Lentil and Bacon Soup

🛒 Ingredients

• Bacon, thick-cut 150 g · 540 kcal
• Olive oil 15 g · 132 kcal
• Yellow onion 200 g · 80 kcal
• Carrots 150 g · 60 kcal
• Celery stalks 100 g · 15 kcal
• Garlic, minced 15 g · 20 kcal
• Red lentils, dried 200 g · 700 kcal
• Crushed tomatoes, canned 400 g · 100 kcal
• Chicken broth, low sodium 1850 g · 37 kcal
• Dried thyme 1 g · 0 kcal
• Bay leaf 1 g · 0 kcal
• Black pepper 1 g · 0 kcal

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Dice the bacon into small pieces. In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy.
2. Remove the crispy bacon and set aside, leaving 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot. If needed, add a touch of olive oil.
3. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.
4. Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
5. Add the rinsed red lentils, canned crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and bay leaf to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
7. Season the soup with black pepper and additional salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved crispy bacon.