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You are here: Soup Recipes » Rustic Lentil Soup

January 9, 2012

Rustic Lentil Soup

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Rustic Lentil Soup gets an extra cozy flavor boost with bacon and pancetta. This easy winter soup simmers fragrantly on the stove while you set the table and heat up a crusty baguette.

Rustic Lentil Soup in a square white bowl

January has gotten off to a wonky start. Not a bad start, it just … doesn’t feel like it’s the turn of the New Year. First, January is already almost 1/3rd of the way over. Can you believe it?

Second, we haven’t had any appreciable snow this season (and the temps hit almost 60°F on Saturday). Honestly, it feels like November. But this is not a complaint, mind you — nooo, sir — this summer girl is not a fan of snow. It could stay like this through April, and I’d consider it a gift from the gods. (But I know better. Sooner or later, we’ll be pelted, and I’ll be doing my annual mumble-grumble as I’m snow-blowering the drive.)

Still, despite the warmer temps, I’m in full-tilt comfort soup mode. The days are full-on dark by 6:00pm, and there’s just something very hearth-and-homey about cooking lentil soup in front of darkened windows, rooms lit only from within. Very Little House on the Prairie. Without the prairie. Or the pigtails.

Oh! And on Friday, I received word that Penzeys is coming to my city. [Squee!] While I can’t exactly bemoan my access to spices, our city’s one good spice merchant is located in a market that makes me grind my teeth just thinking about it. It (the market and the vendors within) is located fairly far from me (in terms of actual drive time), so I can’t just pop out to this joint and pick up the fenugreek I need for dinner. And, parking is a hot mess, adding 10 super-aggravating minutes to the whole shebang [#firstworldproblems].

Lentil Soup in a square white bowl

So, having a Penzeys just 15 minutes from me in a parking-endowed shopping center is the best cooking news I’ve received in this 9-day-old new year. And [crescendo of emotions building], like, … it’s Penzeys! [Squeeeee!]

Ooo, sorry. I do get happy-weepy over spices, though.

Get to the soup already, okay?! is what you must be thinking while I’m sitting here going on and on about a spice store.

Ironically, you won’t need Penzeys for this soup, as this recipe calls for only common spices that are probably already in your cabinet. Unless you’ve run out. And then you might have to dash out … if you’re lucky like me … to your nearest neighborhood Penzeys and pick up some essentials.

[There you go with the Penzeys again … focus, SoupAddict, focus!]

Right! Focus!

Rustic Red Lentil Soup pin image for Pinterest

Soup. Lentil soup. Lentil soup with bacon. Rustic lentil soup with bacon where you throw stuff in a pot and let it cook for an hour. And while your lentil soup with bacon is cooking largely unattended for an hour, you get to do something awesome. Like take a nap. Or bake brownies. Or browse Pinterest.

Or, in my case, empty the dishwasher [#morefirstworldproblems and #dontenvymysuperexcitinglife].

Karen xo

More lentil soups to try:

Red Lentil Masala Soup with Barley
Mushroom Lentil Adzuki Bean Soup
Creole Lentil Soup with Andouille Sausage

Rustic Lentil Soup in a square white bowl
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Rustic Lentil Soup

This hearty winter soup is rich, savory, naturally gluten-free and can be prepared vegetarian or vegan (see notes at the end).
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 15 mins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lentil soup
Servings: 4
Calories: 310kcal
Author: Karen Gibson

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 ounces diced pancetta
  • 2 strips uncooked bacon , diced
  • 1 garlic clove , peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 carrots , chopped
  • 2 celery ribs , chopped
  • 1 onion , peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 portabella mushroom , gills removed, sliced
  • 4-5 cups chicken stock
  • 1 small (8 ocan tomato sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups lentils , red or green (or a combrinsed and drained
  • 1 small Yukon potato , diced

Instructions

  • In a large 4-5 quart stockpot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter starts to foam. Add the pancetta and bacon and cook for about 7 minutes or until the bacon reaches your desired crispiness. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, onions and mushroom and cook the mixture for 10 to 12 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
  • Add 4 cups of the chicken stock to the pot and then stir in the tomato sauce, fish sauce (if using), bay leaves, salt, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Add the lentils and potatoes, increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil.
  • Partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the soup for about 45 minutes.
  • Add more chicken stock if the soup becomes too thick. Taste the soup and add salt if necessary. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Notes

To make the soup vegetarian, exclude the pancetta and use a vegetarian bacon (such as tempeh bacon or other) in place of the bacon. Exclude the fish sauce and sub vegetable stock for the chicken stock. The vegetarian version is quite delicious in its own right. For vegan, use all olive oil instead of butter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 310kcal
Nutritional information, if shown, is provided as a courtesy only, and is not to be taken as medical information or advice. The nutritional values of your preparation of this recipe are impacted by several factors, including, but not limited to, the ingredient brands you use, any substitutions or measurement changes you make, and measuring accuracy.
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Filed Under: Soup Recipes, Vegetarian, Winter Tagged With: bacon, carrots, lentils, mushrooms, pancetta, recipes, tomatoes

Did you make this recipe? Take a photo, post it on social media and tag me, @soupaddict. I'd love to see how you made it your own!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Polly Poulos says

    January 22, 2013 at 12:27 pm

    Came across this recipe and just had to make it. I was looking for something that was budget friendly and this fit the bill since all the spices were ones already in my cabinet. And it had bacon. 🙂 However, I did leave off a couple ingredients: fish sauce and mushrooms (not a fan). It smelled divine while cooking and was so incredibly easy for this non-cook to make. It turned out really good, however, I did find it to be too salty (and I like salt). I think between the bacon, pancetta and the teaspoon of salt, it was way too much. Next time when I make it, I will probably leave out the salt and maybe use a low sodium chicken stock. If I were to make it vegetarian, then maybe I would add the salt back in.

    Reply
    • Polly Poulos says

      November 18, 2018 at 11:31 am

      Five years since I first came across this recipe and it’s still a staple in my recipe files. I’ve since become a better cook since I first started making this and learned that because I was using kosher salt instead of regular salt, that was the reason it was tasting overly salty to me. With that correction, the recipe is perfect!perfect

      Reply
  2. Mrs.Peña says

    February 25, 2012 at 2:38 pm

    I’ve made this a few times now and boy oh boy this is one of our favorite soups! Today i’m trying your potato leek. Looking forward to it!! 🙂 thanks for sharing these wonderful recipes

    Reply
  3. Amanda at MotherMeetsTheRoad says

    January 22, 2012 at 9:48 pm

    I clicked on this recipe because on Thursday I had lentils that were DIVINE at lunch and have been thinking about them ever since. But then I read about Penzey’s! Lucky duck! I would give anything for a Penzey’s within driving distance of New Orleans.

    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  4. self-called iron chef says

    January 13, 2012 at 4:07 pm

    Making this soup today and it sells divine. Can’t wait to have a bowl!

    Reply
  5. yummychunklet says

    January 9, 2012 at 9:31 pm

    Your photo looks delicious!

    Reply
  6. Cher says

    January 9, 2012 at 6:14 pm

    I squealed out loud in my office when I heard the #518 was getting their very own Penzey’s – at first, I thought perhaps they screwed up and it was really supposed to be for the #513….but I guess we are both lucky. (I think my co-workers must be used to my oddly timed squeals, since no one came to check on me).
    Lentil soup is the perfect excuse to um… vacuum? Lovely soup…

    Reply
  7. Rocky Mountain Woman says

    January 9, 2012 at 4:25 pm

    or in my case, open a nice bottle of wine to go with that lovely stew!!!

    Reply

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SoupAddictKaren Gibson is the head soup chef, vegetable chopper-upper, and dishwasher here at SoupAddict.com, where she shares recipes for all manner of foods-in-bowls. Read more

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