Lentil Soup

Sopa de Lentejas

Lentil soup is enjoyed throughout Mexico. Enjoy our hearty version prepared with sautéed onions, carrots, tomatoes, and bacon. It’s a meal in itself or a great side dish when served in smaller portions.

How to Make

Our Mexican lentil soup recipe is an easy weeknight dish and all of the ingredients are pantry staples.

The traditional way to prepare this dish is with chicken stock but if you would like to make this vegan, just substitute vegetable broth or water for the chicken broth and omit the bacon.

Ingredients

Start by gathering your ingredients.

• 1 lb. green lentils

• 2 qts. chicken broth (homemade or low-sodium), or vegetable broth, or water

• 6 strips bacon

• 1 large white onion

• 3 medium carrots

• 3 Roma (plum) tomatoes

• 8 sprigs cilantro

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tsp. salt + to taste

water as needed

Start by Preparing the Lentils

In this recipe, we cook the lentils on the stovetop but they turn out really well cooked in an Instant Pot.

Soak the lentils in water for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, drain the water from the lentils and rinse under cold water.

Place the lentils in a large pot. Add the 2 quarts of chicken broth and ½ of the white onion.

On high bring to a boil. When the lentils have come to a boil reduce the heat to medium. Remove any foam that forms.

Add 1 tsp. salt.

Next Prepare the Bacon

While the lentils are cooking you need to prepare the bacon. Choose your favorite brand. You can substitute 6 ounces of ham for the bacon. Brown it the same as you would the bacon.

Cut the strips of bacon in half. Cutting the bacon this way adds a rustic touch to the dish. You can also finely chop the bacon if you prefer.

Cook the bacon until it has started to brown on both sides. Don’t cook it until it’s crispy because it will continue to cook in the soup and you want the bacon to give off some of its fat which builds flavor.

Add Bacon

Add the browned bacon to the lentils and continue cooking over medium heat.

Remove the onion and discard.

Then Prepare the Vegetables

While the lentils continue to cook, you will prepare the vegetables. Many cooks add the vegetables directly to the lentils without sautéing them which tastes great but when you cook them in olive oil first you build more depth of flavor.

Peel and chop the carrots into ¼ in. pieces.

Chop the onion into ¼ in. pieces.

Remove the seeds and chop the tomatoes into ¼ in. pieces.

Preheat 3 tbsp. olive oil to medium-hot.

Add the onion first and cook for 3 minutes until the onions just start to become translucent.

Add the carrots and cook for 3 more minutes.

Add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are just starting to break apart.

The vegetable mixture should look like this.

Add Vegetables to Soup

Add the onion, carrot, tomato mixture to the lentils and stir

Then add the sprigs of cilantro and stir.

The soup is almost ready. It’s starting to look really good.

Cook your lentils for 10 more minutes. Add water one cup at a time if the soup is too thick. Taste and add salt if needed before serving.

Serving

Serve your Mexican Lentil soup with a stack of warm corn tortillas or bolillos, a type of airy French roll enjoyed all over Mexico.

Provecho!

Mexican Lentil Soup Recipe

Authentic Mexican lentil soup, sopa de lentejas, prepared with sautéed onions, carrots, tomatoes, and bacon. An easy weeknight recipe made with pantry staples.

Course Main Dish, Soup / Stew

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8 bowls

Calories 375kcal

Equipment

* Large pot

* Cutting board

* Kitchen knife

* Vegetable peeler

* Strainer

Ingredients

* 1 lb. lentils green

* 2 qts. chicken broth homemade or low-sodium

* 6 strips bacon

* 1 white onion large

* 3 carrots medium

* 3 Roma (plum) tomatoes

* 6 sprigs cilantro

* 3 tbsp. olive oil

* 1 tsp. salt + as needed to taste

Instructions

Preparing the Lentils

* Soak the lentils in water for 30 minutes then drain the water from the lentils and rinse under cold water.

* Place the lentils in a large pot. Add the 2 quarts of chicken broth and ½ of the white onion.

* On high bring to a boil. When the lentils have come to a boil reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tsp. salt. Remove any foam that forms.

Preparing the Bacon

* Cut the strips of bacon in half. 

* In a medium-hot pan, cook the bacon until it has started to brown on both sides.

* Add the browned bacon to the lentils and continue cooking over medium heat. Remove the half onion from the lentils and discard.

Preparing the Vegetables

* Peel and chop the carrots into ¼ in. pieces.

* Chop the onion into ¼ in. pieces.

* Remove the seeds and chop the tomatoes into ¼ in. pieces.

* Preheat 3 tbsps. olive oil to medium hot. Add the onion first and cook for 3 minutes until the onions just start to become translucent.

* Add the carrots and cook for 3 more minutes.

* Add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are just starting to break apart.

Add the onion, carrot, tomato mixture, and the sprigs of cilantro to the lentils and stir.

Finishing the Soup

* Cook your lentils for 10 more minutes. Add water one cup at a time if the soup is too thick. Taste and add salt if needed before serving.

Notes

* The lentils can be cooked in an Instant Pot.

* Finely chop the bacon if you prefer.

* You can substitute 6 ounces of ham for the bacon. Prepare the same as bacon.

* To make this soup vegan, just substitute vegetable broth or water for the chicken broth and omit the bacon or ham.

* It will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 441mg | Potassium: 935mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4150IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 5mg