Description
Hearty and flavorful Lentil Sausage Soup combines spicy or mild ground sausage with nutritious brown lentils, fresh vegetables, and rich broth for a comforting meal perfect for any day.
Ingredients
Scale
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Soup
- 1 lb ground sausage, hot or mild
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage: Remove casings from sausage if in links. Heat a large pot over medium heat, add sausage and break apart while cooking. Once halfway cooked, partially cover and continue to cook for about 10-12 minutes total until fully cooked. Remove and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add reserved drippings and 2 tablespoons butter to pot over medium heat. Add diced onions, celery, and carrots; cook for 4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Add Flour and Tomato Paste: Stir in flour and tomato paste; cook together for 2 minutes to blend flavors and slightly thicken.
- Deglaze and Add Broth: Slowly add chicken and beef broths, scraping the bottom of the pot with a silicone spatula to loosen any browned bits for extra flavor.
- Season and Simmer Lentils: Stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lentils, bay leaf, and all seasonings. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finish Soup: Add cooked sausage back to pot along with diced tomatoes. Simmer an additional 10 minutes. Add water or broth to adjust consistency as desired.
- Serve: Remove bay leaf before serving. Enjoy hot.
Notes
- Adding chopped kale or spinach enhances nutrition and flavor; add kale in the last 5 minutes or spinach in the last 3 minutes of cooking.
- Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder boost flavor without making the soup spicy.
- Use low sodium broth to reduce salt if desired, as sausage already contains salt.
- For a brothier soup, reduce sausage to ½ or ¾ lb.
- Ground turkey can substitute for sausage for a lighter version.
- Brown lentils are preferred; green lentils take longer to cook, and canned or red lentils are not recommended due to texture.
- Crock Pot Method: Brown sausage and set aside. Melt butter in Crock Pot, add vegetables and tomato paste and coat. Add all ingredients including sausage and broth. Cook on high 4-5 hours or low 7-8 hours. Avoid opening lid to prevent heat loss and extended cooking time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
