Rich Lentil Soup with Italian Sausage and Tomatoes is a comforting and satisfying soup full of layers of flavor from bright vegetables, savory Italian sausage, and earthy lentils. Perfect for cold weather when you want a delicious and nourishing meal.
When the temperatures dip and the days are shorter, comfort food is what we crave. This hearty soup is full of vegetables such as carrots, celery, zucchini, and bell peppers. Stew-like in texture, chunky pieces of Italian sausage combine with diced tomatoes, meaty lentils, and ditalini pasta to make a substantial soup.
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What are the different varieties of lentils?
There are different types and sizes of dried lentils, each with different properties. Some of the common varieties are listed below.
- The most common type is brown lentils. They hold their shape while cooking which makes them a good choice for salads and soups.
- Green lentils come in a variety of sizes and tend to have a peppery flavor. Much like the brown lentils, they keep their shape during cooking.
- Red and yellow lentils are split, meaning they have the skins removed so they separate into halves. As a result of this processing, these lentils disintegrate while cooking. Red lentils can be used as a thickener in soups or stews.
- Puy lentils also known as French lentils are grown in the volcanic soil of the Le Puy region. These small green lentils keep their shape and have an earthy and somewhat peppery flavor. These are the lentils used in this recipe.
Here is another lentil soup recipe to try - https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/creamy-mushroom-lentil-soup/
Ingredients for Lentil and Sausage Soup
Vegetables
This chunky soup is full of a variety of healthy vegetables such as onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, and bell peppers. The onions, carrots, and celery act as the aromatic flavor base, mire poix. The zucchini and bell peppers add sweet and bright flavors. Baby kale is the last ingredient added to the soup. The slight bitterness of the kale is a good contrast to the sweet vegetables and the acidic tomatoes.
Italian Sausage
This flavorful sausage adds a meaty texture and savory flavor to the soup. You decide how much texture you want - big chunky pieces among the other ingredients or smaller almost minced pieces that combine easily with the lentils. Depending on your heat preference choose either the sweet/mild variety or the hot/spicy Italian sausage.
Tomatoes
Two types of tomato products are used in the soup recipe. Canned diced tomatoes save time while preparing the soup. I used petite diced tomatoes but any size is fine. Tomato paste adds some concentrated depth of flavor to the broth of the soup.
Aromatics and Herbs
Several herbs and spices add personality to the flavor profile. If you prefer to use dried herbs instead of fresh, use one-third of the amount. Dried spices and herbs have concentrated flavors.
- Of course, garlic for its pungent taste and aroma.
- Fresh thyme adds a peppery flavor and an herbal scent.
- Fresh rosemary is a great match for the meaty sausage and the acidic tomatoes.
- Crushed red pepper flakes add a background hint of heat. You determine how much you want to use. The red pepper flakes can be omitted if you prefer.
- A bay leaf adds a subtle herbal flavor to the stock.
Essential Ingredients
Chicken stock is the basis of this soup. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer the flavor.
Ditalini is a touch of pasta and the perfect size for a soup.
Garnishes
Just a touch of balsamic vinegar added at the end of simmering adds a bit of sweetness to the depth of flavor.
I like to add a sprinkle of grated pecorino romano cheese and some chopped chives to garnish the soup.
How to make the soup
Prep work
- Cut all the vegetables into ¼-1/2 inch slices. Mince the garlic, thyme, and rosemary.
- Add extra virgin olive oil to a large pot. Over medium-high heat lightly caramelize the onions to start the first layer of flavor. Season with salt and pepper. Once they are translucent and the edges of the onions are brown, remove them to a plate.
- Add the Italian sausage to the pot. If you have sausage links, remove them from the casings. Crumble the sausage with a spatula as it browns. How much you crumble the sausage is up to you. Let some of the surfaces become brown, almost seared. You will notice the bottom of the pot browning. This is a great flavor enhancer. Just make sure it doesn't burn. When the sausage is cooked, remove any excess fat that has been rendered.
Add the soup ingredients
- Add the onions, garlic, and chopped herbs to the pot and stir.
- Once the garlic is fragrant, add the chopped vegetables, the lentils, and the ditalini.
- Stir in the two cans of diced tomatoes and the chicken stock. Start to scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven to release any browned bits.
- Add the tomato paste while stirring the soup to dissolve it. Throw in the bay leaf.
Simmer the soup
- Bring the soup to a small boil over high heat. Once you see the small bubbles, reduce the heat to medium and simmer the soup for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the lentils and ditalini are not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- When the pasta and lentils are soft but not mushy, add the baby kale to the soup.
- Season the soup with kosher salt, ground black pepper, crushed red chile flakes, and balsamic vinegar. Cook for another 5 minutes then taste the soup to check the seasoning. Adjust if needed.
Serve
- When serving the soup garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of pecorino romano cheese and some chopped chives. And definitely add some crusty bread for some serious dipping.
Some Great Options for Substitutions
Here are a few ideas for ingredient substitutions.
- Fresh spinach or escarole are great options if you don't want kale.
- Turkey Italian sausage can be swapped for pork Italian sausage.
- A squeeze of lemon juice would taste good in the soup if you don't want to add balsamic.
- The soup will taste delicious with other garnishes such as sour cream, plain yogurt, or creme fraiche.
- Try other cheeses as a garnish. Suggestions are goat or parmesan cheese.
FAQ
This hearty Rich Lentil and Italian Sausage Soup is delicious on its own, but you can also serve it with crusty bread, a side salad, or some roasted green beans for a complete and satisfying meal.
Yes, you can store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for later use. It often tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to meld. If the pasta and lentils have absorbed a lot of the stock, add water and a tablespoon of tomato paste to the soup. You may need to adjust the seasoning.
Yes, you can freeze this soup in an airtight container for later use. It's a convenient option for meal prep, and it will still taste great when reheated.
If you find your soup is too thin, you can use a wooden spoon to mash some of the lentils against the side of the slow cooker or pot to help thicken it. You can also add a bit of tomato sauce or a splash of red wine vinegar for extra flavor.
Perfect meal
A hearty lentil soup is a perfect meal this time of year. The nutty flavor of lentils, the savory Italian sausage, the tangy notes of the tomatoes, and the fresh veggies all add up to a flavorful and delicious recipe.
Rich Lentil and Italian Sausage Soup with Tomatoes is a delightful blend of textures and flavors that's sure to satisfy your taste buds and keep you warm on a chilly day.
Recipe
Rich Lentil Soup with Italian Sausage and Tomatoes
Equipment
- 1 cutting board
- 1 knife
- 1 stock pot or dutch oven
- 1 spatula
- 1 ladle
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion, thinly sliced (4.5 ounces/128 grams)
- 1 pound Italian sausage (454 grams)
- 1 cup sliced carrots (4.5 ounces/128 grams)
- 1 cup sliced celery (4 ounces/115 grams)
- 1 cup sliced zucchini (4.5 ounces/128 grams)
- 1 cup sliced bell pepper (4.5 ounces/128 grams)
- 1½ tablespoons chopped garlic (3 large cloves)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 cup lentils (7 ounces/198 grams)
- 1 cup ditalini (5 ounces/141 grams)
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 14.5-ounce cans of diced tomatoes (812 grams)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups baby kale (2.5 ounces/47 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped chives
- ½ cup pecorino romano cheese
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables
- This is a chunky soup. It is helpful if the vegetables are approximately the same size for even cooking.
- You will need ½ of a large onion. Cut the onion into thin slices.
- The carrots, celery and bell pepper are chopped into ¼-½ inch slices.
- Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Then cut the halves in half again. Slice the quarters into ¼-½ inch pieces.
- Finely mince the garlic cloves, thyme and rosemary.
Saute the onions and sausage
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the thinly sliced onion, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- Occasionally stir the onions until they start to wilt, look translucent, and the edges are brown. After 9-10 minutes remove the onions from the pot and set aside.
- Add the sausage to the stockpot. If you are using links, remove the sausage from the casing. With a spatula, break the sausage up into pieces. It is up to you how big you want the sausage pieces in the soup. Keep stirring the sausage so that it is evenly browned. This takes 9-10 minutes. Remove any excess fat that has been rendered.
Prepare the soup
- When the sausage is browned, add the onions, garlic, thyme, and rosemary to the pot and stir to combine.
- Once the garlic is fragrant, add the prepped vegetables to the pot - carrots, celery, zucchini, and bell pepper. Add the lentils and ditalini to the soup. Stir to make sure the pasta is not sticking to the bottom of the pot and to evenly distribute the vegetables with the sausage.
- Pour the chicken stock, diced tomatoes, and bay leaf into the pot. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the soup and stir until the tomato paste has dissolved into the stock.
- Bring the soup to a slight boil over high heat, just until you see small bubbles. Turn the heat down to medium and let the soup simmer. Occasionally stir the soup to make sure the pasta and lentils are not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Continue cooking the soup for about 25 minutes until the pasta and the lentils are cooked. They should be soft but not mushy.
- Add the baby kale to the soup and stir to incorporate with the other ingredients.
- Season the soup with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.
- Cook the soup for 5 minutes, the taste to make the seasoning is to your liking. Adjust as needed.
- When serving the soup, garnish with a sprinkling of chopped chives and a grated pecorino romano.
Notes
Note
Puy lentils also known as French lentils are the type used for this recipe. You can use brown lentils also.Some Great Options for Substitutions
Here are a few ideas for ingredient substitutions.- Fresh spinach or escarole are great options if you don't want kale.
- Turkey Italian sausage can be swapped for pork Italian sausage.
- A squeeze of lemon juice would taste good in the soup if you don't want to add balsamic.
- The soup will taste delicious with other garnishes such as sour cream, plain yogurt, or creme fraiche.
- Try other cheeses as a garnish. Suggestions are goat or parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
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