When I bring this soup to a soup potluck, I will always get several requests for the recipe. That tells you everything you need to know about this flavorful, classic, soup, that can serve as a full meal.

If you’ve been to Carrabba’s, you may have already eaten something similar, as their sausage lentil soup is very popular. I’m inspired by their soup and added in my own touches, and tastes.

Which Lentils to Use for Lentil Soup

Truthfully, I wondered this myself so I ventured to Whole Foods to buy two kinds from their bins and do some testing.

• French Lentils, also known as Puy Lentils, from the Puy Region in France. Petite, green, and hold up well in soups, stews, retaining their shape,
• Brown Lentils, more common, hold shape, but not as well as French lentils.

I made two pots of soup with each lentil and preferred the French lentils for their structure and taste. However, the brown lentils will make a fine sausage lentil soup also.

The two different times I made this soup, I did the sausage differently. One time I made cooked the sausage, removed the casing after cooking and sliced into coins. The other times and the easiest way is to purchase loose sausage and cook that. Either way is fine.

Process

• Cook sausage in dutch oven you will be making soup in. Remove from pan.
• Cook carrots, celery, onion (garlic) in same pan until softened.
• Add in white wine. Cook alcohol off.
• Add in tomatoes, (crushed with hand), broth, sausage, lentils.
• Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer, until lentils are softened, about 40 minutes.
• Add kale in during last ten minutes.
• Serve with Parmesan or Pecorino Romano

Add Greens to Sausage Lentil Soup

We love an extra green in a soup like kale or swiss chard. Both greens hold up well and give a nice added texture and color. If you use Tuscan Kale, be sure to remove the center rib and just tear it into bite sized pieces.

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Print

Sausage Lentil Soup

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword lentil soup, lentils, sausage lentil kale soup, sausage lentil soup

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8 servings

Calories 252kcal

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage
• 2 carrots diced
• 1 onion diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup white wine optional
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups lentils
• 2 cups kale chopped
• 4 tablespoons pecorino romano cheese
• 1 16 oz Italian Plum Tomatoes
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

• Heat oil in dutch oven you will be making the soup in. Add loose sausage, break up into bite sized pieces, brown.
  
• Remove sausage to a bowl.
• In that same pan or pot, sauté carrot, onion, celery for five minutes. Add minced garlic. Sauté for five minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add minced garlic and cook for one minute.
• Add white wine and cook for five minutes. Add chicken broth.
• Using your hands crush the whole tomatoes with the puree into the pot.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Rinse lentils and look over for pebbles, etc. Add lentils to the soup.
  
• Bring to boil and then turn to simmer. Add fresh thyme. (Remove stems later).
• Once your lentils are cooked through (about 50 minutes), add kale. You will want to make sure to remove the inside ribs (if Tuscan Kale) and tear into bite sized pieces. Cook another 30 minutes on low.
• If you want to add heat, add 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes. You could also choose to put the chili flakes on the table and have people choose themselves.
• Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Serve with parmesan or pecorino romano on the side.
  
• You could also garnish with parsley. I usually don't do that when I use kale.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 8g | Fiber: 6g

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