Lentil soup is a beautiful reminder to not judge a book by its cover. Let’s be honest, friends—it’s a brown soup! But that doesn’t mean it’s not amazingly delicious! Truth be told, bite for bite, it’s one of my favorite cozy and comforting soups.
My little French twist sneaks in just a dash of nutmeg for depth, aromatic herbs, and plenty of sweet caramelized onions and harvest-hued carrots.
The Best Lentils to Use
I like to use regular brown lentils for this recipe but you can replace them with any lentils you like such as French puy lentils or red lentils.
If you do use other lentils make sure to read the packet instruction for cook time as it may vary.
How to Make Lentil Soup
1. Saute the bacon until brown and crispy then remove and set aside.
2. Add the onion and let them caramelize.
3. Once caramelized add the carrot, garlic, and seasonings.
4. Next, add the wine and stir to remove any brown bits.
5. Add the stock, lentils and herbs then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes add the spinach and vinegar and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Serve in bowls topped with reserved bacon and a dollop of creme fraiche.
Servings Suggestions
Other than bacon and creme fraiche I love to serve this soup with crusty bread for dunking.
You can also use sour cream instead of creme fraiche or leave it our altogether!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Need to Soak the Lentils First?
Always read the packet instructions but lentils generally don’t need to be soaked first.
You do need to rinse them under cold water before cooking and make sure to remove any scum from the top of your soup as it simmers.
Can You Freeze Lentil Soup?
This soup freezes beautifully, so it’s perfect for stashing in the freezer to have on hand for a cold day when you’re too tired to cook. And we all know there’s plenty of days when that comes in handy!
You can make a double batch to make meals easy through the week or freeze leftovers in suitable containers of freezer proof bags.
I recommend freezing in small portions so you can thaw the right amount you need.
How to Make Thick Lentil Soup
If you prefer a thick and cream texture you can blend all or half of the soup until you reach the desired consistency.
The easiest way is to take the soup off the heat and use a handheld (immersion or stick) blender. If you don’t have one then you can carefully ladel the soup into a blender and blend in batches but be very careful if the soup is hot.
Top Tips for Making Lentil Soup
- Feel free to cut the cook time down on the onions until they’re just softened, if you like. I like the extra sweetness they get from caramelizing, but it’s not necessary.
- If you’re feeling fancy, you can use French puy lentils instead of regular brown lentils; adjust the cook time accordingly.
- Before adding the lentils to the pot, it’s a good habit to pour them into a bowl and sort through to make sure there are no small stones leftover from harvesting.
- Herbes de Provence is a French seasoning blend that can include dried thyme, lavender, rosemary, and fennel. If you can’t find it at your grocery store, visit Williams-Sonoma.
- Don’t want to splurge on crème fraiche? Whisk a little buttermilk into sour cream for a similar-tasting garnish.
More Delicious Recipes You Might Like;
If you’ve tried this Lentil Soup recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cups carrots diced
- 1 tsp. kosher salt plus additional to taste
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme plus additional, for garnish
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. Herbes de Provence optional
- 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
- 1 lb. dried lentils
- 1 12-oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- Crème fraiche to serve
Instructions
- Add bacon and olive to a Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Cook, turning occasionally, until bacon is crispy, about 7 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon from pan to a paper towel–lined plate. Set aside.
- Add onion to bacon drippings in pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to caramelize, about 15 minutes.
- Add carrots, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and garlic; cook, stirring often, 1 minute.
- Add wine; stir to release any browned bits from bottom of pan.
- Add thyme, bay leaves, Herbes de Provence, stock, and lentils.
- Increase heat to medium high to bring soup to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, until lentils are just tender, about 30 minutes.
- Stir in spinach and vinegar; simmer 10 minutes more.
- Garnish servings with crème fraiche, thyme, and cooked bacon.
Notes
- Feel free to cut the cook time down on the onions until they’re just softened, if you like. I like the extra sweetness they get from caramelizing, but it’s not necessary.
- If you’re feeling fancy, you can use French puy lentils instead of regular brown lentils; adjust the cook time accordingly.
- Before adding the lentils to the pot, it’s a good habit to pour them into a bowl and sort through to make sure there are no small stones leftover from harvesting.
- Herbes de Provence is a French seasoning blend that can include dried thyme, lavender, rosemary, and fennel. If you can’t find it at your grocery store, visit Williams-Sonoma.
- Don’t want to splurge on crème fraiche? Whisk a little buttermilk into sour cream for a similar-tasting garnish.
This soup was better than my mom’s version, which is the whole reason I love lentil soup. Really nice balance of flavors.