Mexican Lentil Soup (Sopa de Lentejas)

Tender lentils, crispy bacon, and spicy jalapeño come together in this delicious Mexican Lentil Soup. The recipe is easy to make, affordable, and nutritious, plus it includes both stovetop and Instant Pot directions.

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I grew up eating my mom's sopa de lentejas (lentil soup) loaded with jalapeño, pieces of crunchy bacon, and so much flavor.

When I got married, this was one of the first recipes I learned from my mom. Now, it is one I make a few times a month because it is one of my husband's favorites. I also love making it for my kids because lentils pack so much nutrition and protein. They are still too young to enjoy too much spice, but there's a simple solution to that. Check out the end of the post for my kid-friendly tip.

About This Recipe

A follower once told me she was curious to see how I prepare Mexican lentils since it seems so many people have different variations. It is true, just a simple Google search for Mexican lentil soup brings up over 6 million results!

Lentil Soup, called Sopa de Lentejas in Spanish, is a popular dish throughout Mexico. The soup is affordable, easy to make, and nutritious. The base of the soup begins with dried brown lentils, but the vegetables, seasonings, and other ingredients vary from one recipe to another.

I am particularly fond of my mom's jalapeño bacon lentils because the bacon adds such amazing flavor and the jalapeño adds the perfect spice.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Nutritious: Lentils are a great source of many vitamins and minerals. They also are packed with plant-based protein and fiber. Click here to learn more about the health benefits of lentils.

• Affordable: Lentils are inexpensive and a small amount go a long way when cooking.

• Easy to Make: Compared to other legumes, lentils cook much faster so it is easy to make this recipe on weeknights or when short on time.

• Instant Pot and Stovetop Directions: I used to cook my lentils just like my mom, in a good ole stovetop pressure cooker. You can also cook lentils in a regular pot on the stovetop and I have included directions for this method in the recipe. However, since owning an Instant Pot (a Christmas gift I received from my mom a few years back), I now use this handy device and it works great.

• Bacon: The addition of bacon takes the flavor of these lentils to a new level of deliciousness.

The Ingredients

• Brown Lentils: These are some of the most common type of lentils. They have a great earthy flavor and are great in soups because they hold up well in the cooking process.

• Water: You will use water to rinse the lentils, to cook them initially and you may need more in the end if the final product has absorbed too much liquid.

• Chicken Broth: Chicken broth adds more flavor than simply cooking the lentils in water. For added nutrients and protein, you can also use chicken bone broth.

• Bacon: Crispy pieces of bacon add an amazing crunch and frying up the vegetables in a little bit of the bacon grease makes the soup even better.

The rest of the ingredients add great depth of flavor and are very common in many Mexican dishes:

• Jalapeño

• Garlic

• Onion

• Tomato

• Cilantro

• Salt and Pepper

How to Make Sopa de Lentejas

Instant Pot Directions

1. Prepare the Lentils

• Sort through the 1 ½ cups of dried, brown lentils. Pick out any debris or pebbles. Then, place the lentils in a strainer or colander and rinse thoroughly under running water.
• Add lentils to the Instant Pot with 2 cups of water and 3 cups of chicken broth. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and move the valve to seal.
• Pressure cook on high for 12 minutes (if your prefer softer lentils cook them for 15 minutes). Then allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. Move the pressure release valve from the sealing position to the venting position to release any remaining pressure.

2. Fry the Bacon

• While the lentils cook, dice the bacon into small pieces. If your bacon is extra fatty, remove some of the excess fat. In a deep pot or Dutch oven, fry the bacon pieces on medium heat until crispy.

3. Sauté the Vegetables

• Once the bacon is crispy, add the diced jalapeño, diced white onion, and minced garlic cloves. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until the onion and jalapeño are tender and fragrant.
• Add 1 diced tomato and sauté for another minute.

4. Assemble the Soup

• Add the cooked lentils with any remaining liquid. If needed, add ½ to 1 cup of hot water to your desired “soupy” consistency. 
• Season with 1 teaspoon of salt, a pinch of black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro.
• Let the soup boil for 5 minutes then taste for seasoning. I usually add about another ½ teaspoon of salt.
• Ladle into a bowl and serve immediately.

Stovetop Directions

1. Prepare the Lentils

• If you do not have an Instant Pot, the lentils can also be cooked on the stovetop.
• Begin by sorting through the lentils. Pick out any debris or pebbles. Then, place the lentils in a strainer or colander and rinse thoroughly under running water.
• Add the lentils, 2 cups of water and 3 cups of chicken broth to a medium pot. Bring the liquid to a rapid boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
• Cover and simmer for 20-35 minutes until the lentils are soft and tender, but not falling apart. To ensure this, check on them at 20 minutes and if they are not done, check on them every 5 minutes until they are at the right consistency.

2. Same Directions as Above

• Follow the same directions from frying the bacon, to sautéing the vegetables and assembling the soup listed under the Instant Pot steps.

How to Serve Lentil Soup

My top recommendation is to serve this lentil soup with some Spicy Sardine Empanadas. This is the way my mom always served the soup and the combination is out of this world amazing!

Here are some other ideas on how to serve this soup:

• With some warm crusty bread or warm tortillas
• With some quesadillas
• As an appetizer or first course before the main entree

Storing and Reheating

Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 4 months.

The lentils will absorb some of the liquid when stored, so if you prefer a more soupy consistency add a little more broth or water when reheating.

To reheat, pour the soup in a small pot over medium heat and cook until warm, or microwave it in a microwaveable safe bowl until heated through.

Tips and Variations

• For a kid-friendly version, omit the jalapeño and keep the rest of the steps the same. I always ladle out their servings at the end. Then I add the jalapeño to the remaining soup in the pot and let it simmer for a couple more minutes before serving the adults.
• For a spicier version add an extra jalapeño, or better yet add a serrano pepper as they pack much more heat.
• Make this vegetarian by omitting the bacon and replacing the chicken broth with vegetable broth.

I hope you enjoy!

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW IF YOU MAKE THIS OR TAG ME ON INSTAGRAM @EVERYDAYLATINA.

More Delicious Soup Recipes

• Caldo de Albóndigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)
• Sopa de Verduras (Mexican Vegetable Soup)
• Sopa de Tortilla Azteca (Tortilla Soup)
• Ground Beef Stew with Jalapeño
• Pantry White Chicken Chili with Hominy
• Vegan Asparagus Soup

Recipe

Looking for another way to cook lentils in the Instant Pot?

One of my new favorite ways to cook lentils in the Instant Pot comes from a recipe by Urvashi Pitre. Check out the link to her recipe for Lebanese Lentils and Rice here.

I also have her Instant Pot cookbook and it is amazing!  Checkout the link to her cookbook below and a link to the Instant Pot I own and love.

Originally published July 10, 2019. Updated post October 2022.