Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Lentil Soup with Smoked Sausage
Smoked sausage gives this lentil soup a savory depth that makes a bowl especially inviting. The lentils soften into the tomato broth, with tender vegetables tucked throughout. A little parsley on top brings a fresh note as you settle down to enjoy a generous serving.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 14 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Beans & lentils
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Soups · Soups & stews
A few quick notes
1. Soften the vegetables
Let the onion, carrots and celery soften in the olive oil before adding the sausage.
2. Lightly brown the sausage
Cook the sausage with the softened vegetables until just browned before adding the garlic.
3. Check the lentils
Let the soup simmer until the lentils are tender, then finish with the chopped parsley.
Get to know the ingredients
Lentils
Rinse the dry brown lentils before adding them to the broth; they cook directly in the soup.
Tomatoes
Keep the diced tomatoes undrained so their liquid joins the broth and tomato paste.
Sausage
Halve and slice the smoked sausage before browning it among the softened vegetables in the pot.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 5 steps completeMake room for Lentil Soup with Smoked Sausage
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Parsley before serving
Sprinkle chopped parsley over the tender lentils and sausage just before ladling out the soup.
A little more help as you go
Brief garlic stage
Give the minced garlic its short cook after the sausage browns, before pouring in broth.
Stir in tomato paste
Add the tomato paste with the broth and diced tomatoes so it can blend into the soup.
A few questions you might have
Do the lentils need cooking separately?
No, the rinsed dry brown lentils simmer directly in the seasoned broth until tender.
When do I add Italian seasoning?
Add it with the broth, tomatoes and lentils before bringing the soup to a simmer.
Should the carrots be peeled?
Yes, peel the carrots, halve them lengthwise and slice them before softening with the other vegetables.
Is the sausage added at the end?
It browns near the beginning, then stays in the pot as the lentils cook.
What texture tells me the soup is ready?
The lentils should be tender at the end of the simmer before the parsley is added.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: dinneratthezoo.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
