Welcome to The Storied Recipe Podcast, a podcast about food, culture, and love.
This recipe for Greek Chickpea Soup came from my podcast guest, Diane Kochilas. Make sure you listen to her episode "The Honest Magiría and Its Humble Chickpea Soup" while you make this classic Greek Chickpea Soup (Revithia)!
Diane's chickpea soup recipe pays homage to a traditional chickpea soup recipe from a restaurant called Diporto, a beloved restaurant in Athens, Greece. This has long been a classic soup served not only in Diporto, but has been a traditional Athenian meal for generations. With only 5-ingredients, the simplicity of the dish perfectly highlights each ingredient and creates a balanced, creamy, slightly tangy soup. As Diane notes, it is a simple soup, but extremely filling. It is delicious by itself, or, as per her suggestion, with a side of Greek feta, topped with olive oil, and a glass of Retsina, or alongside marinated anchovies.
Simple, rustic, humble, comforting.
Perfect. That's how I'd describe this Greek Chickpea Soup.
Looking for more plant-based soup recipes? Check out Sopa Ajo, The Healing Garlic Greek Soup. What about another recipe with only 5-ingredients? Check out this Hungarian 5 Ingredient Dairy-Free Potato Soup!
Diane's Memories of Diporto's Revithia
"[The Restaurant] is called Diportos… this old corner building. It looks like it's about to fall, crumble on top of you… and it's a basement. So you walk down four or five… big, thick, heavy cement steps that have been painted over a million times, all cracked… What you see there is just very simple, delicious food that maybe has two or three ingredients each plate… a really good Greek salad, really delicious grilled sardines, fava, and this soup.
-Diane Kochilas, guest of The Storied Recipe Podcast
Top Tip
- Rather than adding the second half of olive oil to the pot, rather serve the steaming hot bowls with a carafe or small glass bottle of olive oil at the table so each guest can add a drizzle of olive oil just before eating.
Instructions
- Soak chickpeas overnight.
- Cook onions and garlic in olive oil. Add chickpeas.
- Cook up to 3 hours.
- Serve with
Ingredients and Substitutions
Olive oil
- "There is a trend the last few years for some producers to create olive oil high in polyphenols… that oil… tends to be quite bitter… that's a telltale sign that the oil is very good."
- "The best olive oil is the one you like the most."
Garlic
- "Greek garlic… the essential oils and all of the good things that are in garlic are in much higher dosages within a head of garlic. It's much more flavorful."
Greek Oregano vs Mexican Oregano
Diane's recipe calls for Greek oregano, and explains that "the essential oil component is different [in Greek and Mexican oregano]… and much more aromatic". Here are some key differences:
Greek oregano
- Peppery and sharp
- Has undertones of lemon and menthol with an earthy base
- Originated in southern Europe's more temperate climate
- Pairs well with pasta, fish, feta, chicken, eggplant, and more
Mexican oregano
- Grassy, with a slight anise flavor
- Topped with notes of citrus and lime
- Adds balance when blended with Mexican spices like allspice and cinnamon
- Pairs well with mole, beans, pork, ground meat, chili, and more
source: Spices.inc
Equipment
Storage
- You can store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Diane's Book
Athens by NYT Bestselling author, Diane Kochilas
More Mediterranean Recipes
More Soups, Stews, and Curries Recipes
Listen to Diane's Episode
PrintRecipe
Simple Classic Greek Chickpea Soup (Revithia)
- Total Time: 11 hours
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This 5 ingredient Greek Chickpea Soup is crowned the "best Revithada in Athens" by NYT Bestselling author, Diane Kochilas
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup extra-virgin Greek olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained *See Note 1
- Salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano
- Strained juice of one large lemon
Instructions
Cue Up The Episode!
Make sure you listen to Diane's episode of The Storied Recipe Podcast, "The Honest Maria and Its Humble Chickpea Soup" while you make her amazing Greek Chickpea Soup.
Make The Recipe
- In a large pot, heat ⅓ cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until wilted, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas and enough water to cover by 2 inches.
- Bring to a simmer, partially cover the pot and cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours, until the chickpeas are very tender.
- Using an immersion blender and a good eye, puree about 1 cup of the mixture inside the pot. Alternatively, transfer 1 cup of the chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor and puree, then return the pureed chickpeas to the pot.
- Seaston to taste wtih salt, bring back to a simmer, and stir in the oregano, lemon juice, and remaining ⅓ cup olive oil. Serve. *See Note 2
Notes
Note 1: You can use canned chickpeas, but the flavor won't be the same. Go for low-sodium organic if you do. Cooking time will be more like an hour as canned beans tend to be a little softer.
Note 2: You can serve the soup with Greek feta, a drizzling of more (Greek) olive oil, and maybe a splash of good retsina in a glass. Alternatively, you can also serve this with marinated anchovies (without feta on the side if you do).
Shared with permission from Athens by NYT Bestselling author, Diane Kochilas.
- Prep Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 3 hours
Would love to hear from you!