by Jeanette 32 Comments
This Slow Cooker Greek Lentil Soup is so simple, yet so satisfying. You’ll be reaching for a bowl of this on a cold winter day. 217 calories/2 Freestyle points per serving.
I’ve been sitting on this recipe for way too long so I’m finally getting around to sharing it. The weather has definitely turned cooler the last couple of weeks, which has prompted me to start making more chili and soups, including this Greek lentil soup, which I made last winter.
So, here’s the story behind this lentil soup recipe. It all started when I picked up a cup of lentil soup from a local Greek restaurant one day. A man sitting next to me was raving about how good it was – he said it was better than his Italian mother’s version. So, naturally, that peaked my interest and I just had to have a taste so I ordered a cup to go. I only gotone spoonful before it was devoured by my youngest son.
The next day, I asked my friend whose husband is Greek for a Greek lentil soup recipe. She dug up a recipe simply called Lentil Soup, or Fakies in Greek. The caption for this recipe says that this soup is the only food eaten by devout Orthodox Christians on Good Friday. The vinegar in the soup is symbolic, recalling that it was given to Christ on the cross. Fascinating – I love learning about stories behind recipes.
Lentils are a great source of protein and have wonderful flavor in soup. In fact, you can use water instead of stock in this soup recipe and I think it would come out just as good. I used half water and half stock and it was full of flavor. One adjustment I made to the original recipe was to add double the tomato sauce and a few tablespoons of tomato paste to achieve the tomatoey flavor I recalled from the restaurant’s soup.
This Greek Lentil Soup was so good, I made it for a friend recently, saving one container for our family. I should have doubled the recipe as it is one of those comfort foods that can be eaten at least a few times a week. I’ve made this soup in the slow cooker and on the stovetop and both yield good results. Just know that cooking on the stovetop will result in a thicker soup, so you may want to add more water or stock.
4.75 from 4 votes
CourseSoup
Keywordlentils
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 217 kcal
Ingredients
- 2tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
- 1largeonionchopped
- 3clovesgarlicminced
- 2largecarrotsdiced (~ 1 cup)
- 1largecelery stalkdiced (~ 1 cup)
- 5cupswater or low sodium stockuse vegetable stock for vegan/vegetarian version
- 1cupgreen lentilsrinsed and drained
- 1cuptomato sauce
- 2tablespoonstomato paste
- 2bay leaves
- sea saltto taste
- pepperto taste
- 2tablespoonsred wine vinegar
Instructions
Heat oil in a large stockpot; saute onion, garlic, carrots and celery; cook about 5 minutes until onions are softened. Transfer vegetables to slow cooker. Add water or stock, lentils, tomato sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
Cook on low for 8-9 hours until lentils are tender. Remove bay leaves. Stir in vinegar just before serving.
Recipe Notes
2 Freestyle points per serving
Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Greek Lentil Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 217Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 343mg15%
Potassium 791mg23%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 11g46%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 4325IU87%
Vitamin C 9.4mg11%
Calcium 53mg5%
Iron 3.4mg19%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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