This sausage lentil soup brings together hearty lentils, Italian sausage, and vegetables for a cozy, satisfying meal. With layers of flavor from fennel, cumin, and a touch of Italian seasoning, it’s the kind of soup that fills you up and warms you to the core. This recipe is simple to make and perfect for batch cooking.
This soup is thick and hearty. Almost more of a lentil stew than a soup!
Here is Why This Lentil Sausage Soup Recipe Works
Hearty and Filling: This isn’t one of those brothy soups that leaves you hungry an hour later. Thanks to lentils and sausage, it’s as satisfying as it is cozy.
Flavor-Packed with Minimal Fuss: Fennel, cumin, and Italian sausage bring a rich, savory depth without needing a dozen spices. Maximum flavor, minimum effort.
Easily Adjustable Consistency: Want it thick and stew-like? You’re set. Prefer a thinner soup? Just add a splash more broth.
Perfect for Meal Prep: This soup only gets better the next day, making it a solid option for quick lunches or dinners all week.
The Ingredients
- Meat: Italian sausage
- Produce: Onion, fennel, carrots, celery, parsley
- Pantry: Olive oil, lentils, chicken broth, water or broth
- Pantry Seasonings: Italian seasoning blend, ground cumin, bay leaves, salt, black pepper
- Condiments: Tomato paste
Variations
Vegetable Lentil Soup: Add 1 cup of chopped spinach or kale and ½ cup of diced zucchini. Swiss chard would also be great. Toss in a can of diced tomatoes and a splash of hot sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Herby Lemon Lentil Soup: Swap the Italian seasoning for 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped rosemary and thyme, and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving.
Smoky Bacon and Lentil Soup: Replace half of the sausage with diced, smoked bacon. Stir in ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika.
Tips for Success
- Sort and Rinse Your Lentils. Spread the lentils out on a sheet pan to easily spot any pebbles or debris, then give them a quick rinse to remove dust.
- When breaking up the sausage, leave some small chunks intact for added flavor and texture throughout the soup.
- If you like a thicker soup, keep it as is. For a thinner consistency, just add extra broth until it’s to your liking.
- Sausage can be salty, so wait until the end of cooking to add more salt and pepper. Give it a taste first, then adjust if needed.
Storage
Fridge: To store leftovers, let the soup cool to room temperature, then transfer it to airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
Freezer: Portion the soup into freezer safe containers, leaving a little room at the top for expansion. It will keep well in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You may need to add a splash of broth if it has thickened.
Lentils and Sausage Make this Soup a Meal
This lentil sausage soup is comfort in a bowl. It is hearty, flavorful, and a meal that warms you to the core. Best of all, it is perfect for batch cooking and reheats beautifully.
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Italian Lentil Soup with Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried lentils
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 medium fennel trimmed and bulb chopped
- 3 medium carrots chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 pound ground pork Italian sausage
- 1 can 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 cup water or broth
- 6 cups chicken broth homemade if possible
- 2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning blend
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- Sort through the brown lentils to remove any small pebbles. Rinse in cold water, drain and reserve.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, fennel, carrots, and celery; cook, stirring often for 5 minutes. Add sausage, breaking up with a fork. Cook, stirring often, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- In a small dish add the tomato paste and water, whisk together until smooth then add to the soup pot. Pour in the chicken broth, add the reserved lentils, Italian seasoning, cumin and bay leaves.
- Bring soup to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until lentils are tender, about 20-30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from heat, discard bay leaves and ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle each serving with chopped parsley
Notes
- An easy way to sort the lentils is to spread them out on a sheet pan. Discard anything that is not a lentil.
- When breaking up the sausage leave small chunks of for flavor and interest.
- This is a hearty, thick soup. Add additional chicken broth for a thinner soup.
John / Kitchen Riffs
Wednesday 3rd of April 2019
Even through the days are warming up, we're still eating soup! Love it, and particularly like soups made with dried legumes and pulses. Lentil soup may be best of all -- this looks excellent. Thanks!
Pat Nyswonger
Wednesday 3rd of April 2019
Thank you, John....it tastes excellent too!