Hearty Lentil Soup with Bacon
Try this hearty soup in the fall for an unbeatable bacon soup.
| Prep Time: | Cook Time: | Difficulty: | Servings: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour and 30 minutes | 50 Minutes | Moderate | 4-6 |
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 large onion
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp minced fresh thyme
- 1 cup lentils, paced over and rinsed, Lentils du Puy (French green lentils) are best salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 TBSP minced fresh parsley
Cooking Directions
- Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in onion and carrots and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.
- Stir in lentils, and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vegetables have softened and lentils have darkened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Uncover, increase heat to high, add wine, an bring to simmer.
- Stir in broth and water and return to a boil. Partially cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer until lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 30-35 minutes.
- Discard bay leaf. Puree 3 cups soup in blender until smooth, then return to pot. Stir in vinegar and warm soup over medium-low heat until hot, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in parsley and serve.