Do you like lentil soup? Have you ever tried it? You really really should. I have noticed lentil soup on more restaurant menus in recent years.

Lentil Soup is truly a throw-back to a time when soaking beans for dinner was a regular thing. My grandma Mott used to make this a lot. This is a recipe Corinne’s “grandma-in-law”, Hazel Pederson, wrote out for her when she was first married.

Corinne’s MIL, Myrna, with her parents. Hazel and Rande Pedersen.
Hazel’s Lentil Soup recipe.

Finding these hand-written recipes is such a treasure!

We’ve made some adjustments over the years,…..added a few seasonings, and it really can’t be beat.

My grandkids love to heat up a bowl of this dip it up with tortilla chips. What a great, healthy snack!

You don’t need to soak the lentils over-night or anything…..you will find a lot of variations in the time to cook the lentils. I prefer the lentils to be very sauce, and I blend some of the soup to make it more creamy.

I simmer the lentils in chicken broth for 45 minutes before I do anything else.

Doing this softens the lentils and the chicken broth adds richness to the soup.

While the lentils are simmering, cut up the bacon and fry it nice and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Using the leftover bacon grease, saute all the minced vegetables until softened, 4-5 minutes.

When the lentils are done, add the vegetables to the pot.

Add in all remaining ingredients except for the bacon.

Return to stovetop and bring to a boil again. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer another 30 minutes.

Remove 3 cups of the hot soup into a blender and blend until smooth. You can skip this step if you want. It’s a matter of taste. But I definitely like it better with some of the soup blended.

AND, the consistency is better for eating with tortilla chips.

Stir into soup.

Stir the bacon in and it’s ready to serve.

Toast some yummy bread to go with it……or grab a bag of tortilla chips.

Lentil Soup

Lentil soup is hearty and delicious and even something the kids like! @mostdeliciouslife.com
Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Soup
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • cups lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 7 cups chicken broth
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 medium green pepper, diced
  • 1 cup carrots, diced **substitute grated carrots if desired
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 15oz can diced tomatoes **can substitute tomato sauce
  • 5 slices bacon
  • 1 can beef consomme soup
  • ¾ teaspoon coriander
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder

Instructions
 

  • Combine lentils and chicken broth in large pot. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
  • Slice bacon into ¼ inch pieces. Fry until crispy but not burned. Use slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
  • Add diced vegetables to hot bacon grease. Stir and fry until vegetables begin to soften, 3-5 minutes.
  • Stir vegetables into the lentils.
  • Add in all other ingredients except for the bacon.
  • Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Remove 3 cups of the soup and place in blender. Blend until smooth. Return to pot.
  • Stir in bacon just before serving.
Keyword bacon, cheese soup, hearty soup, lentils
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