Description
This hearty Lentil Sausage Soup combines savory ground sausage with nutritious brown lentils, vegetables, and a blend of seasonings to create a comforting, flavorful meal perfect for any day. Simmered to perfection with chicken and beef broth as well as diced tomatoes, this soup is rich and satisfying with a slight kick from hot sauce, balanced by the depth of Worcestershire sauce and herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Soup
- 1 lb. ground sausage, hot or mild
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage: Remove casings from sausage links if using. Heat a large pot over medium heat, add sausage and crumble it. Cook halfway through, then cover partially and stir occasionally until fully cooked, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, add reserved sausage drippings and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots, cooking for 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add Flour and Tomato Paste: Stir in flour and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to form a roux, which will thicken the soup.
- Add Broths and Scrape Pot: Gradually add chicken and beef broths in splashes, scraping the bottom of the pot with a spatula to release any browned bits for extra flavor.
- Add Seasonings and Lentils: Stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lentils, bay leaf, dried basil, parsley, oregano, mustard powder, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover partially and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finish the Soup: Return cooked sausage to the pot, add diced tomatoes, and simmer uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Adjust consistency with a little water or broth if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
- Adding chopped kale or spinach in the last few minutes boosts nutrition and flavor; kale for 5 minutes, spinach for 3 minutes.
- Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder enhance flavor without making it spicy.
- Use low sodium broth for a lower salt option since sausage is salty.
- Reduce sausage to ¾ lb or ½ lb for a brothier soup consistency.
- Ground turkey can replace sausage for a lighter alternative.
- Green lentils are an option but require longer cooking due to a tougher texture; avoid canned or red lentils.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
