Faki Soupa - Greek Lentil Soup

I grew up with a Greek saying about Faki - if you're Greek, chance is you've heard this saying.

 If not, put it this way: Faki = Lentils, Lentils = Beans. The American saying for Beans = 

"Beans, Beans, the musical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot"

Our saying is the same concept, but not as pleasantly put. I can only hope my readers have a sense of humor!

Faki - Lentil Soup

 This is a simple soup that Yiayia makes at least once a week! Full of flavor, and extremely filling - Faki was a favorite of mine growing up and helped me appreciate and love all sorts of beans! 

It's easy to prepare and a healthy vegetarian dish! Another perfect recipe for those who are fasting! There are many variations to making Faki, but here is the best one - Yiayia Kiki's Recipe:

What You'll Need:

1 lb. Bag of Dried Lentils

10 Cups of Water

1 Large Onion - Chopped

2 Carrots - Peeled and Chopped

2 Stalks of Celery - Chopped

1 Potato - Peeled and Cubed

3 Garlic Cloves - Minced

1 Cup of Fresh Chopped Parsley

4 Bay Leaves

Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Dried Oregano

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

STEP 1: In a large pot, add a generous amount of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and saute your Onions, Carrots, Celery, and Garlic. Once translucent, add 1 lb. of Lentils and stir.


STEP 2: Add 10 Cups of Water and 4 Bay Leaves. Bring water to a boil then simmer. After about 30 minutes, add the cubed potatoes, salt, pepper, paprika, 1/2 Cup of Fresh Parsley, and dried oregano to your tasting. Allow to cook for approx. 20 more minutes or until Lentils, Carrots, and Potatoes are tender.

STEP 3: Serve in a bowl, and garnish with the remainder of Fresh Parsley.

Kali Orexi!
- Sophia Eleni