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Sausage and Lentil Soup

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Sausage and Lentil Soup is thick and hearty, loaded with Italian sausage, lentils, and vegetables in a tomato-based broth. This is the comforting recipe you need this winter!

Close up of a bowl of sausage and lentil soup garnished with herbs and parmesan cheese

You guys, I swear I say this every single year, but I am trying to get ahead and stay organized with my holiday shopping.

Last year, I put forth quite the effort for about a week and then failed miserably and ended up shopping on Christmas Eve and wrapping gifts until about 2am.

Not this year, folks. I’m sitting at my computer right now monitoring Cyber Monday deals because this girl is not a Black Friday shopper. In fact, I’m not much of an in-person shopper period, unless we’re talking Target!

So I’m dedicating this day to tackling my shopping list while watching big, fluffy snowflakes swirl around outside!

Overhead shot of diced onions, carrots, celery and zucchini in a bowl on a white surface

SAUSAGE AND LENTIL SOUP

There’s just something about a big pot of soup simmering away on the stove that makes me want to throw some wood into the fireplace and curl up on the couch all day.

Soup is warm, comforting and in my opinion it’s the perfect fall or winter dinner. Whether it’s Turkey Noodle Soup, Chicken Tortilla Soup, or Lasagna Soup, I am here for all of it.

Herbs and spices for sausage and lentil soup on a white plate

There’s just one problem and the problem would be my family.

They refer to soup as a “tease” and think that it should never be referred to as dinner – more specifically – their dinner.

I remember one of the first times that I made soup for them, they slurped it down and within a few minutes stated something like, “That was great, now what’s for dinner?” Um, hello – you just ate it!

Bowl of sausage and lentil soup next to a spoon and chopped parsley

Typically I’ll go with their meat and potato ways, but sometimes I can slip a soup into our repertoire that qualifies as a meal instead of an appetizer.

Sausage and Lentil Soup is just that kind of creation. It’s loaded with Italian sausage and veggies cooked in a rich tomato broth.

And if you’re a fan of Carrabba’s Sausage and Lentil Soup, you may be a little excited to hear that this copycat version tastes very similar!

Bowl of sausage and lentil soup on a white surface, garnished with parsley and shredded parmesan

WHAT KIND OF VEGETABLES CAN YOU USE?

I like to pack my Sausage and Lentil Soup full of vegetables. After all, I may as well take advantage of the fact that my family is eating it to sneak some veggies into them.

I usually go for carrots, onions, celery and zucchini for my soup. But don’t feel like you have to use the same!
For example, diced bell peppers or peeled and diced sweet potato would be great. You could even sneak in some spinach or kale.

No matter which veggies you use, you’ll need about 5 ½ cups total. So get creative with whichever vegetables your family likes best!

Overhead of a spoon in a bowl of sausage and lentil soup on a white surface

WHAT KIND OF SAUSAGE SHOULD I BUY?

This recipe uses ground Italian sausage. You can usually find it in the butcher section of your grocery store.
Make sure you buy Italian sausage instead of breakfast sausage, which won’t have quite the right flavors for this soup.

Spoon holding a spoonful of sausage and lentil soup over a bowl of the soup

If you prefer your soup a little spicy, go ahead and grab hot Italian sausage. If you aren’t big into pork, feel free to use ground turkey or chicken Italian sausage instead.

Serve this Sausage and Lentil Soup with a loaf of fresh bread – or maybe even Beer Bread or Parker House Rolls – and you’ll have a meal that will please just about anyone!

Spoon in a bowl of Sausage and Lentil Soup

Bowl of sausage and lentil soup on a white surface, garnished with parsley and shredded parmesan

Sausage and Lentil Soup

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Sausage and Lentil Soup is thick and hearty, loaded with Italian sausage, lentils, and vegetables in a tomato-based broth. This is the comforting recipe you need this winter! 

Ingredients

  • 1 pound green lentils
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb ground Italian sausage (You can also use ground Italian turkey sausage)
  • 1 cup diced onion (about 1 large)
  • 1 ½ cups diced celery (about 4 stalks)
  • 1 ½ cups diced carrots (about 3-2 large)
  • 1 ½ cup diced zucchini (about 1 small)
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 large cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
  • grated Parmesan
  • fresh parsley

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.

2. In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add in the Italian sausage. Brown the sausage until it is cooked through.

3. Add in the onions, celery, carrots, zucchini, garlic, herbs and spices, cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often.

4. Add the chicken stock, canned tomatoes, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 ½ hours, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed to adjust the consistency of the soup. We tend to prefer ours a little on the thick side, so I add in about 3 cups half way through the cook time.

6. Check the seasonings – add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley.

Notes

Adapted from food.com

Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1 bowl
Amount Per Serving Calories 361Total Fat 22gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 37mgSodium 1728mgCarbohydrates 24gFiber 7gSugar 7gProtein 19g

Did you make this recipe?

Tag me on social! I want to see what you made! @jamiemba

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DeAna

Saturday 11th of March 2023

This should have 1 million likes. This is even better than carrabbas soup & that one is wonderful

Jamie

Wednesday 15th of March 2023

So happy to hear this, DeAna! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your feedback. Happy baking! Jamie

Peter

Thursday 10th of February 2022

Just wondering do you have to saute the vegetables

Jamie

Monday 14th of February 2022

Hi Peter-

Yes, you can find those directions in step 3 of the printable recipe towards the bottom of the post. Hope this help! -Jamie

teresa

Tuesday 18th of January 2022

This recipe is a staple in my household. I look forward to soup weather just so I can make it! Thank you so much for sharing it. I would love to make it for my mom but unfortunately she's allergic to tomatoes. Is there anything I could substitute them with to have the same (or similar) great taste & texture?

Jamie

Wednesday 19th of January 2022

Hi Teresa! So happy to hear you enjoy the soup so much! Unfortunately, I can't think of an adequate substitute for the the tomatoes. -Jamie

Haylee

Wednesday 21st of July 2021

Added a Parmesan Rind, and fresh basil instead of dried, skipped the zucchini. It was spectacular! Thank you!

Jamie

Wednesday 21st of July 2021

So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Haylee! Thanks for stopping by and leaving your feedback! -Jamie

melanie

Friday 13th of November 2020

This recipe was an excellent starting point; along the way, I added 1 14oz can of tomato sauce, a 2nd 32oz container of stock, frozen corn, 1/2 butternut squas and 2 bay leaves.  Seems to me that the flavor was the perfect blend of salt, spice, veg and of course sausage.  This was my celebratory stew using a new stove, so thanks very much for posting.  It takes a very good cook to create a recipe that works on the first try!

Jamie

Tuesday 8th of December 2020

Sounds delish! I love your adjustments!

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