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Hearty, delicious and fairly quick to prepare this lentil and bacon soup with mushrooms is perfect for colder days. Just add some crusty bread for a satisfying meal.
If you are a fan of pulses in your soups, take a look at this another gem Ham and Pea Soup.
We are all about soups this winter. I find the thought of a pot of soup patiently waiting for me in the fridge for lunch both comforting and convenient. All I have to do it to stick it in the microwave. Two minutes later a wholesome lunch is served!
My mother always made a large pot of soup every Sunday, which would provide lunches for the rest of the week. I resisted this kind of “monotony and planning” for years but finally embraced it, and couldn’t be happier!
The change in my thinking and this recipe specifically are legacies of the pandemic, where I had to figure out how to provide lunch to 4 people every day.
So meal planning in the form of a soup of the week became a feature. And the soup category on this website grew and grew. Although the restrictions eased and the kids went back to school I never gave up on soups!
This creamy lentil and bacon soup recipe is the latest addition.
Lentil Recipes
I didn’t grow up eating lentils. I only discovered them as a young adult. My husband brought a recipe for red lentil dal from Nepal when we were in our early 20s. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Apart from their amazing taste and texture, lentils are full of fibre and nutrients. I included them in my babies’ diet as soon as they went on solids. I am so glad I did. Now as teens they still eat them!
Why should you eat lentils? There are so many reasons. They are good for us as I already mentioned. They are very cheap, packed with protein and incredibly versatile. No wonder almost every world cuisine has recipes with lentils!
They are great for making ahead. Cook a bunch and refrigerate or freeze till needed. One of my favourite ways to eat them is cold in salads. They make them so much more robust and filling. Try this Quinoa Salad with Lentils and Beets. Or this Roasted Butternut Squash with Lentils and Feta dish.
If you are trying to eat less meat, give a go to my Vegetarian Mushroom and Lentil Wellington or Veggie Lentil Moussaka. Two classics reimagined!
Lentils are also delicious in curries. This Vegan Coconut Lentil Curry is everyone’s favourite, meat lovers included. And of course, they are brilliant in soups!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- This recipe calls for streaky bacon (UK) but regular bacon will also work. If you are in the US and Canada, use the bacon available to you. You can also use ham as a leaner substitute.
- I like my soups quite chunky, chock full of veggies, so I added a handful of sliced mushrooms and frozen spinach to bulk it up. However, not everyone is a mushroom lover. Feel free to omit them if you are not!
- I used green beluga lentils are they cook quickly but hold their shape as opposed to red lentils, which fall apart.
- If you want this soup even heartier, you can add some rice or barley at the same time as the lentils.
- I used chicken broth/stock but vegetable stock can be used as well.
- I also added a bit of single cream at the end for a richer, creamier texture. While it made the soup extra delicious, the cream is not necessary and could be excluded for a dairy free version. Or you can use coconut milk.
Serving suggestions
This is a sturdy soup and while I love it as a hearty lunch it also works as a satisfying dinner. However you serve it, I recommend adding a chunk of crusty bread, like my sourdough or no kneed farmhouse bread.
Or take your bread up a notch by serving air fryer garlic bread or garlic butter dinner rolls. Both are simple to make but patch a flavourful punch, making them perfect companions to this bacon lentil soup!
I don’t think this soup needs a garnish, but a sprinkling of fresh parsley can be added to your bowl.
Storage and leftovers
I would recommend making enough soup to last for a couple of meals, just to keep life as simple as possible. Cover the leftovers tightly or place in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop.
If you are planning to freeze, hold off on adding the cream as it is likely to separate if frozen then thawed. It can be kept in the freezer for up to three months. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, adding cream before it comes all the way to serving temperature, or leave it out entirely.
More Favourite Lentil Recipes to Try
- Truffled Lentil and Kale Risotto
- Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry
- Dal Makhani
- Lentil and Butternut Squash Wellington
Lentil and Bacon Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 100g/3.5 oz smoked streaky bacon
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 6 button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 This is an affiliate link.bay leaves
- 200g/1 cup green lentils, or beluga lentils
- 1.5 litre/6 cups This is an affiliate link.chicken stock
- 250ml/1 cup single/light cream
- 3-4 cubes frozen spinach
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a soup pot heat the olive oil and cook the chopped bacon till the fat renders. Discard all but 2 tbsp of fat. To the same pot, add the chopped onion, carrots and celery and cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes. Once the vegetables softened a bit add the minced garlic, mushrooms and thyme, stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes longer.
- Next bring in the lentils, bay leaves and the chicken stock to the pot and simmer for 20 minutes until the lentils are cooked through. Pour in the cream and add frozen spinach, cook for 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- This recipe calls for streaky bacon (UK) but regular bacon will also work. If you are in the US and Canada, use the bacon available to you. You can also use ham as a leaner substitute.
- I like my soups quite chunky, chock full of vegetables, so I added a handful of sliced mushrooms and frozen spinach to bulk it up. However, not everyone is a mushroom lover. Feel free to omit them if you are not!
- I used green beluga lentils are they cook quickly but hold their shape as opposed to red lentils, which fall apart.
- If you want this soup even heartier, you can add some rice or barley at the same time as the lentils.
- I also added a bit of single cream at the end for a richer, creamier texture. While it made the soup extra delicious, the cream is not necessary and could be excluded for a dairy free version. Or you can use coconut milk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi. Thank you for this lovely recipe. This soup has solved my ‘what to take to work for lunch’ problem for 3 days out of 5. It’ tastes lovely and fills me up for the rest of the day. x
I am so glad to hear it, Lenka! I make a pot of soup on Sunday night to carry me through the week as well! 🙂