Λουβάνα — Cypriot Yellow Split Pea Soup with Lemon and Olive Oil

Greek Fast With Oil Published June 13, 2026

Louvana is the Cypriot fasting soup — a thick, golden purée of yellow split peas eaten through Lent and on the strict days of Holy Week. Where its Greek cousin fava is whipped into a meze, louvana stays soupy and rustic, the split peas cooked soft with onion and a little rice or potato for body, then finished with a hard squeeze of lemon and a slick of fruity olive oil. It is plain in the best monastic sense: nourishing, quietly delicious, and made from almost nothing.

Cypriots will tell you louvana is the taste of fasting itself, and it is built to do the job — a deep bowl of split peas is dense with protein and slow-burning starch, the kind of food that keeps you steady through a long day of work and prayer.

On oil days, finish with olive oil as is traditional. For strict no-oil days, simply leave out the oil — the soup is complete without it, carried by lemon and the natural creaminess of the peas. No fish version is needed.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Oil (adaptable for strict days — see notes)
SERVINGS: 4
TIME: 55 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 1 1/2 cups (300g) yellow split peas, rinsed
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 small potato, peeled and diced (or 1/4 cup short-grain rice)
- 6 cups (1.5 litres) water, plus more as needed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- Juice of 2 lemons, plus wedges to serve
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil (omit for strict days)
- Black pepper to taste
- Crusty bread or rusks, to serve

METHOD

1. Put the split peas, onion, diced potato (or rice), water, and bay leaf in a large pot. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam that rises.

2. Lower the heat, partially cover, and simmer for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks. Add hot water if it thickens too much before the peas break down. The soup is ready when the peas have dissolved into a thick, smooth purée.

3. Remove the bay leaf. Add the salt. For a smoother texture, blend partially with an immersion blender, or leave it rustic. It should be the consistency of a thick soup — loosen with hot water if needed.

4. Stir in the lemon juice and plenty of black pepper. Taste and adjust salt and lemon; louvana should be tangy and bright.

5. Ladle into bowls. For oil days, finish each bowl with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges and bread or rusks for dunking.

NOTES

- For strict no-oil days, omit the olive oil entirely and add an extra squeeze of lemon — the soup stands fully on its own.
- The potato (or rice) gives extra body and creaminess; either works, use what you have.
- Stir in a handful of chopped wild greens or spinach in the last 10 minutes for color and extra nutrients.
- For more protein and heft, top with cooked chickpeas or serve alongside a bean dish.