NZ Olive Oil Recipes: Spiced Lentil, Bacon and Tomato Soup

Spiced Lentil, Bacon and Tomato Soup

Serves 4-6

This is a hearty and filling soup which is great for cold winter nights or a rainy day. Goes really well with a loaf of warm crusty bread such as ciabatta on the side and finished with a dash of extra virgin olive oil. 

Ingredients

1 sprig thyme

1 brown onion

1 stalk of celery

5 strips of bacon

1.5 cups of lentils (puy works well)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

Small pinch chili flakes

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 bay leaf

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1.5 litres of water (chicken or vegetable stock can be used for a richer tasting soup)

extra virgin olive oil (*check out our range here*)

Method

1. Roughly dice celery, onion and bacon and fry in small amount of olive oil on a medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add spices and continue to fry for another 2 minutes, stirring often to make sure spices don’t burn.
3. Add tomatoes, water, lentils, thyme and the bay leaf then bring to simmer. Do not add any salt at this time or it will prevent the lentils from becoming soft.
4. Continue to simmer until lentils are cooked (35-45 minutes). Adjust consistency by adding more water if required. Season well with salt and black pepper, and serve with a dash of extra virgin olive oil on top.