Lentil and Bacon Soup

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This deliciously smoky, savoury lentil and bacon soup recipe makes a delicious and substantial meal, warming, satisfying and packed with nutrients. Ready in half an hour with no need to blend, it is as easy as it is frugal.

Servings:

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
75–100 g smoked bacon - back or streaky
1 medium onion
300 g carrots
2 sticks celery
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp smoked paprika
stock, chicken or vegetable - one pot or cube dissolved in a cup of water
200 g red lentils
1 can chopped plum tomatoes - 400g
pepper and salt - to season

Optional

fresh herbs such as parsley to stir through and garnish

Instructions

Heat a little oil in the soup pan and snip the bacon into it with a pair of scissors, cutting into small pieces.
If the bacon lets out any white liquid, drain this off, add more oil and return the bacon to the pan to fry.
1 tsp olive oil, 75–100 g smoked bacon
While the bacon cooks, prepare the onion, carrots and celery, peeling, chopping and trimming before cutting into even 1 cm pieces.
1 medium onion, 300 g carrots, 2 sticks celery
When the bacon starts to turn golden at the edges, add the vegetables to the pan and continue to fry gently for a few minutes, so that the vegetables become soft. Add the spices and cook for a further minute until they are fragrant.
½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp smoked paprika
Add the lentils, stock and tomatoes. Half fill the tomato can with water, give it a swirl and add this to the soup, to catch all the tomato flavour. Add another 2 cups of water and stir.
stock, chicken or vegetable, 200 g red lentils, 1 can chopped plum tomatoes
Cover and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Cook on the lowest heat for about 15 minutes until the lentils and vegetables are tender.
Check the seasoning and consistency, adjusting with salt and pepper and extra stock or water if needed. You can stir through some fresh herbs at this point if you wish.
fresh herbs such as parsley to stir through and garnish, pepper and salt
Serve your lentil and bacon soup hot with delicious fresh bread.

Notes

Storage

This lentil and bacon soup recipe will serve six with some hearty bread, so if you are making it for one or two, you will have plenty for tomorrow too.

Fridge – Once cool, cover and store in the fridge, where it will keep for up to three days. Reheat in a pan on the stove or in the microwave.

Freezer – Transfer the cooled soup to airtight containers and freeze your lentil and bacon soup for up to three months.

Reheating – Defrost your soup in the fridge overnight, or on the kitchen counter for a few hours. Reheat in a pan on the stove top, or in a safe container in the microwave. When using the microwave, I like to use a Pyrex-style jug as you can lift it out one handed and pour it out easily.

Hints and tips

- If you are in a hurry, you can use a frozen soffritto mix to save you peeling and chopping vegetables.

- If you want to blend your soup, use a stick blender. It's so much easier than a fancy jug blender, which would need extra care and attention when blending hot soup. If you must use a jug blender with hot soup, do not use the bung, but cover with a clean tea towel instead.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.