AUTHENTIC GREEK LENTIL SOUP RECIPE
Greek diet consists of mostly seafoods but also focus on eating a variety of vegetables and produce from the local farms. Lentils belong to the family of Fabaceae and they are considered legumes. They are one of the earliest domesticated crops dating back to 11000 BC and lentil seed fossils were even found by archaeologists in the Franchthi cave in Greece! Lentils have long been apart of Authentic Greek foods because of it's rich nutrient content and budget-friendly cost. It is nicknamed ‘the poor man’s food’ as it’s cheap to buy but gives you a lot of nutrition in return.
Lentils can be cooked in many ways, but our favorite recipe is this authentic Greek lentil soup, cooked with Kardamas extra virgin olive oil.
Authentic Greek Lentil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
500gr. small brown lentils
2 big tomatoes
1 tsp. tomato paste (optional)
2 onions
2 garlic cloves
4 bay leaves
1 tbsp. Kardamas Greek oregano
⅓ tsp. sugar
½ cup Kardamas Greek extra virgin Olive Oil
Kardamas Greek sea salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
1 tbsp. vinegar
Directions
First, wash lentils thoroughly in cold water and drain them. You don’t need to leave them in water overnight as with other legumes. Then, finely chop your onions and garlic and grate your tomatoes, leaving their skin out. In a large cooking pot, add half of your extra virgin olive oil and saute the onions until golden then add the lentils and saute for about 1-2 minutes. Now you need to add the chopped garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Then add the rest of your extra virgin olive oil, optional tomato paste and water. Make sure to have the liquid about 3 fingers above all the ingredients in the cooking pot. Finally, add your grated tomatoes, sugar and bay leaves, then the salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and simmer in medium to low heat for about 35-45 minutes. Periodically check to make sure the liquid level is always sufficiently covering the ingredients. Make sure to always have some extra hot water ready on the side, in case you’ll need to add more liquid.
Before serving, it is recommended to add a teaspoon of vinegar to your plate because the acidity will help absorb iron.
Benefits of Using Authentic Greek Ingredients
Eating lentils soup with Kardamas Greek extra virgin olive oil offers many benefits to our health and it’s considered a staple of the Mediterranean diet. Lentils on their own, are rich in proteins, fiber, minerals and vitamins. The fiber contained in lentils help our digestive system, reduce chances of developing type 2 diabetes, increase satiety feeling and lower cholesterol levels, and lead to an overall healthier cardiovascular system. They contain significant amounts of iron, an essential mineral which helps transport oxygen throughout the body and prevents further complications from anemia, such as fatigue and shortness of breath.
Natural sea salt and oregano are considered essential in the Greek foods. Natural sea salt contains much less amounts of sodium than table salt, making it safer to consume in general. We need healthy amounts of salt for our bodies to regulate blood pressure, thus preventing hypertension from excessive consumption of sodium in salt, which leads to cardiovascular diseases and strokes. Oregano is usually used dry in cooking and it goes with so many recipes! Its slightly spicy but unique flavor makes our dishes delicious, adding that Mediterranean feeling. Due to its high content in carvacrol and thymol, it has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and strengthens the immune system.
Adding Kardamas Greek extra virgin olive oil to your lentils is a great way to incorporate it in your diet and get all the benefits it offers. Extra virgin olive oil has huge amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols as well as vitamin E, which all contribute to the prevention of heart diseases, strokes and various types of cancers.
We are sure you’ll love this authentic Greek recipe because it’s not only extremely healthy and delicious too! Try to incorporate it into your kids’ diet so that they get used to eating them from an early age, same as my mom did with us. Now, lentils soup is among my favorite comfort foods of all time!