Lentil soup is easier to make than most bean soups because you don’t have to soak the lentils beforehand and lentils cook very quickly—in 45 minutes to an hour or even less.

Even though you can make a lentil soup with just a little onion and some broth, I always like to include something smoky such as bacon or ham. If I have it, I also like to add confit of duck. Although I prefer pureed lentil soup, it’s also fine with the lentils left whole.

The most commonly available len