If you're a soup fan, here's one you need to try! This creamy salsa verde-inspired bacon and lentil soup perfectly balances complex flavor with hearty nourishment. Try this basic sourdough bread recipe next and serve with a fresh slice on the side!
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Lentils can sometimes feel like an incredibly boring ingredient to cook with, which is why I'm always looking for unique recipes like this one.
Salsa verde-inspired bacon and lentil soup feels to me like a more refined, grown-up version of one of my favorite childhood snacks - refried beans with salsa verde.
What I love about this soup is that it encapsulates the joy of that time in my life, while also providing protein and fiber we adults so desperately need! You may also want to try my new chorizo soup recipe!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- Lentils: Green lentils or brown, not red lentils. I use dry lentils, but you can also use steamed lentils and save a bit of time.
- Salsa verde: Store-bought is fine, or you can make this tomatillo green chili salsa.
- Onion: Yellow or white onions.
- Tomatillo: You can also use green tomatoes or omit.
- Poblano: Or green bell pepper.
- Serrano: I used 2, and the soup wasn't overly spicy at all. Feel free to add more or substitute with jalapenos.
- Vegetable broth: Or chicken broth.
- Coconut milk: Or heavy cream.
- Bacon: Can be substituted with pancetta or ham.
- Lime: Fresh lime juice is best, but bottled will do in a pinch.
- Cilantro: Fresh, not dried. If you don't like cilantro, you can substitute it with Italian parsley or green onion, but I wouldn't recommend it since cilantro is so essential in a true salsa verde.
- Seasonings: Cumin, paprika, salt, pepper.
- Other ingredients to consider: Cotija cheese, green Tabasco, pickled carrots, tortilla strips.
How To Make Bacon and Lentil Soup
Step 1: In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, then drain on a paper towel and set aside, reserving bacon grease in the pot.
Step 2: Add rinsed lentils, cumin, smoked paprika, vegetable broth, and salsa verde. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cover.
Step 3: Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then drizzle with olive oil. Slice a head of garlic in half and place the cut sides down, along with halved onion, poblano, serranos, and tomatillos. Roast undisturbed for 4 minutes, then flip and roast an additional 4 minutes or until evenly charred.
Pro Tip: Char = flavor! Don't be too worried about the veggies burning.
Step 4: Place poblano in a ziploc bag and let it steam for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze roasted garlic from skins and add to soup along with charred onion and tomatillos. Peel and discard poblano skin, then roughly chop poblano and add to pot with de-stemmed serranos. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
Pro Tip: Garlic cloves may require additional roasting time (and an extra drizzle of oil) if they aren't easily squeezed out of their skins. Roast for an additional 5 minutes first, then proceed as necessary.
Step 5: Heat butter in a small skillet over very low heat, then add 1 large yellow onion (thinly sliced) and a pinch of salt. Cook over low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until golden brown.
Step 6: Add fresh chopped cilantro, then puree the soup until creamy using an immersion blender. Stir in coconut milk, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
Step 7: Serve in individual bowls topped with a swirl of coconut milk (optional), caramelized onions, crumbled bacon, and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this soup with sourdough discard tortillas, homemade corn tortillas, jalapeno cheddar sourdough, or cream cheese garlic bread.
You can enjoy it as a meal on its own, or serve it as a starter for sheet pan tacos, Traeger chicken thighs, reverse-seared smoked ribeyes, or this chile relleno recipe.
Recipe FAQs
The most common mistakes to avoid when making bacon and lentil soup include not checking for pebbles and debris before cooking lentils, boiling the lentils (rather than simmering), and adding salt too early, which can toughen the lentils.
Choosing green or even brown lentils will typically hold up well after cooking, unlike red lentils, which always get mushy. Avoid bringing them to a rolling boil - a gentle simmer is just fine. Cook just until tender, around 25-30 minutes for dry lentils, or 20 minutes for soaked lentils.
It depends on the kind of lentils you're using. Green and brown lentils typically don't need to be soaked before cooking, as they cook through beautifully in only about 25-30 minutes. If you prefer to soak them ahead of time, this can cut the cook time in half, but it's up to you.
Pro Tips
- Make sure to thoroughly rinse your lentils and to check for foreign objects like pebbles, as these can sometimes be present.
- You can use pre-cooked lentils to save a bit of cook time.
- If you do, consider reserving a portion of the cooked lentils to be added during step 6 for added texture.
- You can thin lentil soup with bacon by adding a splash of water, if necessary.
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge. Store bacon in a separate container and add just before serving, for best results.
- This soup freezes beautifully and can be safely stored in the freezer for 3-6 months.
- Reheat soup gently over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. If reheating from frozen, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight first.
More Hearty Soup Recipes
If you enjoy this bacon and lentil soup, check out these other tasty soup recipes!
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Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon, then drain on paper towel and set aside, reserving bacon grease in the pot.
- Add rinsed lentils, cumin, smoked paprika, vegetable broth, and salsa verde. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cover.
- Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high, then drizzle with olive oil. Slice a head of garlic in half and place cut sides down, along with halved onion, poblano, serranos, and tomatillos. Roast undisturbed for 4 minutes, then flip and roast an additional 4 minutes or until evenly charred.
- Place poblano in a ziploc bag and let it steam for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze roasted garlic from skins and add to soup along with charred onion and tomatillos. Peel and discard poblano skin, then roughly chop poblano and add to pot with de-stemmed serranos. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
- Heat butter in a small skillet over low heat, then add 1 large yellow onion (thinly sliced) and a pinch of salt. Cook over very low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until golden brown.
- Add fresh chopped cilantro, then puree the soup until creamy using an immersion blender. Stir in coconut milk, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve in individual bowls topped with a swirl of coconut milk (optional), caramelized onions, crumbled bacon, and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Nutrition
Notes
- Char = flavor! Don't be too worried about the veggies burning.
- Garlic cloves may require additional roasting time (and an extra drizzle of oil) if they aren't easily squeezed out of their skins. Roast for an additional 5 minutes first, then proceed as necessary.
- Make sure to thoroughly rinse your lentils and to check for foreign objects like pebbles, as these can sometimes be present.
- You can use pre-cooked lentils to save a bit of cook time.
- If you do, consider reserving a portion of the cooked lentils to be added during step 6 for added texture.
- You can thin lentil soup with bacon by adding a splash of water, if necessary.
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge. Store bacon in a separate container and add just before serving, for best results.
- Bacon and lentil soup freezes beautifully and can be safely stored in the freezer for 3-6 months.
- Reheat soup gently over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. If reheating from frozen, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight first.
Hungry4Hucks says
Wowza!!! This is a keeper! Bookmarked as a favorite! When it comes to soup... second to none. Confession time. I added 1 roasted habanero with the other roasted ingredients and left of the cilantro garnish. Superb! Thank you Hilda.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, keep coming back, 2 new recipes a week to try!
Nena Sterner says
We hope you enjoy this recipe!