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Meat, Meal soups and plant based

Lentil soup with smoked bacon and toasted bread

Lentil soup with smoked bacon is a complete one-pot meal for 4 people, ready in 55 minutes, rated easy, for about €2.00 per serving. The key is blending just one ladleful of soup to thicken it without mashing all the lentils. The bacon cooks whole, then gets diced, so it flavors the broth without drying out.

It's cold out, so we're bringing out the big pot for a thick lentil soup with smoked bacon, served with toasted bread for dunking.

Lentil soup with smoked bacon and toasted bread
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.00
Calories per person
580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

This soup sticks to your ribs, with soft green lentils and little cubes of smoked bacon that still have some bite. The broth gets thickened just enough, with one blended ladleful, for a creamy texture without losing the rustic feel of whole lentils. Carrots and celery add softness and a base flavor that carries the whole pot.

It's a dinner for cold fall and winter nights, when you want a single dish with no extra meat to cook. Adults who like hearty soups will love it, though it's a bit less obvious for younger kids because of the celery and bacon chunks. A steaming bowl, some toasted bread for dunking, and dinner is sorted in one pot.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Green lentilsoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Bay leafoften in the pantry 1 leaf
  • Chicken bouillon cubeoften in the pantry 1
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Smoked bacon 200 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 2
  • Onion 1
  • Celery stalks 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Parsley 1 bunch

Bakery

  • Country bread 8 slices

Allergens Gluten, Celery

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the carrots and onion, dice them finely along with the celery and garlic.

    Cut everything into even small dice, the soup will be nicer to eat.

  2. Cook the vegetables in the oil with the whole piece of bacon for a few minutes. 5 min

    The bacon fat should just start to melt to flavor the oil.

  3. Add the rinsed lentils, bay leaf, crumbled bouillon cube, and 1.5 liters of water, then let it simmer gently. 35 min

    Don't add salt, the bacon and bouillon cube already season it well.

  4. Remove the bacon, dice it small and put it back in the soup, then blend one ladleful to thicken it. 3 min

    Blending only one ladleful keeps whole lentils and makes the soup creamy.

  5. Toast the bread, serve the soup piping hot with chopped parsley and pepper.

    Rub the toasted bread with a raw garlic clove for an extra kick.

Our tips to get it right

  • Rinse the green lentils well before cooking to remove surface starch, the soup will turn out clearer.
  • Keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil, the lentils cook more evenly and stay whole.
  • Taste before adding pepper at the end, the bouillon cube and bacon already season the soup well.

The variations

  • Swap the smoked bacon for smoked turkey bits for a lower fat version.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the bacon, cook the vegetables in olive oil, and add a pinch of smoked paprika to keep that smoky flavor.
  • For kids, blend the whole soup instead of just one ladleful, and remove the celery stalks before blending if needed.

What to serve it with

  • Garlic rubbed toast
  • Simple green salad
  • Fresh goat cheese

Storage

The soup keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes very well for up to 2 months, in individual portions. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if it has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Do green lentils need to be soaked before cooking?

No, green lentils don't need soaking unlike chickpeas or dried beans. A quick rinse under cold water is enough before adding them to the soup.

Can you make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually better reheated the next day since the flavors have time to blend together. Make it the day before and reheat it gently on the stovetop before serving.

What can you use instead of smoked bacon?

Regular smoked lardons or a piece of smoked pork belly work just as well. The important thing is keeping a smoked ingredient to preserve the dish's character.

Why blend only one ladleful of soup?

Blending the whole soup would give you a smooth, uniform puree with no texture. Blending just one ladleful thickens the broth while keeping whole lentils that give the dish some bite.

How long does it take to make a lentil soup with smoked bacon and toasted bread?

Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a lentil soup with smoked bacon and toasted bread?

About 580 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a lentil soup with smoked bacon and toasted bread cost?

About €2.00 per serving, or €8.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, celery. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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