Green Lentil and Sausage Soup

This Green Lentil and Sausage Soup is easy to make with fresh ingredients and fiber-rich lentils. You can leave the sausage out entirely if you want a vegetarian alternative. Lentils are seeds from the legume family. They come in a variety of colors and green lentils are among the least expensive to use. They are packed with B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. Lentils are also high in protein, iron, and fiber making them a great option for an alternative to meat.

Quick and Easy Green Lentil and Sausage Soup

The most time spent making this Green Lentil and Sausage Soup recipe is the chopping of the vegetables and kale. For me, chopping vegetables is relaxing and therapeutic. You buy green lentils in your local grocery, or you can order them online from Amazon here. You’ll want to rinse, clean, and pick through your lentils before adding them to the soup. Small pebbles and debris can sometimes be found, so it’s important to rinse and sift through. You don’t want to break a tooth while eating this delicious soup.

I also like to use a cast-iron Dutch oven when making my soups. It’s big enough if you want to double the soup recipe and a good Dutch oven will last you forever.

The ingredients you’ll need for this soup recipe

All of these ingredients are easy to find, and you may even have most of them in your pantry or cupboard. (NOTE: I doubled this recipe when I made it and used 5 cups of chicken broth, 3 cups of water, and 4 sausages.) This soup freezes well and is great reheated for leftovers.

2 T. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
2 sweet and spicy Italian link sausages, sliced (I used pre-cooked Italian sausages, but you could cook and then add them to the soup)
1 1/2 cups green lentils, rinsed and sifted through for pebbles
2 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3 cups kale or baby spinach, chopped
grated parmesan cheese for serving

Here’s how to create the best Green Lentil and Sausage soup

Chop your onion, carrots, and celery. I like mine in smaller pieces, but not too small someone couldn’t pick them out if they didn’t like one of them.
Add the olive oil to your Dutch oven and heat, then add your veggies to the pan and cook over medium for 4 to 5 minutes.
Mince the garlic and add it to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
Next, add the tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, and sausage to the pan.
Add your spices: thyme, Italian seasoning, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper to the pan, stir, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.
Taste the soup and adjust the spices according to your taste.
Add the kale/spinach and cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Place in individual serving bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese and serve with a slice of warm bread.

That’s all there is to it for one of the best Green Lentil and Sausage Soup recipes your family and friends will love.

See our other soup recipes for more great meal ideas