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This hearty Lentil & Sausage Soup with Greens is the perfect comfort meal for any day of the week. Packed with protein-rich lentils, savory sausage, and nutrient-dense greens, it’s both nourishing and delicious. Whether you’re looking for an easy dinner or a warming lunch, this soup hits all the right notes with its rich flavors and satisfying texture.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound sausage (Italian or your favorite), sliced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups chopped kale or spinach
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Juice of half a lemon (optional)
Instructions
Follow these steps to make the recipe:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside.
- In the same pot, add diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in lentils, thyme, smoked paprika, and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
- Add the browned sausage back into the pot along with the chopped greens.
- Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until the greens are wilted and heated through.
- Adjust seasoning as needed and stir in lemon juice if using for a bright finish.
- Serve hot and enjoy your comforting bowl of Lentil & Sausage Soup with Greens!
Tips and Variations
For extra flavor, try using smoked sausage or adding a splash of red wine when cooking the vegetables. You can swap kale for spinach, Swiss chard, or collard greens depending on your preference. This soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. When reheating, add a little broth or water if the soup has thickened too much. For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and add extra vegetables or a smoky seasoning to keep the depth of flavor.
Enjoy your homemade Lentil & Sausage Soup with Greens!
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Lentil & Sausage Soup with Greens
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound sausage (Italian or your favorite), sliced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup dried brown or green lentils rinsed
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups kale or spinach chopped
- 1 large carrot diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 0.5 lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside.
- In the same pot, add diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in lentils, thyme, smoked paprika, and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
- Add the browned sausage back into the pot along with the chopped greens.
- Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until the greens are wilted and heated through.
- Adjust seasoning as needed and stir in lemon juice if using for a bright finish.
- Serve hot and enjoy your comforting bowl of Lentil & Sausage Soup with Greens!
Equipment
- Large pot
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Wooden spoon
