Italian Sausage and Lentil Soup
When you’re craving a cozy bowl of soup, this hearty sausage and lentil soup satisfies in a deliciously healthy way. It’s full of protein from turkey sausage and lentils and packed with vegetables like chopped kale, carrots, celery, and onions in a tomato broth.
If you love hearty soups like my ground turkey vegetable soup or chicken and corn chowder, I think you’ll love this one, too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients needed to make this soup. Substitutions and variations are in the section below.
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.
Sausage. I recommend using Italian turkey sausage because it’s much leaner than Italian pork sausage but still has all those spices. Use sweet or hot sausage, depending on your preference.
Lentils. Use dried brown lentils. They cook quickly (in about 20-30 minutes) and tend to break apart, which helps thicken the soup.
Canned crushed tomatoes. I use crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, but plain or basil-seasoned tomatoes work well, too. You can also use canned whole tomatoes and crush them with your hands before you add them to the soup.
Spices. Dried oregano and fennel seeds enhance the Italian flavors in this soup. Make sure you crush your fennel seeds.
Kale. Use chopped kale that comes in a bag to keep things easy. Or chop it yourself if you have whole kale leaves. Lacinato (also called Tuscan or dinosaur kale) or curly kale are readily available and work well. When chopping the kale, remove the tough stems if desired, or leave them and let them soften when they cook.
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitute spinach or Swiss chard for the kale.
- Add other vegetables like cut green beans, diced zucchini, or chopped sweet yellow pepper.
- For a spicy version, use hot Italian sausage and add a generous pinch of red pepper flakes.
- If you have a Parmesan rind in the freezer, add it to the soup while it’s simmering for extra flavor.
- For a vegan option, omit the sausage and use vegetable stock. Add extra oregano and crushed fennel seeds to boost the flavor.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Saute the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Chop everything into small, diced-sized pieces and saute for about five minutes or until it starts to turn golden.
2. Add the crumbled sausage. Saute for another five minutes or until the sausage is no longer pink. Add the salt, pepper, and spices.
3. Add the canned tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring the soup to a boil.
4. Add the chopped kale and lentils. Let the soup return to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the lentils and carrots are tender.
Expert Tips
What to Eat With Sausage and Lentil Soup
Serve this hearty soup with:
- A fall harvest salad
- Sweet potato cornbread
- Fennel and orange salad
- Cranberry orange shortbread cookies for dessert
Recipe FAQs
Yes. This soup reheats beautifully. You can store it in a covered container (or the pot) in the refrigerator for up to three days, or freeze it for up to three months.
Lentils are edible seeds of legumes. They are even higher in protein and fiber than vegetables. They’re also a great source of folate, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins.
Other Hearty Soup Recipes
If you love cozy, hearty soups all fall and winter, try these recipes too.
Italian Sausage and Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 medium celery stalks diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 4 medium garlic cloves minced
- 8 ounces Italian turkey sausage 2 large links
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or less if desired
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried fennel seeds crushed
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 5 oz kale chopped
- 3/4 cup dried brown lentils
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, and sauté the onion, celery, and carrots for about 5 minutes or until they start to brown. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more.
- Remove the sausage from the casings, and crumble it into the pot. Cook, stirring well to break up sausage for about five minutes or until it is no longer pink.
- Add the salt, pepper, oregano and crushed fennel seeds to pot and sauté for one minute.
- Add the entire can of tomatoes and the chicken stock. Bring the soup to a boil. Add the chopped kale and lentils to the stockpot. Return the soup to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender..
- Add extra salt, oregano, or fennel seeds to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
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Great recipe, I had almost all of the ingredients subbed the Turkey sausage with Pork because that is what I had but turned out very tasty and I will make again.
I’m so glad you like it Laura!
This soup is hearty and filling but healthy at the same time. A delicious blend of flavors and a family favorite!
Great hearty recipe for the entire winter (and love those bowls!)
Hi Ann,
I make a lentil dish very similar to this recipe but I like your addition of fennel seed. I’m going to throw some in next time. Regarding the Spaniards and grapes, believe me, almost everyone ends up choking on them because they get to laughing. And you can only put one grape at each stroke of the bell. My sister-in-law buys them already peeled so she can get them down faster. I’m glad you’ve created your own lucky dish.