Sausage Lentil Soup

There’s something so comforting about a big pot of sausage lentil soup simmering on the stove. It’s hearty, cozy, and packed with flavor, yet still easy enough to pull together on a weeknight. I love making this soup because it’s endlessly adaptable, whether you’re working with what you already have in the pantry, swapping in different veggies, or using your favorite sausage.

Every time I make it, it feels a little different, but always just as satisfying. Plus, it stores and reheats beautifully, which makes it perfect for meal prep or sharing with family and friends.

Before You Get Started

Here's what you need to know before making this soup recipe:

• Pick the right lentils: Traditionally, this soup is made with dried brown or green lentils. Green or yellow split peas would also work. I wouldn't recommend using red lentils since they break down when cooked. If you don't have lentils, you could make these with any type of canned beans.
• Choose flavorful sausage: Any type of sausage will work for this lentil soup. Normally, I like to start with raw sausage since it adds the most flavor, but sliced cooked sausage will work as well. If you don't have sausage, you could just use ground meat (chicken, turkey, beef, or pork) and add these Italian sausage spices to mimic thesame flavor.
• Don't skip the sauté step: Browning the sausage and vegetables first adds layers of flavor that carry through the whole soup.

How to Make Sausage Lentil Soup

This soup might sound intimidating, but it's so easy to make! Here's a quick breakdown:

1. Brown the sausage.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove sausage from casings if needed, then cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon.

2. Add vegetables.

Stir in onions, carrots, celery, and bell pepper. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened.

3. Add aromatics.

Add garlic, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

4. Add lentils and broth.

Stir in lentils, then add chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook covered 40–45 minutes until lentils are tender.

5. Finish with spinach.

Stir in spinach until just wilted. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with crusty bread or a green salad.

Pro tip: For an even richer flavor, add a splash of balsamic vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.

Easy Pantry Swaps and Tips

Change up the flavors depending on your preferences or what you've got stashed in the kitchen.

• Onion: If you don't have an onion, you could substitute leeks or shallots. You will want about 1 cup. You couldalso use about 1 tbsp of onion powder or 1/4 cup of dehydrated onion.
• Carrots, celery, red bell pepper: You can use any combination of fresh or frozen veggies in place of the carrots, celery, and red bell pepper. Add heartier veggies just after cooking the sausage. If you are using quicker cooking veggies (or most frozen veggies), add them in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking so that they don't get mushy.
• Garlic: If you don't have fresh garlic, you could use garlic powder, minced garlic (the kind in oil), or dehydrated garlic. Plan on 1/2 teaspoon of powder for each clove or 1 teaspoon of minced or dehydrated garlic.
• Bay leaf: You can leave this out if you don't have any bay leaves. You could add 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano or dried thyme in its place.
• Italian seasoning: If you don't have Italian seasoning, just add any combination of oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and marjoram.
• Red pepper flakes: If you want a spicier soup, add some red pepper flakes. You could substitute with a fresh jalapeno, chipotle pepper in adobo, or chili powder. If you use chipotles or chili powder, it will also add a smoky flavor.
• Chicken broth: Any type of broth will work for this soup. You can also use water and bouillon.
• Fresh spinach: If you don't have fresh, you can use frozen spinach. You could also add a heartier green like kale or chard, but add it with the other vegetables so it has plenty of time to cook. You can also leave this out or substitute another vegetable like zucchini, green beans, or cauliflower. Just add them 10-15 minutes before the soup is ready, so it has time to cook.

Storage and Reheating

Here's how to store leftovers so you can enjoy them again and again:

• Fridge: Store in airtight containers for 4–5 days.
• Freezer: Sausage lentil soup can be frozen for 3-4 months in an airtight container. Make sure to let it coolcompletely before freezing, and leave a little space in the container since the soup will expand when it freezes.
• Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth or water if the soup has thickened.

Recipe Ideas

There are lots of ways to customize this soup to make it your own.

• Add some canned, diced tomatoes to the soup. Drain off the juice and add the tomatoes when you add the spinach.
• For more tomato flavor, add 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the soup when you add the garlic.
• For a vegetarian soup, use a vegetarian sliced sausage or crumbled meat product.
• Try it with different types of sausages to change the flavor.
• Swap in whatever vegetables you have on hand to use what's in your fridge or freezer.
• Make the soup heartier with the addition of some canned white cannellini beans.
• Top your finished soup with some pesto and Parmesan cheese.
• Make an extra spicy soup by adding a couple of fresh chopped jalapenos instead of the bell pepper.