Foodie Friday: Greek Red Lentil Soup

The following recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, Rebar Modern Food Cookbook by Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz. Rebar also happens to be a fabulous vegetarian restaurant in Victoria, B.C. for anyone who might be visiting.

This soup is chock-full of red lentils which cook super fast and are an excellent source of protein (26% - the third highest level of protein from any plant-based food) and one of the best vegetable sources of iron. The vitamin C from the lemon in the soup will help those who devour this better absorb it. 

This is a great soup to make for someone who just had a baby, which is maybe why I thought to post this recipe today since one of my best friends just homebirthed a baby boy. New baby gifts of food are always welcomed by new moms and their families, and nourishing iron-rich foods are especially important to new moms needing to re-gather their strength after labour. If you give this soup as a gift make sure you leave the feta in its container so the reciever can sprinkle it on after it has been reheated. Vegans or those who avoid dairy products can omit the feta cheese and still thoroughly enjoy this soup. 

Greek Red Lentil Soup

~with lemon, rosemary and feta cheese~

2 cups red lentils

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 tsp salt

8 garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots

1 tsp cracked pepper

1/4 tsp red chile flakes (optional)

1 Tbsp minced rosemary

2 Tbsp minced oregano

2 bay leaves

8 cups vegetable stock

zest of 1/2 lemon

juice of 2 lemons (I prefer to use small lemons)

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 tsp minced rosemary

cracked pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

Rinse lentils thoroughly in a colander until cold running water. Set aside to drain. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat and saute onion until translucent. Add garlic, carrot, pepper, chilies, herbs, bay leaves and remaining salt. Stir well and saute until the carrots are just tender. Add rinsed lentils and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the lentils are soft and falling apart. If you like, the soup can be pureed or left as is. If you choose to puree, remove the bay leaves first.

Season the soup with lemon zest, lemon juice and more salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, stir together the feta cheese, rosemary and pepper. Sprinkle over hot bowls of soup and enjoy.

This is nice served with warm bread or pita.

Serves 8.

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Related posts:

1. Foodie Fridays: Hearty Tomato Lentil Veggie Soup
2. Foodie Fridays: Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
3. Foodie Fridays: Lentil Burgers and Rosemary Baked Fries
4. Foodie Fridays: Pappardelle with Asparagus and Herbed Cream
5. Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup

Tags: dinner, Foodie Fridays, lunch, new baby gifts