Lentil and bacon soup

Cook the bacon strips in a large pot until crispy as preferred. Transfer to a paper towel to remove any excess grease.

Turn the heat to medium and add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and chopped celery stick to the same pot the bacon was cooked in. Then add the minced garlic and oregano and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the vegetable stock to the pot with the lentils, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper to taste. Crumble the cooked bacon and add to the pot.

Turn the heat down to a simmer and then cover the pot, stirring occasionally until the lentils are soft, after about 1 hour. Serve warm, and garnish with herbs, croutons, or grated cheese.

Tips & tricks

For the best bacon and lentil soup recipe, our top tip is to prepare all of the ingredients ahead of time, so they can be quickly added to the pot at the appropriate stage. It’s an easy recipe to follow, but you do need to make sure you check on the soup whilst it’s simmering to ensure it’s not boiling over, and to take the soup off the heat once the lentils are cooked. If you find the soup is a little too thick, add more water or broth during the simmering process to help reach the desired consistency. For soup that’s too watery, remove the lid and leave to cook uncovered to allow it to thicken slightly.

If you want a spicier final taste, you can vary the herbs and spices used in the recipe. In the recipe above we’ve just included oregano, but you could introduce spices like cumin or paprika for a hotter soup. Dried thyme will also work well in this recipe and some chefs will garnish their soup with fresh parsley leaves for a splash of color.

When choosing your lentils, opt for either brown or green varieties. Both of these types of lentils have a slightly earthy flavor and will hold their shape once cooked. You can use other lentils, though, and we have a useful guide to the varieties to help aid your choice.

Whilst bacon works brilliantly in this soup recipe, as a salty addition, the recipe can be tweaked to create a plant-based lentil soup recipe. Follow our best lentil soup recipe for a tasty meat-free midweek meal. 

Storage

You can store bacon and lentil soup in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. Soup can easily be reheated on the stove, just take care to stir occasionally whilst reheating to help it cook evenly throughout. If it’s looking a little dry, add a splash of water whilst it’s reheating. This recipe is great to spread out across a couple of dinners as you can make it ahead of time and store safely in the fridge for a few days. If needed, the soup can be frozen. Let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and storing in the freezer. It’ll last for up to six months in the freezer and you’ll need to thaw it overnight in the fridge the day before you’d like to eat it.