Name: Sausage and Lentil Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 lbs sweet Italian sausage; 2 leeks, chopped; 2 celery stalks, chopped; 2 medium carrots, chopped; 5 oz baby bella mushrooms; 10 cups chicken broth; ¼ cup tomato paste; 1 red pepper, chopped; 1 cup lentils; 4 oz bag of spinach; ½ lemon, juiced; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp salt; 1 teaspoon oregano; 1 teaspoon parsley; ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil

A delicious and hearty lentil soup perfect for a cold winter day. Sausage and Lentil Soup with leeks and carrots, topped with spinach and simmered with a parmesan rind for a flavorful and filling soup is one of my family's favorite classic Italian soup recipes!

If you love hearty lentil soups, try our Barley Lentil Soupor White Bean Lentil Soup!

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My Family's Soup Recipe

I made this recipe on a whim one day when my parents were coming up to visit and we've been making it regularly since then. It's so easy and delicious. It combines the classic flavor of Italian Lentilsfilled with vegetables and homemade sweet Italian Sausage.

This is one of those soups that makes your house really smell like childhood. Like your mom has been cooking in the kitchen all day and you come in from outside to a house with that dinner aroma.

This soup pairs perfectly with our Gruyere Grilled Cheeseor Eggplant Caprese Grilled Cheeseto serve for a big soup and sandwich lunch that can rival any of your favorite lunch spots!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Sweet Italian Sausage. I prefer to use sweet Italian sausage and I use my own Homemade Italian Sausage Seasoning with ground pork. You can pick up sausage at the supermarket. You could also substitute hot Italian sausage to spice up the flavor.
Lentils. Green or red lentils will work with this recipe. Use whatever you have. I used green. Make sure to rinse them and check for small little pebbles and whatnot. They can be a little elusive sometimes.
Mushrooms. I use baby bella mushrooms. Substitute shitake or lion's mane for a more earthy flavor.
Leeks. I love the flavor of leeks with sausage. It's the perfect combination but you could substitute onion in place of leeks. They're very similar in flavor.
Tomato Paste. I love the tomato base of this soup. Caramelizing the tomato paste adds an intense tomato flavor to the soup and gives it more depth.
Seasoning. I seasoned with oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. I also used bay leaves to give it that subtle earthy flavor.
Parmesan Rind. I add a parmesan rind to all of my soups to add extra flavor and depth. Save your parmesan rinds so you can add them to your soups and sauces too!

*Please see the recipe card below for more information on ingredients.

How to Make Sausage and Lentil Soup

This soup is so delicious, plus it's easy to make. Make sure to serve it with some nice crusty Italian bread to soak up some of the soup!

Step 1: Place the dutch oven on the stovetop on medium-high heat. Add your sausage to the pot and sear for 2-3 minutes untouched. Break apart the sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage and set it aside.

Step 2: Lower the heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Stir in the celery and leeks. Saute for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the oregano, parsley, pepper, and crushed red pepper.

Sauteing vegetables with tomato paste caramelizing in a pot.

Step 3: Stir in the mushrooms, carrots, and red pepper. Saute for another 5 minutes until the mushrooms begin to darken or brown. Add the tomato paste and stir it into the vegetables. Allow the vegetable mix to sit for 3 minutes to caramelize the tomato paste.

Step 4: Pour the chicken broth into the pot. Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Lower the soup to a simmer and return the sausage to the soup. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 5: Stir in the lentils and simmer for 25 minutes.

Step 6: Add the spinach to the pot and cover for 3 minutes. Remove the cover and add the lemon juice. Stir and serve.

You can also top this soup with some Homemade Italian Parmesan Croutons and extra parmesan cheese for serving!

If you love this soup you'd also love our Chicken Tortellini Soup, One-Pot Lasagna Soup, orBroccoli Rabe and Tortellini Soup!

Pro-Tips for Soup

Sear the sausage to get a brown crust on the sausage and allow a fond to develop on the pot. This will increase the flavor of the soup and make it much more savory.
Caramelize the tomato paste. It's okay if it starts browning at the bottom of the pot. This caramelization of the tomato will intensify the tomato flavor of the soup.
Add lemon juice at the end to brighten up the flavor of the soup.
Add a parmesan rind when you add the chicken broth to increase the depth of the soup and add a slightly nutty flavor.
Salt throughout the cooking process and taste your soup often.
Rinse your lentils to clean any debris and check to any small pebbles.

Recipe FAQs

Do I need to rinse lentils before making soup?

Yes, it's good to rinse lentils of any dust before cooking them. Plus you can check for pebbles that may have been missed during processing while rinsing them.

Can I freeze lentil soup?

Yes. When you reheat, you may want to add more chicken broth or water because the lentils will soak up a lot of liquid and the soup will be thicker.