Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Base
- 150 g thick-cut bacon, diced
- 150 g yellow onion, diced
- 100 g carrots, diced
- 50 g celery, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
Body and Liquids
- 400 g sweet potato, peeled and cubed into 1.5cm pieces
- 200 g red lentils, thoroughly rinsed and drained
- 1200 ml chicken broth
Seasonings
- 3 g smoked paprika
- g kosher salt
- g black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 431 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbohydrates
- 63 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 11 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 1942 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 6 mg
- Potassium
- 994 mg
- Calcium
- 99 mg
- Iron
- 5.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 69 mg
- Phosphorus
- 257 mg
- Zinc
- 2.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 941 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 12 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 2.28 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.57 mg
- Niacin
- 5.8 mg
- Folate
- 283 mcg
- Water
- 463 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place diced bacon in a cold Dutch oven and set over medium heat. Cook until fat renders and bacon is crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove a tablespoon of crispy bacon bits to reserve for garnish if desired.
Add the diced yellow onion, carrots, and celery directly into the hot bacon fat. Sauté until the vegetables soften and the onions become translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and smoked paprika. Toast the spices and aromatics for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from catching and turning bitter.
Pour in the chicken broth, then add the cubed sweet potatoes and rinsed red lentils. Stir well, using the wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a rolling boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the Dutch oven, and gently simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the lentils do not stick to the bottom. The soup is ready when the sweet potatoes are completely tender and the lentils have disintegrated.
Taste the soup and season with kosher salt and black pepper as needed. Ladle into warm bowls, topping with the reserved crispy bacon bits if saved.
Chef's Notes
- Starting bacon in a cold pot allows the fat to render slowly and evenly without burning the meat.
- Red lentils are ideal for this application because they naturally disintegrate when cooked, providing a thick, velvety body without the need for a flour-based roux or dairy cream.
- For an extra layer of complexity, add a splash of apple cider vinegar right before serving to brighten the deep, smoky flavors.
- Always rinse red lentils thoroughly until the water runs clear; this removes dusty residue that can make the soup taste muddy or overly earthy.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.
Freezer: 3 months — Leave 2 centimeters of headspace in the container as the liquid will expand when freezing.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen the texture as lentils will continue to thicken the soup as it sits.
Troubleshooting
Soup is overwhelmingly thick and resembles porridge rather than soup.
Cause: Red lentils absorb significant liquid and release starches that thicken aggressively over time, especially if simmered too vigorously.
Fix: Stir in additional hot chicken broth or water, 100ml at a time, until the desired fluid consistency is restored.
Prevention: Measure lentils precisely by weight and maintain a gentle simmer rather than a rapid boil.
Lentils stick and burn to the bottom of the pot.
Cause: Heat was too high during the simmering phase, or the soup was not stirred occasionally.
Fix: Do not scrape the bottom. Carefully pour the unburnt top portion of the soup into a new clean pot, discarding the burnt layer. Simmer with a splash of water if needed.
Prevention: Ensure the heat is dropped to its lowest setting once boiling is reached, and stir every 10 minutes.
Cultural Context
While lentil soup is an ancient staple across the Mediterranean and Middle East, this variation leans into Western rustic comfort food. The combination of smoked pork and sweet root vegetables draws inspiration from early American pioneer cooking, utilizing hearty ingredients that store well and sustain the body through harsh winter months.
