We all need a few great one-pot recipes for no-fuss weeknight meals. Something you can just toss together, but is also healthy, hearty, and filling. This simple lentil soup with sausage ticks those boxes and more. In fact, it comes in a close second to a good pot of ham and beans on my scale of comfort food goodness.
This recipe is not only simple to make and pretty quick to throw together, but it’s also DASH diet-friendly, which is something that we need to focus on this year. It’s also chock-full of veggies and goodness, which makes it a completely guilt-free meal.
(And yes, you can skip the sausage if you want to go vegetarian, but it does add a lot to the flavor.)
Let’s see how easy lentil soup can be!
Just like any other soup, you can make lentil soup with whatever you happen to have on-hand. I rummaged around and found some celery, an onion, a sort-of janky carrot and some breakfast sausage in the fridge. this makes for a solid soup base to go with our lentils, so we’re off.
First, we chop our veggies. No fancy technique needed here, guys. This is a rough chop. Just hack those veggies down into bite-sized pieces and you’re golden.
Brown up that sausage in a bit of olive oil and then drain if necessary. (The sausage we get has very little fat, so I didn’t need to drain it, but this may not be the case for you.)
Note the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. This is where a lot of the flavor comes from, and we’ll be getting to that in just a second.
Toss in all your veggies and give everything a little sprinkle of salt. Stir this around occasionally until your veggies start to sweat a bit, and scrape the bottom of the pan with your spoon or spatula.
Once everything is hot and steamy, and all the brown bits have been scraped up off the bottom of the pot, we’re ready to move on.
Toss in the turmeric and garlic and stir to coat. Add in your lentils and stock or water. Then bring to a boil, lower the heat and let it simmer away for a while.
After about 35 minutes, check to see if your lentils are done to your liking. Give the soup a taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. That’s it. Done. I told you this was simple!
All Done!
And there you have it, guys. Dish your soup up into a bowl, garnish with a little celery leaf if your heart desires (or if you’re taking pictures like I was), and dig in! I promise this will make you and your family very happy.
And if you make a double or triple batch, this soup freezes extremely well. so pop it into some single-serving containers for later in the week. You’ll be glad you did.
Lentil Soup with Sausage
A rich and wholesome soup doesn't have to be daunting. This lentil soup recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner or a lazy Sunday afternoon binge-watching session. Enjoy with a bit of crusty bread and your favorite beverage.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 pound breakfast sausage
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 2 large celery stalks, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
- 2 cups lentils
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3 quarts chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
- Shredded cheese for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot on medium. Add sausage and brown, crumbling the sausage as it cooks. Drain if necessary.
- Add celery, carrots, onion, and a pinch of salt. stir until vegetables are softened slightly and all browned bits have been scraped from the bottom of the pot. Add garlic and turmeric, stir well to coat everything.
- Add lentils and chicken stock or water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes to one hour, or until lentils are cooked through.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 229Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 1401mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 12g
What I would have done differently:
I definitely would have added bay leaves to this lentil soup if I could have found them. It would have made the broth much richer in flavor, but all-in-all This was still outstanding.
If you want something even richer and more filling, feel free to toss in some potatoes, sweet potatoes or squash about 20 minutes before your soup is done. A half-cup of rice would add a little more heft to the soup as well.
Want a touch more flavor? Add a bit of curry powder, or maybe a dash of hot sauce or red pepper flakes for some zing.
What are your thoughts on this lentil soup?
So what are your opinions, guys? Is this lentil soup perfect the way it is, or can you think of something you just HAVE to add to the recipe for your family table?
Either way, we’d love to hear your opinions. So please feel free to leave a comment below. And if you try this recipe, be sure to rate it! The recipe ratings help us decide what we’ve done right so we know what to make next.
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Love Y’all, and until next time,
Food is love. Share and Enjoy!
This is great, Uncle Jerry!
Sounds easy and very healthy.
I will make this next weekend when my son gets to have 4 of his teeth pulled out and will be eating soft diet and soups for a few days.