Smoky bacon, sharp leeks, and a splash of vinegar add bold flavor to this traditional German lentil soup recipe.
Have you ever had a Bavarian Lentil Soup served at a German Restaurant?
It’s basically perfection in a bowl. Bacon + Lentils + Leeks + Angel Tears.
Okay, there are no angel tears in this recipe, but only because I couldn’t find a good source today.
Please just ignore me, I’m having a weird morning.
…
I love, love, love this Bavarian Lentil Soup recipe!
It’s amazing and savory and delicious and you should definitely bake up a loaf of Savory Irish Soda Bread to go with it because it will change your life.
Random change of subject: Have I told you about the amazing and adorable kitchen scale the husband got me for Christmas?
Seriously, you guys, it’s so cute. I snapped a picture of it while I was weighing the bacon for this recipe. Just look:
It is so darn handy! Wanna know a weird secret? Before I had this thing, I would weigh food using this method: Weigh myself. Weigh myself holding the food. Subtract the difference. Urgh. I’m a weirdo.
I’m just not great at eyeing a chicken breast and thinking, hmm, yep, that looks to be about a pound and half.
Plus, I just love kitchen gadgets. I wrapped the little top thing with foil so I didn’t get it dirty from the bacon because I’m a bad person and I’d rather waste foil than wash something.
So other than the fun of weighing bacon, here’s a few reasons you should make this Bavarian soup:
- You get to weigh bacon. Oops, already said that.
- Lentils are so cheap they are practically free.
- This soup is a nutritional powerhouse!
- It’s really, really easy.
- You get to use your beautiful enameled cast iron dutch oven.
Oh! And the bread. Gotta make the bread. Start to finish, you could have delicious lentil soup and Irish soda bread in an hour and fifteen minutes.
Put the bread in first, then make the soup while it’s baking.
Another great option is to serve Homemade German Spaetzle as a side with this German Lentil Soup!
Dig in, and enjoy these last few weeks of winter!
Here’s the Recipe!
Bavarian Lentil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 oz. sliced bacon - roughly chopped
- 1/2 c. diced onion
- 1/2 c. diced leeks - white parts only
- 1/2 c. diced celery
- 1/2 c. diced carrots - unpeeled
- 1 qt. chicken broth
- 1 1/2 c. brown lentils
- 1 tsp. thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 2 c. diced raw yellow potatoes - unpeeled
- 2 Tbsp. white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Cook the bacon until the fat has rendered into the pot and the bacon is crispy.
- Add the onions, leeks, celery, and carrots to the pot. Saute five minutes, or until golden.
- Pour in the broth and scrape any of the brown bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the lentils, thyme, bay leaves, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook for 30 minutes on medium, covered.
- Add the potatoes and cook an additional 15 until lentils and vegetables are tender. Stir in vinegar and sugar, then add salt to taste. Serve with warm bread and butter.
Nutrition
This is my go to recipe for lentil soup. It tastes just like my mother made it when I was a kid. She also made homemade Spätzle to go with it. It was and still is one of my favorite meals. I also add some spinach for a little extra veg.
Hi Sabrina, thanks for sharing your love of this recipe and your spinach addition!
Ps..I have had this both as a stew and a soup, it just gets better, I had it with toasted Irish soda bread!, or batch loaf brown soda, black pudding sanwitches to give it , that Scottish homely touch..delicious!
Absolutely gorgeous..for winter..add a drop of Guinness to it, or white wine….leave it overnight ..everything tastes great..your right stone ground soda- bread with real Irish butter..add loads of extra bacon to the soup…great on a budget, earthy, and hearthy and welcome!