Jan

09

2013

French Lentil and Vegetable Soup with Bacon

Soups  Posted by / 37 comments
lentil-and-vegetable-soup-with-bacon

I love this elegant lentil soup for its many layers of flavor: the smokiness of the bacon, earthiness of the lentils, mild sweetness of the onions and carrots, and acidity of the tomatoes. It’s made with French green lentils, which hold their shape when cooked, and thicken the soup without turning it to sludge (which is, unfortunately, the fate of most lentil soups). With a green salad and crusty bread, it’s the perfect meal for a cold winter night.

You can find French green lentils (lentilles du Puy) in the bulk section at Whole Foods or many other specialty food shops. They’re definitely worth going out of your way to find but don’t worry if you can’t get them — common green or brown lentils will work fine. Just watch the cooking time as they can get mushy.

Begin with the prep. I like to chop the bacon, onions and celery very fine, so they aren’t too discernible in the finished soup, but keep the carrots a bit larger so they don’t disintegrate.

Cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, then add the olive oil, onions and celery and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.

Add the carrots and garlic and cook a minute more, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the tomatoes and thyme…

Along with the chicken broth, lentils, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.

Simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are tender but not mushy, 45 – 50 minutes (less for common lentils). Using an immersion blender, purée the soup a little bit at a time until the broth is slightly thickened. Go easy — if you purée the soup too much, it will get too thick and you’ll lose the integrity of the lentils. If you don’t have an immersion blender, simply transfer a few cups of the soup to a standard blender and purée, then return the blended soup to the pot.

Season to taste and adjust the consistency if necessary (the soup tends to thicken as it sits, so you may need to add some water). Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

French Lentil and Vegetable Soup with Bacon

Print Recipe
Servings: 6
Total Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

  • 3 slices bacon, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 6 cups chicken broth, best quality such as Swanson
  • 1 cup French lentils (lentilles du Puy), or common brown or green lentils
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • A few tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Fry the bacon in a large pot over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, 4-5 minutes. Add the olive oil, onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and garlic, stirring constantly, and cook 1 minute more. Add the diced tomatoes (with their juices), chicken broth, lentils, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover partially, reduce heat to low and simmer until the lentils are tender, 45-50 minutes (less for common lentils). Fish out bay leaves and discard.
  2. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until the broth is slightly thickened, or to desired consistency. (Do not purée too much or the soup will get too thick, and you'll lose the integrity of the lentils.) If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer about 2 cups of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth, then return the blended soup to the pot. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired and serve. (Note: The soup may thicken as it sits; thin with a bit of water if necessary.)