Lentil Soup with Bacon
This hearty Lentil Soup with Bacon is an easy, flavor-packed dish, combining smoky bacon and earthy lentils with vibrant vegetables in a warmly spiced broth. It’s a simple, economical, and healthy meal that’s deeply satisfying, perfect for taking the chill off those cold winter days!
This is my favorite winter soup! But you can make it anytime, really. I love to make it and store in canning jars and give away to friends who’ve had surgery, or in need of a meal. More than just comfort food, this soup is a powerhouse of nutrition. The lentils provide a fantastic foundation of plant-based protein and fiber, which gets an irresistible flavor boost from the smoky bacon.
Packed with carrots, tomatoes, and aromatics, it’s a complete, well-rounded meal that makes eating for your wellness goals both easy and delicious – perfect for winter nourishment or a healthy New Year start. Plus, it freezes beautifully, so you can make a double batch for effortless meal prep!
What is lentil soup with bacon?
Lentil soup with bacon is a hearty, flavorful stove top soup that builds a rich base of tender lentils and carrots simmered in chicken broth.
It’s distinctively enriched with the savory, smoky depth of crispy bacon and a sautéed aromatic mixture of canned tomatoes, garlic, green onions, and warm spices like cumin and coriander.
Finished with fresh cilantro, the soup is a satisfying and protein-packed meal, traditionally served with toppings like Greek yogurt for a creamy contrast.
Ingredients needed to make lentil and bacon soup
- Carrots: Cooked with the lentils at the start of the recipe to ensure the perfect soft texture.
- Lentils: We use uncooked small red or green lentils for this soup. Make sure to rinse them well before adding to the pot to remove any debris/dirt and prevent potential foaming during cooking.
- Chicken stock: This adds rich savory flavor to the cooking liquid.. You can also use vegetable stock.
- Bay leaves: Infuses earthy notes throughout the simmering soup. Make sure to remove the bay leaves before serving.
- Bacon: Adds irresistible smoky, salty, and savory depth to this lentil soup.
- Green onions: These add a fresh, mild onion flavor, subtle sweetness, and a delicate pungent kick to this lentil soup, acting as a bright counterpoint to the earthy lentils.
- Garlic: Freshly pressed garlic cloves enhance the savory aroma of this lentil soup.
- Canned diced tomatoes: Provides a balance of acidity and sweetness, helps to thicken the soup, and adds to the flavored cooking liquid. Do not drain the canned tomatoes!
- Seasoning: This soup calls for ground coriander, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
- Fresh cilantro: Mixed into the soup mixture during the last 10 minutes of cooking for a pop of fresh, bright flavor. We also enjoy sprinkling fresh chopped cilantro over the soup for serving.
How do you make lentil soup with bacon?
Cook the lentils:
- Add the carrots, lentils, stock/broth, bay leaves, and 2 cups of water to a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Bring the pot to a boil, and then cover and reduce the heat to low.
- Cook for 35 minutes until the lentils are tender. Make sure to test (taste) the texture of the lentils before turning the heat off to make sure they are done. It often depends on the size of lentils.
Cook the bacon:
- Cook the bacon for 5 minutes until browned in a medium skillet, stirring often.
- Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain off excess grease.
Make the tomato mixture:
- In the same skillet with remaining bacon grease, add the green onions and the pressed garlic. Saute for about 4 minutes.
- Pour in the tomatoes with the juice and add all of the seasonings.
- Cook until heated through.
Combine lentils, tomato mixture, and bacon:
- Once the lentils are cooked, add in the tomato mixture along with 1/2 cup of cilantro.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaves and stir in the crispy bacon.
- Season the soup to taste with more salt and pepper, if needed.
Garnish and serve:
- Serve this lentil soup with a dollop of Greek yogurt, a little sprinkle of freshly shredded cheese, and the remaining chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
Serving
Enjoy this lentil soup with bacon with Quick Dinner Rolls, Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits, Biscuit Pretzels, a slice of Zucchini Bread or crusty garlic bread.
A Grilled Cheese Flatbread Sandwich is a delicious way to make a more substantial meal, if you prefer. Alternatively, for something a little lighter with reduced carbs, consider pairing this soup with a simple green salad.
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Store leftover lentil soup with bacon in an airtight container or canning jar in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. Reheat in a pot over medium heat until warm. You can add broth to the leftover soup as it reheats since the lentils tend to soak up some of the liquid as the soup sits in the fridge.
- Freezer: Once completely cool, store this lentil soup in the freezer for up to 3 months, either in an airtight container or individual portions in freezer-safe bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat to serve.
- Adjust the liquid: Add extra broth (or water) if the base of the soup boils down too much. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Large pot: A Dutch oven works the best when making this lentil soup, but you can use a regular large pot too. Just make sure that the pot you use is big enough to hold all of the ingredients comfortably for even cooking and no spilling over.
- Prepare your sides: Prep optional sides like garlic bread while the soup simmers so that everything is ready to enjoy at the same time.
- Stir frequently: It’s important to stir the simmering soup regularly to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. Lentils become quite delicate, so be gentle. You don’t want to be mushing them against the sides of the pot.
Variations:
- Protein-boost: Add shredded chicken, turkey, or leftover chopped ham in addition to the bacon pieces for a meaty boost.
- Vegetarian lentil soup: Ditch the bacon for a vegetarian version.
- Extra veggies: Add chopped potato, sliced mushrooms, or diced zucchini for extra heartiness and a nutritional veggie boost.
- Spicy kick: Add smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper for a slight kick of heat, if you like.
Want to discover more ways to support your health goals in the New Year? Try our roundup of 25 Healthy Soup Recipes or these 28 Winter Salad Recipes That Are Healthy And Delicious!
More recipes with lentils you may want to try:
- Sweet Potato Lentil Burgers
- Lentil-Grape Mint Walnut Salad
- Vegetarian Enchiladas with Tomatillos
- Bush’s Beans Red Lentil Chili
Get the Recipe:
Lentil Soup with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups carrots, chopped
- 1 pound lentils, uncooked small red or green; rinsed well
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- ¾ cup green onions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, don’t drain
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¾ tsp onion powder
- ¾ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt, adjust to taste, or omit if you prefer a salt-free blend
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the carrots, lentils, broth, and bay leaves with 2 cups of water. Bring the pot to a boil, and then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the lentils are tender for 35 minutes. Test (taste) the texture of the lentils before turning the heat off to make sure they are done. It often depends on the size of lentils.
- While the lentils are cooking, in a medium skillet, cook the bacon until browned for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain off the grease.
- In the same skillet of bacon grease, add the green onions and the pressed garlic and saute for about 4 minutes. Pour in the can of tomatoes and add all of the seasonings; cook until heated through.
- Once the lentils are cooked, add in the tomato mixture along with the 1/2 cup cilantro. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and stir in the crispy bacon. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve the soup with Greek yogurt, a little cheese, and remaining chopped cilantro!
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Storage: Store leftover lentil soup with bacon in an airtight container or canning jar in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. Reheat in a pot over medium heat until warm. You can add broth to the leftover soup as it reheats since the lentils tend to soak up some of the liquid as the soup sits in the fridge.
- Freezer: Once completely cool, store this lentil soup in the freezer for up to 3 months, either in an airtight container or individual portions in freezer-safe bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat to serve.
- Adjust the liquid: Add extra broth (or water) if the base of the soup boils down too much. Adjust seasoning as needed.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
