Turkey Lentil Soup with Bacon

Bowl of black lentil soup topped with turkey meatballs and bacon. There is a hand holding a spoon dipping into the lentil soup.

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This Turkey Lentil Soup recipe takes a black lentil soup and tops it with oven-baked turkey meatballs. It’s a cozy meal-in-a-bowl that's easy enough for a weeknight.

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Total Time1

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Unspecified

Servings:

Calories: 349kcal

Author: Joanne Stekler

Ingredients

Bacon lentil soup

4 strips bacon cooked bacon split between meatballs and garnish
1 yellow onion diced
1 carrot diced
1 celery stalk diced
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
¼ cup white wine or vermouth
2 cups black lentils
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt plus more as desired
1 teaspoon ground black pepper plus more as desired
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoons lemon juice plus more to taste, or additional white wine vinegar

Turkey meatballs

1 pound ground turkey
1 egg
½ cup panko or other breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon fresh sage chopped, or one teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Bacon lentil soup

Cook bacon in a large soup pot over medium-low heat until most of the fat has rendered and your bacon is crisp. Let the bacon cool on a paper towel-lined plate and roughly chop half for garnish and chop the other half finely for the meatballs.
4 strips bacon
Cook the onion, carrot, and celery in the bacon fat over medium heat until softened and just starting to brown, about five to seven minutes.
1 yellow onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk
Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for about a minute until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly. Add the white wine, bring it to a boil, and scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan.
4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, ¼ cup white wine
Add the black lentils, broth, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Cover and cook at a simmer, stirring occasionally until the lentils are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Add a half cup of water or broth if the lentils are absorbing all of the broth and the soup looks dry.
1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 bay leaf, 2 cups black lentils, 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Turkey meatballs and serving

Meanwhile, make the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the finely chopped bacon, ground turkey, egg, panko, garlic, minced sage, salt, and pepper.
1 pound ground turkey, 1 egg, ½ cup panko, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh sage, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Form into small meatballs and bake at 400°F until cooked through to a temperature of 165°F, about 10 minutes.
Once the lentils are tender, add the lemon juice and taste. Add more salt and pepper, lemon juice or a splash of vinegar if the flavor seems dull. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a handful of turkey meatballs and the reserved chopped bacon.
1 tablespoons lemon juice

Notes

I strongly recommend black lentils in this soup because they keep a firm texture even when cooked, frozen, and reheated. You can use brown or green lentils in this recipe, but please don't cook them until mushy.

Make your turkey meatballs bite-sized - a tablespoon or less - so they're easy to eat with a spoon!

Store the black lentil soup and turkey meatballs separately in the refrigerator for up to three days. Or freeze in single serving portions for three to six months.

Nutrition