French Lentil Soup with Bacon

Name: French Lentil Soup with Bacon
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 2 medium (300 g) medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick, and rinsed well in a bowl of water to remove grit, then drained; 3 medium (240 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 2 ribs (100 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 3 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs, left whole; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc; substitute extra chicken broth if skipping (optional); 1½ cups (300 g) French green lentils, picked over for small stones, rinsed in a sieve and drained; 6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 2 cups (475 ml) water; 1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard; 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar, plus more to taste; kosher salt, to taste, start with ½ teaspoon; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; ¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A rustic French-style soup of peppery green lentils simmered with smoky bacon, sweet leeks, carrots and thyme in chicken broth. A splash of Dijon and red wine vinegar at the end brightens the whole pot.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr 10 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 35 min
Makes: About 9 cups (2.1 L), serving 6 as a main course

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Ingredients

6 servings

8 oz (225 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
2 medium (300 g) medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick, and rinsed well in a bowl of water to remove grit, then drained
3 medium (240 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
2 ribs (100 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
3 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs, left whole
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc; substitute extra chicken broth if skipping (optional)
1½ cups (300 g) French green lentils, picked over for small stones, rinsed in a sieve and drained
6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups (475 ml) water
1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard
1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
kosher salt, to taste, start with ½ teaspoon
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
For serving
¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Equipment (7)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed soup pot with lid
Large bowl for rinsing the leeks
Fine-mesh sieve for rinsing the lentils
Wooden spoon
Slotted spoon
Paper towel-lined plate
Immersion blender or potato masher (optional)

Steps

Before you start

Use French green (Le Puy-style) lentils. They hold their shape; brown or red lentils will turn mushy and the timing will be wrong.
Leeks hide grit between their layers, so plan a few minutes to slice and rinse them thoroughly.
Bacon and chicken broth are both salty. Do not add salt until the end of cooking, then taste.
Measure everything and chop all the vegetables before you turn on the heat. The steps move steadily once the bacon starts rendering.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Cut the bacon into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces.
- Slice the leeks ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick, drop them into a large bowl of cold water and swish with your hands so the grit sinks, then lift them out into a colander and drain.
- Dice the carrots and celery into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces and mince the garlic.
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Ready when: Leeks are grit-free and all vegetables are in even, small pieces.
Tip: Lift the leeks out of the water rather than pouring through a colander, otherwise the grit settles back onto them.
2
Sort the lentils
- Spread the lentils on a plate and pick out any small stones or shriveled bits.
- Rinse them in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water for about 30 seconds and set aside to drain.
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Ready when: Water running through the sieve is clear.
3
Render the bacon
- Set a 5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat and add the bacon.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7 to 9 minutes until the fat has melted and the pieces are browned and crisp at the edges.
- Use a slotted spoon to move the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot; pour off any extra.
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Ready when: Bacon is deep golden and crisp, with about 2 tablespoons of liquid fat left in the pot.
Tip: Start the bacon in a cold or just-warm pot so the fat renders slowly instead of the bacon scorching.
4
Soften the vegetables
- Add the leeks, carrots and celery to the bacon fat.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes until the leeks are limp and glossy and the carrots have started to soften.
- Lower the heat if anything starts to brown.
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Ready when: Leeks are soft and translucent with no browning; the carrots yield slightly when pressed with the spoon.
Tip: Do not salt yet. Bacon and broth will provide plenty.
5
Toast aromatics
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste and thyme sprigs.
- Cook for 1½ to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens to a brick red and the garlic smells fragrant.
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Ready when: Tomato paste has darkened from bright red to brick red and the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
Tip: Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter, so keep stirring.
6
Deglaze the pot
- Pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits.
- Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the sharp alcohol smell fades.
- If skipping the wine, use ½ cup (120 ml) of the chicken broth from the 6 cups instead and scrape the same way.
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Ready when: Bottom of the pot is clean and the liquid is reduced to a few spoonfuls.
7
Add lentils and liquid
- Add the rinsed lentils, the remaining chicken broth, the water and the bay leaves.
- Stir, raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Skim off any foam from the surface with a spoon.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break across the whole surface.
Tip: Avoid salting at this stage; salt early can keep lentil skins tougher.
8
Simmer until tender
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup bubbles gently, and set the lid slightly ajar.
- Simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the lentils are tender all the way through but still hold their shape.
- Taste a few lentils to check.
- If the soup looks thicker than you like, stir in up to ½ cup (120 ml) hot water.
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Ready when: Lentils are creamy inside with a slight bite, not chalky or gritty, and the carrots are soft.
Tip: A hard boil breaks the lentils apart; keep it to small, lazy bubbles.
9
Finish and season
- Fish out the thyme stems and bay leaves.
- For a slightly thicker body, mash about 1 cup of the soup against the side of the pot with a potato masher, or give it 3 or 4 short pulses with an immersion blender.
- Stir in the Dijon, the red wine vinegar and half of the crisp bacon.
- Season with ½ teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper, then taste and add more salt, pepper or vinegar a little at a time.
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Ready when: Soup tastes savory and balanced, with a lift of acidity that does not taste sour.
Tip: Blend only briefly. You want a thicker broth with whole lentils still visible.
10
Rest and serve
- Take the pot off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes so the flavors settle and the soup cools to a comfortable eating temperature.
- Ladle into warm bowls and top with the remaining bacon and the chopped parsley.
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Ready when: Soup is steaming but no longer bubbling, and has slightly thickened.
Tip: Add the reserved bacon at the table so it stays crisp.

Good to know

Tips

Do not substitute brown lentils unless you shorten the simmer to 20 to 25 minutes and watch closely; they break down faster.
Lentil age matters. Older lentils may need 10 extra minutes, so always taste for tenderness rather than relying on the clock.
Always finish with acid. The vinegar and mustard keep the earthy lentils from tasting flat.
Serve with crusty baguette and a green salad for a full meal.

Make ahead

The soup tastes even better the next day. Cook through step 9, cool, and refrigerate. Keep the reserved bacon separate and re-crisp it in a dry skillet before serving.

Storage & reheating

Cool completely within 2 hours. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months (leave 1 inch of headspace); thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming hot throughout, adding a splash of water or broth because the lentils thicken the soup as it sits. Do not store at room temperature.

Substitutions

thick-cut bacon → diced pancetta or smoked lardons. Same weight; you may need to add 1 tablespoon olive oil if the pancetta renders less fat.
medium leeks → 1 large yellow onion, diced. Gives a slightly sharper, less sweet flavor; cook the same 8 to 10 minutes.
dry white wine → ½ cup (120 ml) extra chicken broth plus 1 teaspoon extra red wine vinegar at the end. Keeps the acidity without alcohol.
low-sodium chicken broth → vegetable broth. Soup will be lighter in flavor; the bacon still gives plenty of savoriness.