Somehow in my house of picky eaters, lentils have passed the taste test and nothing beats a hearty lentil soup for lunch on a crisp spring day. With a warmed crusty baguette, there's nothing better to warm you up on those rainy April days. This soup can also be more of a dinnertime stew, depending on how much stock you add. It freezes really well too — just be sure to add more stock as you reheat it on the stove.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 lb. spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 cups Puy lentils (or other green lentils), rinsed under cold water
- ½ cup white wine
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 can (28 oz.) pureed tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup chopped Italian parsley
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large thick-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink — about 5 minutes. Scoop out the cooked sausage meat with a slotted spoon into a bowl and set aside. Discard the oil left in the pot.
Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the lentils and mix to incorporate. Add the wine and stir, scraping the bottom to get any browned bits.
Add the stock and pureed tomatoes and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the bay leaf, and let the soup simmer for 30–35 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through.
Add the cooked sausage back to the pot along with the chopped parsley and balsamic vinegar. Season well with salt and pepper (it can take a lot of salt — just be careful not to overdo it!). Garnish with more chopped parsley.
Serve and enjoy!