Name: Chef John's Black Lentil Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Vegetable oil - 2 teaspoons; Bacon, chopped - 4 ounces; Chopped yellow onion - 1 cup; Diced carrots - 1 cup; Diced celery - 1 cup; Salt and ground black pepper to taste - 1 cup; Ground cumin - ½ teaspoon; Dried thyme - ¼ teaspoon; Cayenne pepper, or to taste - 1 pinch; Black beluga lentils - 1 ¼ cups; Chicken broth, or as needed - 5 cups; Bay leaf - 1; Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided - ¼ cup; Extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed - 1 teaspoon

Ingredients for - Chef John's Black Lentil Soup

1. Vegetable oil 2 teaspoons

2. Bacon, chopped 4 ounces

3. Chopped yellow onion 1 cup

4. Diced carrots 1 cup

5. Diced celery 1 cup

6. Salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 cup

7. Ground cumin ½ teaspoon

8. Dried thyme ¼ teaspoon

9. Cayenne pepper, or to taste 1 pinch

10. Black beluga lentils 1 ¼ cups

11. Chicken broth, or as needed 5 cups

12. Bay leaf 1

13. Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided ¼ cup

14. Extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed 1 teaspoon

How to cook deliciously - Chef John's Black Lentil Soup

1 . Stage

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir bacon in hot oil until bacon is browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion, carrot, celery, and salt; cook and stir until onion is softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Season with black pepper, cumin, thyme, and cayenne pepper.

2 . Stage

Pour lentils into bacon mixture and stir to coat completely in rendered bacon fat. Add chicken broth and bay leaf; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook, adding more chicken broth as needed, until lentils are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

3 . Stage

Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Add 3 tablespoons parsley and stir. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle remaining parsley over the top and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.