Greek Soups
Revithosoupa Recipe (Greek Plain Chickpea Soup)
Ρεβιθόσουπα reh-vee-THOH-soo-pah · Revithosoupa
In short
Revithosoupa is a plain Greek chickpea soup, dried chickpeas simmered gently with onion, olive oil, bay leaf and lemon until soft, kept looser and more like an actual soup rather than the thick, nearly dry bake of Sifnos's famous revithada. It is the everyday, quicker version of the same core ingredient.
Where Sifnos's famous revithada bakes chickpeas for the best part of a day until they thicken into an almost dry, deeply concentrated dish, revithosoupa keeps things considerably simpler and quicker: dried chickpeas simmered on the stovetop with onion, olive oil and bay, kept looser and wetter, genuinely a soup rather than a bake.
This is the version most Greek households actually make on an ordinary weeknight, since it needs only a couple of hours of mostly unattended simmering rather than a many-hours slow oven bake, while still delivering the same comforting, filling, deeply savoury result chickpeas are so good at providing.
A generous finish of fresh lemon and good olive oil at the table, rather than cooked into the soup itself, is what lifts the final bowl from merely filling to genuinely good.
Key preparation steps
- Soak dried chickpeas overnight.
- Simmer gently with onion, olive oil and bay until tender.
- Season only once the chickpeas are soft.
- Finish with fresh lemon and olive oil at the table.
Soaking and simmering
Soak dried chickpeas overnight in plenty of cold water, with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda if you like, which helps soften them further. Drain and simmer in fresh water with a chopped onion, a bay leaf and a generous amount of olive oil for around an hour to ninety minutes, until properly tender.
Salting at the right time
Add salt only once the chickpeas have become tender, since salting the cooking water too early toughens the skins of any dried pulse and can leave you with chickpeas that never quite soften properly no matter how long they simmer.
Finishing
Serve hot, with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon and an extra drizzle of good olive oil added at the table rather than cooked into the pot, which keeps both bright rather than muted by a long simmer. A scatter of fresh parsley is a common, simple finishing touch.
Tips from my kitchen
Salt only once the chickpeas are tender
Salting the water too early toughens the skins of any dried pulse and can stop them softening properly.
Finish with fresh lemon and oil at the table
Adding both right at serving keeps them bright rather than muting them into the long-simmered soup.
Do not rush the simmer
A genuine hour to ninety minutes is what gets dried chickpeas properly, evenly tender throughout.
Revithosoupa Recipe (Greek Plain Chickpea Soup)
Ρεβιθόσουπα · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31
- Prep
- 15m
- Cook
- 1h 30m
- Total
- 1h 45m
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Ingredients
Method
- Drain the soaked chickpeas and put them in a large pot with the onion, bay leaf, olive oil and water.
- Bring to the boil, skim off any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Cook, partly covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the chickpeas are properly tender.
- Season with salt and pepper only once the chickpeas are soft.
- Remove the bay leaf and serve hot, topped with a squeeze of lemon, an extra drizzle of olive oil, and chopped parsley.
Nutrition, per 1 portion
- Calories
- 312
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Sat fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
These figures are calculated estimates based on the ingredients listed, not laboratory analysis. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.
Frequently asked questions about Revithosoupa
What is the difference between revithosoupa and revithada?
Revithada, from Sifnos, is baked for many hours until it thickens into an almost dry dish. Revithosoupa is simmered on the stovetop, kept looser and wetter, and takes considerably less time, making it the more practical everyday version.
Can you use tinned chickpeas?
Yes, for speed, using two or three tins, well rinsed, and simmering for around 20 minutes just to soften the onion and let the flavours meld, since they are already cooked through.
Is revithosoupa vegan?
Yes, entirely, made from chickpeas, onion, olive oil, lemon and bay leaf, and it is a traditional Lenten dish for exactly that reason.
