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Home » Soup » Lentil Soup with Smoked Sausage

January 31, 2019 By Sara 31 Comments

Lentil Soup with Smoked Sausage

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This hearty lentil soup is made with smoked sausage, vegetables, tomatoes and lentils, all simmered in an herb broth. An easy one pot dinner option that the whole family will love!

In my opinion, you can never go wrong with soup. Whether it’s a slow cooker chicken tortellini soup or a savory stuffed pepper soup, it’s always a hit in my house. This lentil soup is full of flavor, color and texture and is a total crowd pleaser.

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A pot of lentil soup flavored with vegetables, tomatoes and smoked sausage, then garnished with chopped parsley.

I try to incorporate lentils into my family’s diet when possible. Lentils are full of nutrition, inexpensive and packed with protein. A veggie packed lentil soup is our favorite way to enjoy lentils, the smoked sausage really makes this one special!

How do you make lentil soup?

This soup starts with carrots, onions and celery cooked in a little olive oil. The veggies are combined with smoked sausage, brown lentils, chicken broth, tomatoes and herb. The soup simmers until the lentils are tender, then it’s time to eat!

Sauteed carrot, celery and onion in a soup pot.

Do you have to soak lentils before cooking them?

Unlike other dried legumes, lentils are quick cooking. They are typically ready to eat after a 20-30 minute simmer. Therefore, you do not have to worry about soaking your lentils before you cook them. That being said, good to give them a quick rinse before they go into the pot!

Are lentils healthy?

Lentils are chock full of folic acid, iron, potassium, manganese and Vitamin B6. They’re also relatively low calorie, high fiber, and loaded with protein. Lentils are a great choice for a healthy diet, especially combined with the veggies in this soup.

Sauteed vegetables and smoked sausage in a pot.

Tips for lentil soup

  • I use the rope style pre-cooked smoked sausage for this soup. I typically use turkey sausage because it has less fat and calories, but still has plenty of flavor.
  • This recipe calls for brown lentils, which are the most common lentils that can be found in all grocery stores. If you prefer, you can use green lentils. I wouldn’t use red lentils for this recipe, as they tend to get mushy and not hold their shape.
  • Lentil soup is the perfect candidate for the freezer. Place your soup in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Lentil soup can also be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days before you plan to enjoy it.
  • I like to serve lentil soup with a side of bread, such as garlic knots or honey cornbread.

Sausage, vegetables, dried lentils and tomatoes in a pot.

Vegetarian Lentil Soup

Looking to make a meatless lentil soup? You can easily adapt this recipe by omitting the sausage, adding an extra 1/2 cup of lentils, and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. I’d recommend adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the soup so that you still get that great smoky flavor without the meat.

Slow cooker Lentil Soup

Lentil soup can easily be made in the slow cooker. Simply saute your vegetables and sausage, then place everything except for the parsley in a slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 3-4 hours or until lentils are tender.

A bowl of lentil soup made with smoked sausage and vegetables.

I make this soup constantly during the colder weather months – it’s quick to put together, relatively healthy and totally delicious!

More fabulous soup recipes

  • Mexican Meatball Soup
  • Tortellini Minestrone Soup
  • Chicken Taco Soup
  • Alphabet Soup
  • Beef Noodle Soup
A pot of lentil soup flavored with vegetables, tomatoes and smoked sausage, then garnished with chopped parsley.
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5 from 14 votes

Lentil Soup with Smoked Sausage

This hearty lentil soup is made with smoked sausage, vegetables, tomatoes and lentils, all simmered in an herb broth. An easy one pot dinner option that the whole family will love!
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword lentil soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 269kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup onion diced
  • 3 carrots peeled, halved and sliced
  • 3 stalks celery sliced
  • 14 ounces smoked sausage halved and sliced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 15 ounce can diced tomatoes do not drain
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 1/2 cups dry brown lentils rinsed
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened.
  • Add the sausage and cook for 2-3 more minutes or until just browned.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, lentils and salt and pepper to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
  • Cook for 20-25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 507mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5350IU | Vitamin C: 27.6mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2.2mg

Filed Under: Dinner, Soup Tagged With: Carrots, Sausage, Tomatoes

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Comments

  1. Sara Colvin says

    February 10, 2019 at 7:47 am

    5 stars
    This was delicious!! I’d never had lentils before, and these flavors together were amazing!!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      February 10, 2019 at 8:20 am

      I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it and I appreciate you reporting back!

      Reply
  2. Nati says

    February 8, 2019 at 8:01 am

    This sounds delicious! It looks very similar to a traditional recipe we inherited from the Spanish “guiso de lentejas” meaning “lentil stew”. Except we add bell peppers and squash as the scope is to have the whole thing become less liquid tha a soup.

    Reply
  3. Ingrid says

    February 5, 2019 at 4:39 pm

    Lentil is one of my favorite pulses to eat. I can’t remember having lentil soup, however. But with those tasty veggies and precooked turkey sausages added to the lentils that soup is guaranteed to be delicious.

    Reply
  4. Bethany Stout says

    February 5, 2019 at 12:41 am

    5 stars
    Wow this looks amazing. I have been looking for some great soup recipes since it has been so cold. thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  5. itsnadianelson says

    February 4, 2019 at 6:21 pm

    This looks so delicious! Brown lentils are my favorite. Within in a soup or with rice and meat. Looking forward to trying this.

    Reply
  6. Becca Talbot says

    February 4, 2019 at 6:06 am

    Mmmmm, this looks amazing! I’d definitely like to give this recipe a whirl! I love lentils in soups 🙂 x

    Reply
  7. Sincerely Miss J says

    February 3, 2019 at 3:19 pm

    This is perfect cold weather recipe. Adding to my must try list.

    Reply
  8. Kisha Stewart-Harris says

    February 3, 2019 at 7:55 am

    5 stars
    I tried this soup, and let me tell you– it was fantastic! All I did was sub out the sausage for veggie sausage, but other than that, I followed the recipe to a tee. It was delicious. Will definitely be making this again!

    Reply
  9. Melissa M Sanchez says

    February 3, 2019 at 6:22 am

    5 stars
    this recipe looks so so good. especially for colder months, when you get tired of the same ol’ recipes. I am adding this one to our weekly menu for sure!

    Reply
  10. Soniachic95 says

    February 3, 2019 at 5:11 am

    Oh gosh these soups Looks So delicious,I’m pretty much hungry after looking at them yummm!

    Reply
  11. Mika says

    February 3, 2019 at 1:09 am

    This looks soo good! I’ll definitely try it out, and your recipe is very easy to follow.

    Reply
  12. Shannon Gurnee says

    February 2, 2019 at 10:26 pm

    I haven’t made Lentil and Sausage Soup in such a long time. Looks like a delicious soup!

    Reply
  13. matthew says

    February 2, 2019 at 3:45 pm

    I never heard of lentil soup before but looks tasty. thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
  14. Anita Mckaney says

    February 2, 2019 at 2:07 pm

    I love the vegetarian soup option. My first thought when I saw the pics was “just take out the sausage please”. Thanks for the variations. Looks amazing!!

    Reply
  15. Yeah Lifestyle says

    February 2, 2019 at 12:12 pm

    5 stars
    This looks like such a fulfilling and delicious dish! Nothing beats a big old bowl of soup at this time of year.

    Reply
  16. John Mulindi says

    February 2, 2019 at 11:12 am

    I haven’t prepared lentil soup before, but thanks to your article, just learned how I can prepare it.

    Reply
  17. Stephanie Jeannot says

    February 2, 2019 at 10:50 am

    I have not had a nice bowl of lentil soup in a very long time and ironically I just told someone that yesterday and now I come to your post. I did not know that lentil had so many good benefits to eating it. I also did not know that you could freeze it and keep it for a while. I will make some soon.

    Reply
  18. SUJATA TAWDE says

    February 2, 2019 at 1:01 am

    5 stars
    Ooh , I can actually smell the aroma of this Lentil soup. , WE Indians have similar dish like this called Sambaar, which we prepare almost daily.

    Reply
  19. Jasemine-Denise says

    February 1, 2019 at 2:39 pm

    I’ve definitely gotta try this. My best friend has been raving about lentils but I’ve always been so nervous about it. This must be the sign!

    Reply
  20. Stacie says

    February 1, 2019 at 12:36 pm

    5 stars
    That sounds amazing! I love the smokiness of the sausage with the earthiness of the lentils. I can’t wait to make this!

    Reply
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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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