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Lentil & Bacon Soup

Made with quick-cooking split red lentils, smoked bacon, and vegetables, this easy yet tasty soup is perfect for chilly days.

I've kept the flavouring simple, but you can add 1 - 2 teaspoons of dried herbs (e.g. thyme, oregano, or mixed herbs) at step 3 if liked.

Course Main Course, Starter, Lunch
Cuisine European
Keyword pulses, red lentils
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

  • 200 g split red lentils
  • 2 tbsp olive or other oil
  • 200 g smoked streaky bacon, chopped (weight after rinds removed)
  • 1 large onion roughly chopped
  • 2 stalks celery finely chopped
  • 4 large cloves garlic finely chopped
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 medium potato, peeled and diced (approx. 200g before peeling)
  • 1 large carrot, scraped or peeled then diced (approx. 225g before prep)
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 litre light stock (chicken or vegetable)
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Optional garnish

  • 100 g chopped bacon, fried
  • chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. Put the lentils in a roomy heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water from a kettle to twice their depth. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.

    Although it isn't absolutely necessary to soak split red lentils, it will reduce the cooking time.

  2. Put the oil in a large saucepan over high heat and add the chopped streaky bacon. Once the fat starts to run, turn the heat down to moderate and cook, stirring often until it turns golden.

  3. Stir in the onion, celery and garlic, seasoning with a small pinch of salt (leave out if your bacon is particularly salty) and a good grind of pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is starting to soften.

  4. Stir in the potato and carrot until coated in fat.

    Drain the lentils, refresh in cold water, drain again, then stir into the saucepan along with the tomato puree.

    Stir in the stock, add another grind of pepper, and 1 tbsp of the parsley.

  5. Bring up to a boil then turn down to a simmer: put on a lid but keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't boil over.

    Simmer until the lentils, potatoes and carrots are soft (approx. 15 - 20 min.)

    If the soup looks thicker than you'd like, add a little water. If it seems thin, simmer with the lid off for a few minutes.

  6. Off the heat, take a stick blender and whizz to your preferred consistency: it's recommended to blend for a few seconds only for a medium textured rather than completely smooth soup.

    Taste and add more salt and/or pepper if needed, plus the remaining 1 tbsp of parsley.

  7. Serve the soup sprinkled with the bacon and parsley garnishes if liked.

    Soup can be stored in the fridge for 3 days or frozen.