Bacon and Lentil Soup
Bacon and Lentil Soup is a perfect one-pot hearty evening meal for the family. It's everything you love about comfort food!
Servings 6 servings
Calories 326kcal
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 1 onion medium - diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable
- 20 oz diced tomatoes with chiles 2 cans
- 1½ cups dried green lentils rinsed - or brown lentils
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish if desired)
Instructions
- First, cook the bacon. Use a large pot, like a Dutch oven, to cook over medium heat until the bacon becomes crispy. (you can also bake it in the oven until crispy, but you will need to transfer the drippings into a large pot then to use for the remainder of the recipe)
- Remove the bacon from the pot and drain it. You can use a plate lined with paper towels or place it on a wire rack.
- When removing the bacon, leave the drippings to be used in the soup.
- Carefully add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the drippings. The drippings will still be hot, so use caution. Cook the veggies over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, or until softened.
- Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, smoked paprika, and bay leaf - continue cooking for another couple of minutes.
- Stir in the broth, diced tomatoes with their juice, and lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Simmer uncovered for 30-35 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
- While the soup is simmering, rough chop the cooled bacon.
- Remove the bay leaf.
- Stir in the chopped bacon, and season with salt and pepper if desired before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 231mg | Potassium: 929mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 5mg | Net Carbohydrates: 22g