One of my most favourite soups, this vegetable, bacon and lentil soup is really budget-friendly, but doesn’t scrimp on flavour.
There’s something about a simple, steaming bowl of soup that just hits differently in winter — and this one is my absolute go-to. I call it The $6 Soup because, well… it’s cheap. Like, feed-the-whole-family-on-a-coin kind of cheap. With the way food prices have gone, it’s more like $10 soup now, but still easy to feed the family on a budget.
It’s made with just a handful of pantry staples, but the flavour? So good. It’s hearty, wholesome, and super satisfying — the kind of soup that makes you want to curl up on the couch with a blanket and a hunk of bread.
I’ve been making it for years now, and every winter it finds its way back into my meal plan (sometimes on repeat). If you’re looking for a low-effort, low-cost meal that actually tastes good, this one’s for you.
Let’s make it!
🥣 How to make vegetable, bacon and lentil soup
1️⃣ Start with the flavour base
Heat the oil in a big saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, bacon, garlic, celery and carrot — all the good stuff. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring now and then, until everything softens and smells amazing.
2️⃣ Simmer the goodness
Toss in the lentils, crumble in the stock cubes, and pour in the water. Give it all a stir, bring it to the boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer away (uncovered) for about 15 minutes.
3️⃣ Time to serve
Ladle it into bowls, top with chopped chives if you’re feeling fancy, and enjoy! Add crusty bread on the side if you’ve got it — always a good idea. 🍞✨
Do you have a favourite soup recipe? I’d love to hear about it so I can fill my freezer some more and add more soups to my rotation.
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Vegetable, bacon and lentil soup
Ingredients
1 brown onion, chopped finely
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 Woolworths deli bacon rashers, diced
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, diced finely
1 cup red lentils
2 Woolworths chicken stock cubes
1 litre water
Finely chopped chives to serve
Instructions
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, place the oil and cook the onion, bacon, garlic, celery and carrot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened.
2. Add the lentils, the stock cubes and the water. Bring to the boil, and then turn down to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Top with chives to serve.
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