Chef John's Black Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 4 ounces bacon , chopped
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 0.5 teaspoons ground cumin
• 0.25 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper , or to taste
• 1.25 cups black beluga lentils
• 5 cups chicken broth , or as needed
• 1 bay leaf
• 0.25 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley , divided
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil , or as needed

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir bacon in hot oil until browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion, carrots, 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. 2

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

3. 3

   Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Stir in 3 tablespoons parsley.

4. 4

   Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle remaining parsley over top, and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.