Scottish Red Lentil Soup with Bacon

4.82 from 16 votes

A big bowl of warmth and comfort. Easy to make, thick and satisfying with a hearty bite of bacon, and full of healthy veggies.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Simmer Time45

Total Time1

Course: Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine: British, Scottish

Servings: servings

Calories: 218kcal

Author: Carrie Carvalho

250 grams red split lentils
400 grams carrots - peeled and chopped
600 grams turnip/neep/swede/rutabaga - peeled and chopped You can also substitute potato.
2 celery stalks, diced
2 white onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
4 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cut into ½ pieces plus more to garnish - 1-2 slices per bowl
2 bay leaves
1.5 litres ham stock made with 3 stock cubes

Before cooking, rinse your lentils well to remove any debris.
Heat the oil in your pot over a medium-high heat and add the bacon. Fry until just starting to crisp, then add the onions.
When the onions are starting to soften, about 3-5 minutes, add the garlic and the rest of the vegetables and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the bay leaves and lentils, pour over the stock and give everything a good stir.
Bring to the boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes - the vegetables should be soft and easily sliced with a fork.
Pick out the bay leaves and blend the soup - you can either use a stick blender or carefully transfer to a food processor in batches. Leave some chunks if you prefer. You may wish to add some extra water after blending if the soup becomes too thick.
Season to taste, and serve topped with pieces of crispy cooked bacon, a sprinkle of parsley and an optional crack of black pepper or dash of chilli flakes.

Lentil soup will store in the fridge for 3 days.

You can also freeze this soup - defrost before reheating.

Reheat lentil soup on the hob or microwave until piping hot. You may wish to add a splash of water when reheating.