Bacon Lentil Soup

Bacon lentil soup is an easy, comforting meal that's packed with delicious and wholesome ingredients. In this recipe, lentils are cooked with bacon, onions, carrots, celery, and earthy spices to create a filling dish that's perfect for weeknight dinners, lunches, or cold nights.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword bacon, lentils

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 358kcal

Author Elizabeth Rodriguez

Ingredients

6-8 Bacon Slices chopped or cut into ½ - 1 inch pieces – regular cut (6 slices for the soup and roughly 2 slices for garnish – optional)
1 Medium Onion finely diced
1-2 Carrots diced (about ¾ cup)
1 Celery Rib diced (about ⅓ cup)
3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
1 teaspoon Paprika
¼ teaspoon Cumin
¼ teaspoon Dried Oregano
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
12 ounces Lentils sorted, rinsed, and drained
8 cups Chicken Broth
Salt to taste
Chopped Parsley for garnish optional

Instructions

Add the bacon to a large pot and place it over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally at first, then more frequently as it cooks.
Take the pot off the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
If necessary, remove some of the rendered grease from the pot, leaving about 2-3 tablespoons.
Return the pot to medium heat. Once the bacon grease is hot (but not smoking), add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions soften and become translucent.
Stir in the garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
Add the lentils and the chicken broth to the pot, stirring well while gently scraping bits off the bottom of the pot. Raise the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil (about 5 minutes).
Once the soup comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium and cover the pot. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Lower the heat to medium-low and add the reserved crispy bacon pieces to the pot (remember to keep some bacon for garnish if desired).
Cover the pot and cook 5-15 minutes until the lentils reach the desired tenderness. If you prefer al dente lentils, cook them less; for tender lentils, cook longer.
Taste the soup and add salt as needed (we added ¼ teaspoon). Serve the soup with the reserved bacon on top and a sprinkle of chopped parsley, if desired.

Notes

Use regular-cut bacon for consistent results; thin or thick-cut will alter cooking time.
Sort through lentils for small stones or debris before rinsing.
Use kitchen scissors to easily cut the bacon directly into a bowl—no cutting board needed.
Prep all ingredients ahead of time to ensure smooth cooking, as they go into the pot quickly and need frequent stirring.

Nutrition