Black Lentil Soup � Always Bet on Black

There�s absolutely nothing wrong with green lentil soup, but once you start making it with black �beluga� lentils, you�ll have a hard time going back. These black beauties cook up melt-in-your-mouth tender, but still retain their structural integrity, which gives the soup both a thick, satisfying body, and a light, non-starchy mouthfeel.

The flavor is wonderfully meaty, especially when you toss in a handful of bacon, and they require absolutely no finesse to prepare perfectly. Just simmer until you have achieved lentil tenderness, adding broth as needed. That�s pretty much it.

I�m told black lentils are really good for you, which is weird, since I�ve never asked anybody. Nevertheless, this is a soup you can feel good about putting into your body, unlike that �Bacon Jalape�o Popper Chowder� recipe you got off Pinterest. We�re still right in the middle of soup season, so the next time you feel like a hot bowl, I hope you give this black lentil soup a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large portions:

2 tsp vegetable oil

4 oz bacon

1 cup yellow onion, large dice

1 cup carrots, large dice

1 cup celery, large dice

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

1 1/4 cup black lentils

5 to 6 cups chicken broth, or as needed
1 bay leaf

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 tsp extra good extra virgin olive oil