and adjust the consistency

Remove and discard the bay leaf.

For a heartier, slightly creamy texture (without cream), use a ladle to scoop about 1 cup of soup into a bowl and mash it with a fork, then stir it back into the pot. Alternatively, gently mash a small area of the soup directly in the pot with a potato masher (just a few presses).

If you want the soup thinner, stir in an additional 1/2 cup (120 ml) hot water (or broth) and simmer for 2 minutes to reheat.

Step 6: Finish with vinegar and olive oil for classic fakes flavor

Turn off the heat. Stir in 2 tbsp red wine vinegar and 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. Taste and adjust: add up to 1 more tbsp red wine vinegar if you want more brightness, and add salt and pepper as needed.

Step 7: Toss the simple salad and toast the bread

While the soup rests for a couple of minutes, combine the romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion in a bowl. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp lemon juice, then sprinkle with 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp salt, and black pepper to taste. Toss well. Add crumbled feta if using.

Toast the whole-grain bread if desired.

Step 8: Serve warm with the traditional finishing touches

Ladle the soup into bowls. For the best flavor, add a final light drizzle of olive oil on each bowl and (optional) a pinch of chopped parsley. Serve with whole-grain bread and the simple salad on the side.

Pro Tips

Use brown or green lentils (not red). Red lentils break down quickly and will turn the soup more puréed than traditional fakes-style.
Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can break the lentils and make the soup cloudy. Aim for small, steady bubbles.
Don’t skip the vinegar. Red wine vinegar wakes up the tomatoes and lentils. Add it off heat so it stays bright.
Salt near the end if your broth is salty. Start with 1 tsp, then fine-tune after simmering (lentils soak up seasoning).
For deeper flavor, let it rest 10 minutes. Like many soups, it tastes even better after a short stand.

Variations

More Mediterranean vegetables: Add 1 cup (150 g) diced zucchini during the last 10 minutes of simmering.
Add greens: Stir in 3 packed cups (90 g) baby spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking until wilted.
Smoky and savory: Add 1/2 tsp smoked paprika with the oregano, or sauté 4 oz (115 g) diced smoked turkey or sausage before the vegetables (if not keeping it vegetarian).

Storage & Make-Ahead

Cool the soup to room temperature (about 30 minutes), then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The soup will thicken as it sits; reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding 1/4–3/4 cup (60–180 ml) water or broth as needed to loosen it. Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. For the freshest texture, store the salad components separately and dress right before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, for soup only (1/6 of pot), not including bread or salad: 310 calories; 11 g fat; 41 g carbohydrates; 16 g protein; 17 g fiber; 680 mg sodium (varies by broth).

Hearty Greek Lentil Soup With Vinegar and Olive Oil