French Lentil Soup with Bacon is a rich and hearty soup packed with flavor. Makes a delicious, nutritious, and satisfying meal. Serve with some crusty bread and enjoy.
In a stock pot over medium high heat, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside in a bowl. There should be about ¼ cup of fat rendered from the bacon. You can eyeball it. If there’s more, pour off and reserved for another use. Just store it in the fridge until needed.
Add the onions and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds or so.
Add the carrots, celery, lentils, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Give it a stir to wake up the seasonings.
Pour in the stock, water, and add the potatoes. Stir, bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat to medium low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove cover and using the back of your spoon, smash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot then stir it back in. This thickens the soup beautifully. I try and smash all of the potatoes.
Stir in the red wine vinegar and parsley. Add in the bacon, reserving a bit for garnish, if desired. Give it a good stir. Serve with crusty bread for a hearty meal.