Italian Lentil Soup with Pasta (Minestra di lenticchie)
A comforting Italian soup with pasta, diced bacon, celery and fresh mint — perfect even for people who aren’t usually fond of lentils.
Some recipes change the way we think about an ingredient. If you find the taste of lentils too strong, this Italian lentil and pasta soup may surprise you. The bacon brings savoury, slightly smoky notes, the pasta makes it mellow, and fresh mint adds a beautifully light aroma.
I made my version with farfalline, tiny bow-tie pasta, and a pinch of Guatemalan Cobán chilli. The lentils don’t overpower the other ingredients, making this an inviting way to enjoy them.
Recipe at a glance
Serves: 2 · Prep: 5–10 minutes · Cooking: 15–20 minutes · Total: 25–30 minutes · Difficulty: easy · Method: stovetop.
Ingredients
- 200 g cooked brown lentils, drained
- 60 g small pasta, such as farfalline
- 100 g diced bacon
- ½ medium onion (about 50 g)
- 1 celery stalk (about 40–50 g)
- 600 ml vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- A pinch of hot chilli to taste (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Salt, only if needed
- A few fresh mint leaves to garnish
This version contains no garlic.
Step-by-step instructions
1. Prepare the ingredients
Finely chop the onion and thinly slice the washed celery. Have the diced bacon and pasta ready. Drain the cooked lentils if necessary. Wash the mint, chop one tablespoon and reserve a few leaves for serving.
2. Make the base
Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon, onion and celery without adding oil at first. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens and the bacon releases some fat. It does not need to be crispy.
3. Add lentils and stock
Stir in the cooked lentils and pour in 600 ml vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 5 minutes to combine the flavours.
4. Cook the pasta
Add the 60 g farfalline directly to the soup. Simmer for about 6 minutes, or according to the packet, stirring occasionally until al dente. Add 50–100 ml extra hot stock if the soup becomes too thick.
5. Season at the end
Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped fresh mint. Add black pepper and a pinch of chilli together at the end. Taste before adding salt: the bacon and stock may already provide enough.
6. Serve
Serve immediately in warm soup bowls, making sure the lentils, pasta, bacon and celery are visible. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Tips from Mi cocina entre mundos
For people who don’t usually like lentils
This is what I particularly enjoyed about the soup: the characteristic lentil flavour is much less pronounced than in many traditional lentil soups. Bacon, pasta, celery and mint form a balanced combination.
Choose cooked lentils and small pasta
Ready-cooked brown lentils save time. If using dried lentils, cook them separately until tender first. Farfalline work beautifully, but other small soup pasta or broken spaghetti will do; follow the cooking time on the packet.
A little Guatemalan chilli
I used Cobán chilli from Guatemala. You don’t need this particular variety: cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes or another locally available hot chilli work just as well. Add it at the end with the black pepper, starting with a small pinch. The goal is gentle warmth, not a fiery soup.
Mint and consistency
Add fresh mint after turning off the heat to preserve its aroma. Pasta continues absorbing broth as it sits, so serve the soup straight away. Add more hot stock if needed.
Shopping for ingredients in Germany
Look for Braune Linsen (preferably vorgekocht or verzehrfertig), Speckwürfel (diced bacon), Staudensellerie (celery), Gemüsebrühe (vegetable stock) and frische Minze (fresh mint). Cayennepfeffer or Chiliflocken can replace Cobán chilli. No particular brands are needed.
Substitutions in Latin America, Spain, the US and the UK
Use cooked lentils that hold their shape. Diced bacon, pancetta cubes or a similar cured pork product with a little fat work well. Replace farfalline with another small pasta shape and adjust the cooking time. Use your preferred local hot chilli instead of Cobán chilli.
Storage
This soup is best enjoyed fresh. Cool leftovers promptly, refrigerate in a sealed container and preferably eat within 2–3 days. Add a splash of stock or water when reheating, as the pasta will absorb liquid.
One final tip
Try it with fresh mint at least once: it is one of the details that makes the soup special. A simple, comforting dish that might even win over people who normally avoid lentils.
