Hearty Lentil Soup
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This is the best lentil soup recipe you’ll find—smoky, packed with veggies and hearty lentils for a satisfying, well-balanced meal. Add a slice of crusty bread and you’ve got comfort in a bowl.
Whether you’re trying to eat a little lighter or just want something warm and comforting, this hearty lentil soup really hits the spot. It starts with lots of vegetables and a bit of bacon for depth, but the real upgrade is using French green lentils (lentilles du Puy). Chefs love them for their earthy, peppery flavor and the way they hold their shape as they cook—they give the soup great texture without turning thick or mushy. (They’re also fantastic in lentil salads.)
French green lentils are easy to find in well-stocked grocery stores—places like Whole Foods usually carry them—or you can order them online. If you only have regular brown or green lentils, you can absolutely use them, but the French ones do take it to the next level.
“Husband is a big lentil soup fan, and said this was the best he’s ever had.”
What You’ll Need To Make Lentil Soup
- Bacon: Adds smoky depth to the soup. Freeze it for 15 minutes before chopping to make it easier to handle. For a vegetarian version, skip the bacon and add a pinch of smoked paprika for that hint of smokiness.
- Onion, celery, carrots, garlic: The classic veggie base adds sweetness, depth, and aromatics to the soup.
- Canned diced tomatoes: Lend a slight acidity and richness, balancing the flavor of the soup.
- Chicken broth: Forms the base of the soup. Swap it with vegetable broth if you’re keeping it vegetarian.
- Lentils: Hearty, low in calories, and full of fiber, they thicken the soup and add texture and protein. While brown or green lentils work fine, French lentils are ideal for their peppery flavor and firm texture. No need to soak them—just pick out any damaged ones before cooking.
- Thyme and bay leaves: These fresh herbs give the soup delicious, earthy flavors.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Crisp the bacon. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring often, until it’s crispy and the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes.
Step 2. Sauté the vegetables. Add the olive oil, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent.
Pro Tip: Don’t rush this step — let the onions get fully translucent and the carrots start to soften before moving on. Those extra few minutes here mean deeper flavor later.
Step 3. Add the soup base. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes (a bit less for common lentils).
Step 4. Partially purée. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup a little at a time until the broth thickens slightly, keeping most of the lentils intact. If you don’t have an immersion blender, blend a few cups in a regular blender and stir it back in.
Step 5. Finish and serve. Season to taste and adjust the consistency if needed, adding a splash of water if it’s too thick (it tends to thicken as it sits). Ladle into bowls, garnish with parsley, and serve. This soup keeps for 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge or can be frozen for longer storage.
Pro Tip: When garnishing with parsley, chop it close to serving time. Pre-chopped parsley oxidizes quickly and loses its fresh, grassy flavor.
More Cozy, Flavor-Packed Soups to try
Lentil Soup
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, chopped
- 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
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- A few tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Fry the bacon in a large pot over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the olive oil, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Do not brown; reduce heat if necessary. Add the tomatoes (with their juices), broth, lentils, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover partially, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the lentils are tender, 45 to 50 minutes (see note on cooking time if using common brown or green lentils). Fish out the bay leaves and discard.
- Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until the broth is slightly thickened, or to desired consistency. (Be careful not to 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.)
Notes
- If using common brown or green lentils instead of French lentils, start checking for doneness around 30 minutes.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The soup can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, or frozen for up to 3 months for longer storage. To defrost, let the soup thaw in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, reheat the soup on the stovetop over medium heat until it's thoroughly hot. If you find the soup has thickened more than you'd like during its time in the fridge or freezer, simply stir in a little water or broth to reach your desired consistency.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Jennifer: Thank you for sharing your recipes. You always respond quickly with my questions and for that I’m appreciative. I taste your love and passion for food in your recipes! This French Lentil soup tastes so rich and flavorful yet it’s so vitamin packed. I gave my spouse a taste and he thought he was eating beef stew! I froze a batch and when thawed it tasted even better.😁
Glad you enjoyed it! ❤️
Hi, I made this soup today as I love lentils and I was feeling brave! I added a very small amount of cooking chorizo instead of 3rd slice of bacon and 2 small potatoes. This soup was absolutely delicious and the thumbs up from my houswhold critics I have shared it with some friends and will be making it again!
As some in Ireland say – go raibh míle maith agat!
This is a great recipe, one I’ll definitely make again! Followed the recipe exactly except for adding a pinch of crushed red pepper. Thanks!
My soup is simmering right now. I had thick bacon and green Spanish lentils. I have foam around the edge. Could it be too much bacon grease? I’ll skim it off if it remains.
I’ll come back and review later.
This was so easy, Jenn! And I’m not a natural cook. Thank you!
Diane
Hi Jenn,
We are soup lovers and this soup is absolutely delicious especially the next day.
It is so simple with amazing results. I have added this recipe to my “soup” box.
Thank you
M Cabral
Excellent flavor – I hated to see it disappear. The French lentils are amazing! I was pleasantly surprised to find them at our local natural food store.
A wonderful soup that is in steady rotation at our house. So cozy for a winter dinner, and a reliable hit with guests. Thank you!
This might sound odd, but sometimes I mix the leftovers With a good amount of small pasta (ex ditalini) and top with Parmesan for a different yet delightful meal. 🙂
Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Great idea! Will try with leftovers!
I made this the other day for lunch. Very flavorful and it was great to be able to make a soup in an hour. I will be sure to make this again. I think lamb would also pair well with the lentils.
Thanks!
Love the flavor but the veggies were too crunchy even though the lentils were just right.
Judy again. I forgot but I used my little food processor for the onion and celery.
Bam.
Excellent soup. The French green lentils are perfect. I did not purée the broth because I prefer a thin broth. It certainly didn’t deter from deliciousness. One question. I have the darker Le Creuset pot. Around my handles are darker caked something which I hate but I don’t want to ruin the finish. How do you keep yours so clean? Judy
Glad you like the soup! It may look like my Dutch oven is pristine, but I just angle my camera so it doesn’t get the darker parts in the picture! 🙂 Here are some tips I found online for the best/most effective way to clean a Dutch oven. Hope you find them helpful!