Ingredients Seafood Fish Salmon Roasted Salmon with Lentils and Bacon 4.0 (1) 1 Review Smoky, bacon-studded lentils with vegetables make the perfect base for tender roasted salmon — it’s a classic combination. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 23, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: © Hannah Queen Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe Roasted salmon and lentils are a timeless pairing, and this version builds extra flavor with smoky bacon, vegetables, and tomatoes.The lentils cook in broth until tender and richly seasoned, creating a hearty bed for the flaky fish.Made with just a handful of pantry ingredients, the weeknight-friendly dish delivers a satisfying meal in only 45 minutes. A center-cut salmon fillet is great for roasting; with its uniform shape and thickness, it cooks more evenly than an end piece. Here, the fish is first seared on the stovetop, then transferred to the oven to finish — it doesn’t need long at a high temperature, so you’ll want to begin checking for doneness early rather than relying on the time. Served on a bed of lentils that have been simmered with vegetables and bits of bacon, it’s a delicious, well-rounded dish. You’re Probably Overcooking Your Salmon — Here’s How to Fix It What kind of lentils pair best with salmon? Use brown or green lentils for this recipe. Both hold their shape well during simmering and provide a pleasantly firm texture beneath the salmon. French green lentils (aka Le Puy) are especially good if you want a more refined presentation, since they remain distinct and don’t turn mushy. Whatever kind of lentils you opt for, start by picking them over and rinsing to remove any stones or debris. Simmer gently so they cook evenly, and begin checking for doneness around 25 minutes — cooking times vary by variety and age. “Once I can smash a lentil against the roof of my mouth with my tongue with no firm resistance, they’re done,” says Serious Eats’ Daniel Gritzer. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Take the time to properly brown the bacon — the rendered fat is used to cook both the veggies and the salmon fillets, tying the dish together with its smoky flavor. Cooking the vegetables until they’re lightly caramelized adds sweetness and depth to the finished lentils. Use homemade chicken stock if available. Because the ingredient list is short, the quality of the broth is especially important. Suggested pairing Light, acidic red wines are delightful with salmon, and the lentils and bacon only strengthen the case for red wine. Try a bottle of Pinot Noir from Oregon or California. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings 4 strips bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces 1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices 1 carrot, cut into 1/2-inch slices 1 rib celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices 1 garlic clove, minced 1 1/4 cups lentils, rinsed 2 1/4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1 bay leaf 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 1 3/4 pounds skinless center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces 1 tablespoon cooking oil, plus more if needed Directions In a medium saucepan, cook the bacon until browned. Pour off and reserve all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the lentils, broth, tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, until the lentils are just tender, about 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and stir in 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Heat the oven to 450°F. Sprinkle the salmon with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. In a large ovenproof nonstick frying pan, over medium-high heat, heat the reserved bacon fat with enough oil to measure 2 tablespoons. Add the fish, skin side up, and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Turn. Put the pan in the oven and continue cooking the salmon until just barely done (the fish should still be translucent in the center), about 3 minutes longer for a 1-inch-thick fillet. Put the lentils on plates and top with the salmon. This recipe was first published in Food & Wine’s 1997 cookbook, Quick From Scratch Fish & Shellfish; the text was written by Jodie Kautzmann. Cook this recipe and more in the MyRecipes app. Get the App Save Rate Print Loading shell for RecipesUgcThreaded1 Vue component in Globe.