Description
This comforting and hearty French-style lentil soup is a soul-warming dish perfect for chilly evenings. Packed with nutrient-dense lentils, colorful vegetables, and smoky beef bacon, it delivers a deep, complex flavor profile without the need for long, slow-cooking processes. It is a simple yet impressive plant-forward meal that works beautifully for busy weeknights or as a crowd-pleasing dinner for guests. Wholesome, flavorful, and incredibly easy to prepare, this soup is a rustic masterpiece that will quickly become a favorite in your kitchen rotation.
Ingredients
2 cups dried French green lentils, rinsed
4 strips beef bacon, diced
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
6 cups high-quality vegetable or chicken broth
1 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
Fresh parsley for garnish
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the diced beef bacon for 5-7 minutes until crispy; remove and set aside.
Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in the remaining rendered fat for 6-8 minutes until softened.
Stir in the minced garlic, dried thyme, and black pepper, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the rinsed lentils, broth, and bay leaves to the pot.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30-35 minutes until the lentils are tender.
Stir the crispy beef bacon back into the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper before serving garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 15g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 15mg