Roasted Sausage Lentil Soup

Easy to cook lentils set the stage for a hearty soup packed full of vegetables and chunks of roasted hot Italian sausage. Truly a balanced meal in a bowl, it’s perfect for a cold day when you need something satisfying and warm in your belly. I put a pot of this together before going out to shovel the many inches of snow that fell through the night and when the snow removal was complete I was rewarded by a warm and spicy bowl of goodness.

 

 

 The ingredient list  for this easy lentil soup recipe is not long or difficult to come by:

• 1/2 bag of brown lentils
• 1 pound hot Italian sausage
• 2 cups stock, chicken or vegetable
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1 medium can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper

 

Directions:

Begin by putting the chopped onions, carrot, celery, lentils and bay leaf in a soup kettle with the two cups of stock.

Heat to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until the vegetables soften and the lentils begin to absorb the stock.

Meanwhile put your sausage links into a 450 degree oven on a lightly greased pan. Shake the pan a few times while the sausage is cooking, but do not poke!  When they are nicely browned after several minutes (depending on the size of your sausage links) remove from the oven, let cool and cut into chunks. 

 

 

 To the softened vegetables and lentils, add the can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, a bit of salt and pepper  along with enough water just to cover. It only takes about 45 minutes for the lentils to completely cook and soften.

 

 

Add water to the pot as the soup cooks if needed, and at the very end of the cooking time add the baby spinach. I put them in whole, but you are using a large leaf spinach, rinse thouroughly and chop into smaller pieces. Also add the sausage and enough water to get the consistency you like – anything from a thick stew to a brothy soup. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.

 

 

 Set the soup on warm and let the flavors meld together. My snow clearing efforts took about an hour, and my soup was just right when I came back inside. A little freshly grated parmesan on top and despite the cold winter weather I was happy that at least soup season is here!