Hearty Lentil Soup
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The best lentil soup recipe you’ll find—smoky, hearty, and packed with bacon and vegetables for delicious flavor. Pair with crusty bread for the perfect cozy meal!
Whether you’re looking to eat healthier or cozy up with something warm and comforting, this smoky lentil soup teeming with vegetables is just the ticket. It’s a step up from your everyday lentil soup, thanks to the addition of bacon and the use of French green lentils, or lentilles du Puy. Loved by chefs for their earthy, peppery flavor and firm texture, French lentils hold their shape beautifully as they cook, giving the soup a hearty consistency without becoming too thick or mushy. (They’re also wonderful in lentil salads!) While common brown or green lentils work too, French lentils make this soup a little extra special.
“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: Nutritious and hearty, 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 herbs give the soup delicious earthy flavors.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat, stirring often, until it’s crispy and the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes.
Add the olive oil, along with the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent.
Stir in the tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes (a bit less time for common lentils).
Using an immersion blender, purée the soup a little at a time until the broth thickens slightly. Be careful not to overdo it—you want to keep the lentils intact for the best texture. If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer a few cups of the soup to a regular blender, purée, and then stir it back into the pot.
Season the soup to taste and adjust the consistency if needed—it tends to thicken as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of water. Ladle it into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve. This soup can be made up to 3 days ahead or frozen for longer storage.
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Brimming with a wholesome mix of veggies, lentils, and just the right amount of smoky bacon, this hearty lentil soup is the perfect antidote to a chilly day.
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 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.)
- Note: If using common brown or green lentils instead of French lentils, start checking for doneness around 30 minutes.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: You can prepare this soup up to 3 days in advance, or freeze it 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.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Serving size: about 1 3/4 cups each
- Calories: 318
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Sugar: 8g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 17g
- Sodium: 878mg
- Cholesterol: 17mg
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.
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Question, if I’m going to add leftover ham and bone to soup, when should I add it?
Appreciate your recommendation.
Hi Cindy, I’d add it at the same time that you add the broth. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
Do you recommend a certain brand of diced tomatoes? I ask because in the photo yours have a lot of liquid with them. I often use Cento and theirs are very thick almost more like crushed tomatoes. Just wondering. Thanks. I really want to try this recipe but I never do well with lentil soup. Hopefully this will change that….
Hi Jane, I typically use Hunt’s brand. Hope you have luck with the soup!
I made this yesterday and it was very good. I ate some this morning and it was even better! I added a chopped white and sweet potato and used fire roasted tomatoes. After cooking, I did add a splash of vinegar and I topped my bowl with parm cheese. I love your recipes and the details showing the step by step instructions. I use your beef stew recipe all the time and it never disappoints. YOUR website is my favorite for looking for a new recipe. Thanks, Jenn!
Excellent recipe as always from Chef Segal!! I swapped in a can of fire roasted tomatoes, added in a can of white cannellini beans, added frozen green beans at the end, used red lentils, served with jalape̱o cheddar bread. Divine! Thank you!! I use so many of your recipes Рyou are my go-to!
Hi I have made both of your Hearty French lentil soup and your Smoky Red lentil soup with chickpeas. I love them both. I plan to host dinner and planning to roast a whole chicken. I hope to serve soup as a side to roasted chicken but I can’t decide between these two soups. Which one would you recommend between French lentil soup and Smoky Red lentil soup as a side to roasted chicken? Thanks!
Hi Hazel, you can’t go wrong with either, but I’d lean in the direction of the smoky red lentil soup. Hope everyone enjoys!
Jenn, if made the day before will this thicken on its own
Hi Carol, yes, the soup thickens as it sits.
Great, then I won. I’d rather have all those nice lentils and bacon intact. FYI. I bought four slices of bacon and it weighed 2.2 ounces. Tempted to get another slice or two…Your thoughts
Sure, Carol, a little more bacon is good anytime! 😊
Will be making this soon. Thank you Jenn, for taking the time and sharing your wonderful recipes. Jenn, do you think a hamhock would be an ok replacement for bacon? Just wondering what your opinion is. Be totally honest 🙂
John, Glad you like the recipes! I think a ham hock would work nicely here. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Lentil soup is wonderful ! I added a parm rind and cut some of salt added . Also used canned fire roasted tomatoes Thanks !!
Made this soup too. Wonderful. Thank You.
I’m not sure if I reviewed this lentil soup before but I’ll say it again. Excellent, simple and delicious soup. Keeps nicely in the refrigerator for about a week which is great because my husband doesn’t particularly like soup except Campbell’s Tomato. All for me.