Name: Fakes (Greek Lentil Soup)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 cups (400g) brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed; ½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 carrot, diced (optional); 1 celery stalk, diced (optional); 2 bay leaves; 1 can (14 ounces / 400g) crushed tomatoes, or 2 tablespoons tomato paste dissolved in a little water; 6 cups (1.4 liters) water or vegetable stock, plus more as needed; 1 dried chile pepper, whole (optional, for gentle heat); Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1–2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more for serving; Crusty village bread; Kalamata olives; Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling; Red wine vinegar, for drizzling; Crumbled feta (optional)

Fakes (Greek Lentil Soup)

Fakes is the soup nearly every Greek household keeps in weekly rotation, a pot of brown or green lentils simmered slowly with onion, tomato and bay leaf until they collapse into something thick, earthy and deeply savory. It sits alongside our fasolada as one of the country's great meatless legume soups, but where fasolada leans on white beans and a longer, gentler simmer, fakes moves faster since lentils need no soaking to turn tender, and it carries a more assertive, tomato-forward character. The signature move comes right at the end: a splash of red wine vinegar stirred in off the heat, which cuts through the richness of the olive oil and sharpens the lentils' natural earthiness. Cheap, filling and naturally vegan, it has long been a Lenten and Friday-fasting staple in Orthodox households, though it's eaten year-round simply because it's good, satisfying food. Serve it with crusty bread and olives and you have a complete meal that costs almost nothing to make.

Instructions

Pick over the lentils, discarding any small stones or shriveled ones, then rinse well under cold running water until it runs mostly clear.
Place the lentils in a pot, cover generously with water, and bring to a boil. Let them boil hard for 2 to 3 minutes, then drain and rinse — this quick parboil rinses away some of the compounds that can make lentils taste heavy and helps them cook more evenly later.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, along with the carrot and celery if using, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often so the garlic doesn't catch and burn.
Add the parboiled lentils to the pot along with the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, and the whole chile if using. Stir everything together so the lentils are coated in the tomatoey oil.
Pour in the water or stock — it should sit about an inch above the lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and let the soup simmer gently.
Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and checking the liquid level; add a splash of hot water if the soup looks like it's drying out before the lentils are tender.
Season with salt about 15 minutes into cooking, once the lentils have started to soften — salting too early can toughen their skins and slow the cooking.
Continue simmering until the lentils are fully tender and the soup has thickened to a hearty, slightly stew-like consistency; mash a few spoonfuls against the side of the pot if you'd like an even thicker texture.
Remove and discard the bay leaves and the chile pepper, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Stir in the red wine vinegar off the heat — start with 1 tablespoon, taste, and add more if you want a brighter, sharper finish. Let the soup rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving so the flavors settle.
Ladle into bowls and finish each with a generous drizzle of olive oil and an extra few drops of vinegar at the table. Serve with crusty bread, olives, and feta on the side if desired.

Tips for Success

Brown and green lentils hold their shape better than red split lentils, which turn mushy almost immediately — stick with brown or green for proper fakes.
Skip presoaking if you're short on time; lentils don't need it the way dried beans do, though a short soak can shave a few minutes off the simmer.
Add the vinegar at the end, off the heat, rather than during cooking — added too early it can toughen the lentils' skins and its brightness cooks off.
Leftovers taste even better the next day once the flavors have had time to meld; the soup will thicken considerably as it sits, so thin it with a little hot water or stock when reheating.