One-Pot Wonders

Red Lentil Soup with Pancetta

by:
December 18, 2017
5
4 Ratings
Red Lentil Soup with Pancetta
Photo by Rebecca and Ruth
  • Serves 8-10
Author Notes

Hosting the falling into winter book club means soup, and this tasty lentil soup hit the spot. With the addition of the smoked paprika and pancetta, the soup took on a heartier flavor, filled with spice and that porky richness that pancetta can provide. Yes, there is a bit of dicing, but once it all goes in the pot, you can walk away and let the stove do all the work. Toast some bread for dipping and let the conversation ensue!
—Rebecca and Ruth

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small fennel bulb, diced
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 4 ounces pancetta, diced
  • 3 stalks of celery, diced
  • 8 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups dried, red lentils
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Zataar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
Directions
  1. Add olive oil into a large soup pot over medium high heat and then add pancetta and lightly brown.
  2. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions begin to soften and turn translucent and then add the rest of the vegetables and the salt.
  3. Sauté until they begin to caramelize and soften.
  4. Add thyme, zataar and smoked paprika, then stir and add in the red lentils, stirring for one to two minutes
  5. Add in all the liquid, bring to a boil, then turn heat down and simmer until lentils and vegetables are soft, about 40 minutes.
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1 Review

amygwilder
amygwilder November 24, 2020
Made this last night and it was delicious. In my opinion, the key to any good soup is in the toppings, so I made some croutons with some of the same spices to top it off. I also omitted the 2 cups of water to give it a more stew-like texture. This recipe is a keeper.