4.59 / 12 votes

This satisfying recipe combines the earthy goodness of lentils and mushrooms with the irresistible crunch and flavor of bacon. It’s a versatile dish that can serve as a wholesome side or a delightful main course.

Print

• ▢ 1 1/4 cups small brown or green lentils, rinsed
• ▢ 1 quart (4 cups) cold water or homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
• ▢ 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• ▢ 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (1 oz) unsalted butter
• ▢ 4 ounces small cremini mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
• ▢ 4 ounces oyster or other mushrooms, cut into pieces
• ▢ Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• ▢ 6 to 12 slices bacon*, preferably thick-cut

• Place the rinsed lentils in a large saucepan, cover with the cold water or stock, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the lentils are tender, which typically takes at least 35 minutes or more. The precise cooking time will vary depending on the type and age of your lentils, so taste for doneness. Drain the cooked lentils very well.
• While the lentils are simmering, prepare the aromatics. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it becomes softened and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. This slow sauté brings out the sweetness of the onion.
• Stir in the crushed garlic clove and cook for an additional 2 minutes, being careful not to let it burn. Next, add the unsalted butter, along with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and the prepared mushrooms (cremini and oyster). Sauté the mushrooms until they are tender and have released their liquid, about 5-7 minutes. Season the mushroom mixture generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the drained lentils to the skillet along with 3 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley and 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Heat through, stirring gently, until all ingredients are well combined and warmed. Remove and discard the garlic clove. Taste the lentils and adjust seasoning with more lemon juice, salt, or pepper as desired to achieve a balanced flavor.
• Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, fry the bacon until it reaches your desired level of crispness. For extra flavor, you can use some of the rendered bacon fat to sauté the onions and mushrooms instead of the olive oil and butter.
• Serve the warm lentils garnished generously with additional fresh parsley and the crispy bacon. The bacon can be left whole for a dramatic presentation or crumbled into pieces, allowing its savory crunch to mix throughout the dish. Remember, when it comes to bacon in this dish, the more the merrier! Originally published March 03, 2011.
  

Adapted From

Tapas and Other Spanish Plates to Share

Buy On Amazon

Dietary OptionsSubstitutionsScaleSummarize

Nutrition

Joan Osborne

Joan highlights the delightful textural play: “I love the crunchy bits of bacon on top of the creamy lentils and chewy mushrooms.” She finds the onions and garlic provide a tasty boost, while parsley adds brightness and color. It’s a perfect hearty meal for a cold night, especially when paired with a salad and cornbread sticks.

Chiyo Ueyama

Chiyo describes the dish as “comforting and versatile,” noting its appeal to anyone who loves the legume-and-smoky-pork combination. She suggests using thick-cut bacon for a better textural stand against the meaty mushrooms. Her practical tip: Get the lentils and bacon cooking simultaneously, then prep the other ingredients, and you’ll have a delicious meal ready in no time.

Sue Epstein

Sue found the recipe easy to make with clear directions, resulting in a dish she and her guests loved, even as leftovers. She personally opted to omit the bacon and added an extra two teaspoons of lemon juice, demonstrating the recipe’s flexibility for dietary preferences and taste adjustments.

Kim Graham

Kim transformed this into a wonderful winter meal by serving it with crusty no-knead bread and a green salad. She found six slices of bacon provided the perfect amount of smoky flavor and crunch, making it an easy weeknight meal to coordinate.

Robert McCune

Robert views this as a perfect supper when paired with a salad and a crusty small baguette. He agrees that six slices of bacon are sufficient, noting how the onions and mushrooms provide an “almost meaty flavor” enhanced by the bacon. He recommends at least doubling the lemon juice to bring out the mushroom flavor and found less salt and pepper were needed. Leftovers make a great room-temperature salad.

Melissa Maedgen

Melissa expressed surprise at how she had “been missing out on such a felicitous combination all these years.” She found the recipe a revelation, praising how humble ingredients create a sublime, earthy taste. Using French green lentils, she emphasized the importance of their firm texture to avoid mushy results, ensuring the dish’s integrity.

Kara Lawlor

Kara found the recipe “wonderfully written and quite easy,” highlighting how the bacon added “another depth of flavor.” She also noted that the mushrooms and fresh parsley transformed the lentil dish into something earthy and satisfying, suggesting that additional fresh lemon juice would further enhance the flavors.

Sandy Hill

Sandy, a self-proclaimed lentil lover, was glad she tried this recipe, finding the instructions straightforward. She used green lentils, which held their shape beautifully. She appreciated the smokiness of the bacon and the earthiness of the mushrooms. Despite the “not especially pretty color” common to lentil dishes, she deemed it a “keeper,” especially when served with grilled salmon.

Joel Jenkins

Joel finds this dish makes a wonderfully hearty side or a full meal with fresh baked bread. He explored a vegetarian version by omitting bacon, but noted that bacon’s smokiness would add a positive dimension. He valued the textural variety from different mushrooms, which is often missing in other lentil dishes, making it a “definite repeat.”

Sofia Reino

Sofia recommends this as a great side for roast chicken or a grilled steak. She found that all ingredients were discernible and blended well together, appreciating the recipe’s simplicity and minimal ingredient list.

Jennifer V.

Jennifer describes the dish as “delicious and hearty,” with soft onions, a hint of butter, and bacon making “everything better.” It’s a relatively simple recipe that comes together quickly, especially if you multitask by prepping ingredients while lentils cook. She notes that while leftovers are good, bacon loses its crispness. She suggests trying chorizo as a substitute for bacon to change the flavor profile and recommends using leftover bacon fat instead of butter to amp up the bacon flavor.

Melinda Hamby

Melinda appreciates this dish as both a meal and a side. She paired it with roast chicken and cleverly used the chicken’s pan juices to sauté the onions and mushrooms. Her suggestions for future attempts include adding two or three more cloves of garlic and extending the lentil cooking time by five to ten minutes for a less crunchy texture.

Jenna Helwig

Jenna found the recipe method straightforward, simple, and very good. She suggests more frequent seasoning (salting both lentils and mushrooms as they cook) and desired more acid in the finished dish, recommending extra lemon juice or a little red wine vinegar next time. She served it by tossing salad greens with olive oil and lemon juice, then topping with the lentils.