Lentil, Kale, and Bacon Soup
We are having another rainy, windy, and dreary day here in Portland, which means it’s time for more soup. There is something comforting about a big bowl of hot soup on a cold and wet day. I grabbed some steamed lentils from Trader Joe’s along with some fresh kale to make a hearty, healthy lentil, kale, and bacon soup recipe that was easy to prepare and smelled delicious while cooking. This easy lentil soup was a big hit with the whole family, and we all thought it paired well with some crusty bread and a loaded garden salad.
Lentil, Kale, and Bacon Soup
Ingredients:
- 5 slices of bacon
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks of celery, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 (15-oz) can of diced tomatoes
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- ¾ tsp cumin
- Pinch of crushed red pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 7 cups of chicken broth
- 3 cups of prepared lentils
- 2-3 cups of kale, chopped
How to Make Lentil, Kale, and Bacon Soup
Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the bacon is cooked, remove it and place it on a paper towel.
Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the pan, then add the onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, cumin, and crushed red pepper; stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken broth, lentils, and bay leaf, stir, then cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Remove the bay leaf, then blend the soup for 30 seconds with an immersion blender, if desired.
Add the fresh chopped kale to the soup and simmer for 10 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and serve with the bacon bits sprinkled on top. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 slices of bacon
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 carrots diced
- 2 stalks of celery diced
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 15-oz can of diced tomatoes
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- ¾ tsp cumin
- Pinch of crushed red pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 7 cups of chicken broth
- 3 cups of prepared lentils
- 2-3 cups of kale chopped
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the bacon is cooked, remove it and place it on a paper towel.
- Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the Dutch oven, then add the onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, cumin, and crushed red pepper; stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, lentils, and bay leaf, stir, then cover and simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove the bay leaf, then blend the soup for 30 seconds with an immersion blender, if desired.
- Add the fresh chopped kale to the soup and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with the bacon bits sprinkled on top. Enjoy.
I tried it tonight and it's delish! My husband keeps asking for heartier food since I'm trying to make the shift to a healthier lifestyle and this HIT THE SPOT!!! Thank You!
I just googled Kale & Lentils and found this recipe. It sounded so good I had to try it. I followed your recipe pretty much to the T (I cooked the lentils). IT WAS YUMMY! Thank you!!!!! 🙂
This soup was really delicious! Only substitution I made was to use jalapeno bacon (because I had it on hand) and omit the crushed red pepper. Oh, and I added extra kale. Really, really good soup!! Thank you so much!
I am making this today, but I’m using turkey bacon and attempting it in the crockpot. I pre-cooked my lentils and used fresh vegetables for everything else. Any ideas for converting this to a crockpot recipe?
I don’t really use a crockpot so I am not sure if you would need to cook it longer or not… let me know how it turns out for you.
This soup was great! Everyone in the family liked it. I puréed a small batch for my baby and he loved it. Then just salted and seasoned with the chilis for the adults before serving.
So what do you do with the leftover bacon? Were you just using it for the grease or did you add it back in?
Thanks for letting me know. I have fixed the recipe.
You serve the soup with the bacon bits sprinkled on top.
Pam
Another Hit!!! Thanks for taking the time to put together these recipes. I am a SAHM and your recipes make my life easier!!!!