Rich and hearty lentil soup is made with sweet Italian sausage, tender veggies and fire roasted diced tomatoes. A fast and easy weeknight dinner recipe!
Soup is one of my favorite go-to recipes for quick, weeknight meals. And since winter takes up a large majority of the year here in Michigan, my family never shies away from a warm, comforting bowl of soup. This hearty Lentil Soup with Sausage and Spinach is also filled with tender carrots, fire roasted diced tomatoes, and garlic for a super tasty and filling meal.
Why You’ll Love this Lentil Soup with Sausage and Spinach
- Perfect for prepping ahead, and it tastes even better the next day or two.
- Easy to make and feed a crowd, but leftovers are perfect for lunches throughout the week.
- Hearty and filling, it’s especially comforting on a chilly, fall or winter evening!
Ingredients
- Sausage: Mild, spicy, or sweet Italian sausage all works for this dish.
- Onion: I usually use a sweet onion for its mild flavor.
- Carrots: Slightly sweet in flavor, they cook down to be tender but not mushy.
- Celery: Mild in flavor, but chalk full of vitamins and nutrients.
- Garlic: Nutty, pungent, and aromatic.
- Cumin: Warm and a little smoky and peppery.
- Lentils: I usually use green or brown lentils, but you can use any type of lentil.
- Stock: I usually use chicken broth for the base of this soup, store bought or homemade will work well.
- Spinach: Full of iron and other vitamins, the soup cooks out most of the bitter flavor.
- Diced tomatoes: I like to use fire-roasted diced tomatoes to add another depth of flavor.
Easy Substitutions
- Switch the greens. Instead of spinach, you could use kale, chard, or collard greens.
- Up the heat. Want to give it more of a kick? Use spicy Italian sausage and sprinkle some chili flakes before serving.
- Add more vegetables. Soups are a great way to use up what’s left in your produce drawer. Toss in peppers, squash, potatoes, or corn.
- Make it vegetarian. Skip the sausage all together, and use veggie stock instead of chicken and this dish is vegetarian and vegan!
How to Make Lentil Soup with Sausage and SPinach
Step 1. Start your lentil soup by dicing your onion, carrots, and celery stalks.
Step 2. In the bottom of a large pot, remove your sausage from the casings and cook until browned. Then remove and set aside.
Step 3. In the juices from the sausage, add your veggies with the cumin and some salt and pepper. Cook until softened, and add the garlic.
Step 4. Once veggies are tender, add the rinsed and sorted lentils.
Step 5. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
Step 6. Stir the sausage back to the pot, along with the spinach and diced tomatoes. Simmer for another 10 minutes or so.
Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheeses or sriracha sauce, serve, and enjoy your Lentil Soup with Sausage and Spinach!
Frequently Asked Questions
How healthy is lentil soup for you?
Lentils are packed full of many nutrients like folate, iron, and B vitamins, making lentil soup very good for you!
How do you keep lentils from getting mushy in soup?
If your lentils are mushy, then it’s likely they are overcooked. Whether you soak your lentils or not, cook the lentils until they are tender then remove from heat.
Should I cook lentils before adding to soup?
There’s no need! Lentil will cook while the soup cooks, although you can soak the lentils before hand if you want to quicken the cook time.
More Hearty Soups
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The perfect meal as the weather starts cooling off, your family will love my Lentil Soup with Sausage and Spinach.
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Lentil Soup with Sausage and Spinach
Rich and hearty lentil soup is made with sweet Italian sausage, tender veggies and fire roasted diced tomatoes. A fast and easy weeknight dinner recipe!
Pin
Servings8
- 5 Italian sausage links (hot or sweet)
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 3 carrots (peeled and diced)
- 3 celery stalks (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups lentils (rinsed and sorted)
- 64 ounces chicken broth (low sodium)
- 32 ounces spinach (large, cut)
- 32 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes
- Sherry vinegar (optional garnish)
- Sriracha (optional garnish)
- parsley (minced – optional garnish)
- parmesan cheese (optional garnish)
Heat a large soup pot over medium-high and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Remove sausage from casings and brown in pot using wooden spoon to break into small pieces.
5 Italian sausage links
Brown sausage and remove from pan.
Using sausage drippings, saute onions, carrots and celery until soft about 7 minutes.
1 large onion, 3 carrots, 3 celery stalks
Season with cumin, salt and pepper to help release juices.
1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
Add garlic and cook additional 60 seconds.
4 cloves garlic
Stir in lentils and chicken broth; bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes or until lentils are done.
2 cups lentils, 64 ounces chicken broth
Pour sausage back into the pan as well as spinach and tomatoes. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes or longer.
32 ounces spinach, 32 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes
Serve with a splash of sherry vinegar and sriracha hot sauce.
Sherry vinegar, Sriracha, parsley, parmesan cheese
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Excellent source of Vitamin A and Iron, great source of Vitamin C and Calcium.
Serving: 16ounces | Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 1917mg | Potassium: 1562mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 14935IU | Vitamin C: 56.1mg | Calcium: 220mg | Iron: 9.2mg
#Lentil #Soup #Sausage #Spinach #Lemon #Bowl