Lentil, Bacon & Thyme Soup

Name: Lentil, Bacon & Thyme Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 500 g dried lentils; 8 rashers smoked bacon; 1 onion; 2 cloves garlic; 500 ml chicken stock; thyme; salt & pepper

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If you’re in need of a winter warmer this Lentil, Bacon & Thyme Soup is the perfect comfort food recipe. It’s thick, protein-heavy and such a great dish for lunchtime as it will keep you full all the way until dinner. I make a double batch and eat it all week with a slice of my toasted Grain-Free Bread on the side. Soups are so versatile and such amazing comfort food that I’m always trying out new recipes. This is definitely my favourite at the moment!

So how to make the Lentil, Bacon & Thyme Soup? Start by preparing the lentils as specified on the packet. If you are following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet completely you will need to soak the lentils for 4-8 hours or overnight and then discard the water. I bought dried lentils that didn’t require soaking but you can use canned or pre-soaked and skip this step. Any type of lentils will work fine, red lentils, green, yellow or black lentils, puy lentils etc – whatever you have to hand.

Place the lentils in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Boil them rapidly on a high heat for 10 mins and skim off any scum that comes to the surface and discard it. (This scum is the residue of some of the enzymes in the lentils and removing it makes them easier to digest). Then, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender. Make sure they don’t boil dry – add more water if necessary.

Next, slice up the bacon into small strips (I find it easiest to cut the bacon rashers with scissors) and dry fry in a frying pan until cooked through. (The bacon releases enough of its own fat so there’s no need to add any extra). Then, once they are browned, remove the bacon pieces from the heat (leaving the fat in the pan) and set aside for later. Meanwhile, you need to peel and chop the onion and garlic cloves. (No need to be super diligent as they will be being puréed later). Add these to the frying pan with the bacon fat and cook on a medium heat until softened through (about 5 mins).

Then, add the cooked onions and garlic to the lentils along with the chicken stock. Blend the ingredients with a stick blender or blitz in a food processor until smooth. Add more or less stock depending on how thick you like your soup. Finally, add the cooked bacon pieces back to the soup along with the thyme leaves and warm through. Season the Lentil, Bacon & Thyme soup well with salt and pepper before serving.

I like to top the soup with a dollop of yoghurt or some cream and some crispy bacon pieces before serving. Garnish with a sprig of thyme and you’re ready to enjoy!

I love the salty, smokiness that the bacon brings to the dish. There are plenty of lentil soups out there but adding the bacon really does make a difference. I also love a drizzle of smoked olive oil over the top of the soup to really intensify the smoky flavour. If you’re searching for comforting soups you might also enjoy my Roasted Butternut Squash & Cumin Soup or my Smoked Haddock Cauliflower Chowder!