The best Greek soup recipes for fall
A round-up of some favourite cooler weather Greek soups to keep you warm and satisfied this autumn season. There is nothing better than a bowl of soup filled with nutritious and delicious ingredients. Greek soups in particular have so much to offer! Here you will find all sorts of soups, to fit all dietary needs and all tastes.
You will find all of the classic Greek soups in this round-up of great fall recipes. There is nothing like a warm, hearty, rustic bowl of soup to make you feel cozy and content. I say that a great bowl of soup is like a bowl of comfort.
You will find something for everyone in the recipes which follow. Before we begin, let me give you some great soup tips that you can use with these recipes.
Great soup tips and helpful hints
- Most soup recipes can be easily halved, doubled, or even tripled and quadrupled. The only limiting factors is your ingredients, and how large a pot you have.
- Soups are very forgiving! If you are missing an ingredient, making substitutions usually works just fine. So, if you don’t have onions, you can use leeks. No kale, use swiss chard. Unlike baking which needs to be more exact, soup making lets you take some liberties.
- Most soup recipes freeze really well! So, make an extra batch and freeze. The only soups that do not freeze well are those which have an avgolemono or egg lemon sauce.
How to freeze soup
As mentioned above, soups which have an avgolemono sauce do not freeze well. What you can do however is freeze the soup before adding the egg lemon sauce. Defrost, reheat, and finish your recipe with the avgolemono at that time.
My favourite way to freeze soup is to portion it out into individual portions and freeze it in freezer safe plastic bags. I lay them flat in my freezer until frozen, and then arrange them upright. They are easier to find that way, and take up less space.
Sometimes, if I want to freeze enough soup for a meal for the whole family I use empty plastic ice cream containers – these are great for the freezer, and offer an excuse to buy ice cream!
The best Greek soup recipes for fall
Fakes, Greek lentil soup
Growing up my dad made this soup every Friday. Often, Greeks fast from meat and dairy on Friday, and so this soup is the perfect recipe. Made with really simple ingredients that you likely already have on hand, it is a cinch to make.
Everyone who tries this recipe says that they love it. You will be surprised by how flavourful it is given the few ingredients. You can really use any lentils you have, but traditionally green or brown lentils are used. I prefer the smaller size lentils, but again, if you like the larger ones those are great as well. The only lentils you should not use are red lentils because they dissolve.
I love making fakes or this Greek lentil soup because technically the lentils do not need to be soaked before cooking. I say technically because my parents actually soak, and pre-boil the lentils! They are convinced that this makes them easier to digest. You can absolutely skip that step!
Avgolemono soup, Greek chicken soup with egg lemon sauce
Avgolemono soup is Greek chicken soup for the soul! It is actually really simple to prepare. You boil some chicken in order to make a broth, then you cook some rice (I like arborio) in the broth and when it is done you add in the egg lemon sauce that you make.
Some people assume that making this classic Greek soup is difficult, but actually it is really quite simple and it only requires a few basic ingredients. I like to use an entire chicken because that is usually more economical, but you can also use several chicken legs and thighs. Besides the chicken you will need an onion, some celery, a carrot, arborio rice, lemon and eggs. That is really it! So simple.
Fasolatha, Greek white bean soup
Another classic! Fasolatha is a soup made with white kidney beans (although white navy beans are also often used). Add a few vegetables, and that is pretty much it! The broth of this soup is thickened with a bit of flour and it is flavoured with lemon.
Fasolatha is a great soup to make when the pantry is almost empty. Although I prefer to use dry beans when I make this soup, in a pinch canned beans work well. Just be sure to rinse them well and add them to the pot once the vegetables are almost entirely cooked.
I love to serve this vegetarian soup with some fresh bread and some olives. Together, these make the perfect Greek meal!
Revithosoupa, Greek chickpea soup
I love how much everyone seems to love this Greek chickpea soup called revithosoupa. I am not surprised by its popularity however – it is so good! The large rounds of carrot and the chickpeas are a perfect flavour and texture combination. I just can’t get enough of this soup!
I add freshly squeezed lemon juice to the soup after it has cooked. This lemon juice give a mild, but noticeable citrus taste to the revithosoupa that I find quite lovely. You can add as much lemon as you like, depending on your taste.
This soup is super easy to make, and even easier if you decide to use canned chickpeas the way I often do.
Yiouvarlakia – Greek meatball soup
This is a classic Greek meatball soup called yiouvarlakia. The meatballs have rice in them and the broth includes a rich egg lemon sauce.
The broth is made while the yiouvarlakia cook and once you add the avgolemono sauce it becomes the base of this incredible soup. I love to dunk bread into the broth! Because the meatballs are boiled, they remain tender, juicy and incredibly flavourful. This makes them very pleasing to young children because both the texture and taste are gentle.
Spinach and rice soup
I love this spinach and rice soup recipe because it uses ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry and fridge. If you like to cook, or even if you only like to eat, chances are very, very good that you have everything you’ll need to make this spinach and rice soup.
I love this soup because I appreciate being able to feed my family with meals that are quick, simple, and inexpensive without sacrificing nutrition and flavour.
I also love that this soup, like most soups, is pretty versatile. If you don’t have spinach, you can use swiss chard, or kale. If you want to make it heartier, you can add a rinsed can of chickpeas or other legumes. If you want to keep it lenten (vegan), then skip the cheese.
Borlotti bean soup
If you can find fresh borlotti beans, then definitely use them to make this borlotti bean soup! Even if you can’t find the fresh beans, use dry ones and just soak them for 12 hours or overnight.
I love most bean soups and this borlotti bean soup is no exception. It is simple to make, cooks quickly if you use fresh beans, and really only takes a few ingredients. This is a great soup to make a big batch of and freeze the extras for take along lunches, or quick dinners.
Fish Soup
Fish soup, called psarosoupa in Greek, is a classic recipe. It is really quite simple to make and although it includes a few ingredients, the fish really is the star. I like to make my soup with fresh cod, although any other white fish would work as well.
Along with the fish there is carrot, celery, fennel, pasta and olive oil in the soup. What really takes it to the next level is the addition of lemon juice. This adds a freshness and vibrancy which is lovely. I can’t wait to make this fish soup again soon; it really is one of my favourite fall comfort foods.
Trahana soup with chicken
Let me introduce you to a Greek ingredient you may not be familiar with, trahana. Trahana is a hard pasta made of cracked wheat, bulgur or flour that looks a little bit like couscous. When it is made with buttermilk or yogourt you get sour trahana. When whole milk is added instead, you end up with a sweet trahana, and that is the one used in this recipe for trahana soup with chicken.
Once you find the trahana, making this soup is super simple. I just boil my chicken breast in water with a few vegetables for flavour and I then shred it before adding it to my trahana which has been boiled. This is such a soothing soup and one which is loved by anyone who tries it. The trahana is unique but subtle in flavour – a great ingredient that you will enjoy.
Mung bean soup
This is a soup that my dad grew up on. In Greek it is called psilofasola or rovitsa, and this mung bean soup recipe is a winner! I love how easy it is, how nutritious and how economical. Aside from the mung beans, a few vegetables and some lemon, there is not much more to this soup. Also, bonus, you don’t actually need to pre-soak your mung beans, which saves on time.
The amount of lemon juice listed in the recipe gives the soup a nice, citrus-y flavour. I often serve my soup with some extra lemon wedges to give people the option of adding more lemon juice if they would like. Also, don’t forget the bread! Bread is delicious and is great for dipping into the soup broth.
Hilopites soup
Hilopites are a Greek egg pasta, shaped in small squares and they make an amazing hilopites soup. Ready in about 15 minutes this is as simple as simple can be! The hilopites are cooked in a very simple broth and then served with a sprinkling of grated Greek cheese called mizithra. If you can’t find mizithra, grated romano or parmesan could work too.
You can usually find hilopites in Greek or Mediterranean grocery stores, and even on-line. However, if you happen to be visiting Greece, or know someone who is, you can always ask them bring some back for you. Hilopites from Greece, especially when home-made, are a luxurious treat. Store them in your refrigerator or even freezer for freshness.
Fasolatha with tomato
Like the white fasolatha which has a lemon based broth, this fasolatha with tomato recipe is super simple and quick to make. There is nothing fancy here, just good, hearty goodness in a bowl. If you want to make this fasolatha with tomato soup recipe quickly, just use canned beans.
I sometimes make a really big batch of this soup and I eat it every day for lunch. It makes meal planning really easy and any extra can actually also be frozen to be enjoyed weeks, or even a few months later.
Manestra
Manestra is a simple Greek soup recipe made with small noodles or orzo in a tomato broth. I actually have memories of eating this soup as a child, and it is a recipe that I made often when my own kids were little. It is easy, flavourful and filling. It also uses only a few ingredients so you can almost always make it at the last minute.
I love how using a different type of noodle can change the soup a little bit. The trick is to use small noodle shapes and to watch the cooking time. Much smaller noodles will need less time and you don’t want to overcook them which can be quite disagreeable.
Yiouverlakia avgolemono and tomato
This is a bit of a variation to the classic Greek yiouvarlakia soup with avgolemono; in this recipe there is a touch of tomato passata added to the broth. This is actually a common way of serving yiouvarlakia in the part of Greece where my parents are from. You taste the tomato a little bit, but the colour is really quite lovely.
I try to make yiouvarlakia avgolemono and tomato at least once a month in the cooler weather. I find that it is very comforting to eat, but also to make! Rolling the meatball and rice mixture is actually quite soothing; you can’t be rushed because the mixture is delicate and you don’t want your meatballs to break apart while they are cooking.
Artichokes and peas in an egg-lemon sauce (Αγκινάρες με αρακά αυγολέμονο)
This is a great recipe that is easy to make if you use frozen artichokes and frozen peas. Honestly, it looks like it would be very complicated by this recipe for artichoke and peas in an egg-lemon sauce is so good! It is a vegetarian soup that screams fall! I love to serve it with some fresh bread, some olives and perhaps a salad on the side.
Sour trahana soup with tomato
This soup uses sour trahana and cooks it in a tomato based broth. This is truly a Greek classic recipe, and it is not for everyone! Sour trahana has a particular taste that takes some getting used to!
I enjoy this sour trahana soup with tomato recipe because it is super easy, filling and delicious. Once you find the sour trahana it is a since to make. If you really don’t like the sour trahana, but like the idea of this soup, make it using the regular sweet trahana.
Fide soup (Fithe soup)
This soup is often called Greek penicillin! It is the soup that is often made with someone is feeling under the weather, has stomach problems, is overwhelmed with stress or work, or just needs a hug in a bowl. Honestly, this recipe for fide soup could not be any simpler.
Although some people like to add extras to the broth my recipe is super simple and is basically a bit of olive oil, water and the vermicelli noodles or fide noodles. Ready in about 10 minutes, and super satisfying!
Black-eyed pea soup with kale
This black-eyed peas soup with kale recipe has a bit of a kick! The addition of chili peppers gives it some heat (that you can adjust) and it is so hearty! It is a really filling soup with a variety of flavours and textures which make it just incredible.
It is a versatile recipe; you can use other greens instead of the kale and you can also freeze it if you make extras. I love how healthy this soup is and how great I feel after eating it.
Cream of tomato soup
Once you make your own cream of tomato soup using this recipe, I promise that you will never buy the canned stuff again! This soup is not only delicious, but it is so easy. It is creamy and rich and you would imagine that there is cream in it, but there isn’t!
I really like to serve this soup with some crumbled feta on top to give it more of a Greek twist. If you are hungry you can also make a grilled cheese sandwich for a perfect easy meal.
Mason jar split pea soup with rice
This soup is amazing! I usually prepare the ingredients for this simple vegetarian soup in a mason jar to have it ready whenever the craving hits! All you have to do is add water, and cook the soup. The layered ingredients, which includes yellow and green split peas, rice, vegetable stock powder, spices and herbs, looks so pretty in a mason jar. This makes a super gift for the holidays!
You don’t need mason jars to make this split pea soup with rice recipe however. You can simply make the recipe and enjoy it immediately. Some bread, a salad, and dinner is served!
More great recipe collections
Here are a few more resources that are set to inspire and help you in the kitchen!
A month of Mediterranean diet meals