This hearty Lentil Sausage Soup has the best homemade flavor with savory sausage, lentils, and vegetables in a flavorful broth. Chopped kale or spinach make easy add-ons as well! BONUS: It’s Stove Top and Crock Pot friendly!
Lentil Sausage Soup
This soup has so much hearty flavor to it, it’s incredibly satisfying with those protein-packed lentils, savory sausage, vegetables, and optional add-ons like chopped kale or spinach.
Some of my most popular soup recipes include sausage, it just adds so much flavor. (Be sure to try my Sausage Tortellini Soup, Sausage and Potato Soup, and Zuppa Toscana recipes next!)
Also- don’t be thrown by the flavor enhancers in this recipe: Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder. They add the best depth of flavor but you can’t detect them outright. They’re my favorite secret weapons in cooking.
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Cook and crumble the sausage over medium heat. Reserve 1 Tbsp. drippings and set the sausage aside. Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery in the reserved drippings and butter until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute, then add the flour and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the chicken and beef broth in splashes, and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the pot to add more flavor to the soup.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lentils, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the sausage back to the soup along with the diced tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes. A little water or broth can be added to thin the soup out slightly if desired. Serve!
Best Lentils for Lentil Soup
- Dry Brown or French Green Lentils are best in lentil soup. Red lentils and canned lentils won’t hold up well.
- Note that green lentils take longer to cook due to their tougher exterior.
- I use Goya brown lentils in this recipe.
Pro Tips
- Chopped Kale or Spinach make great additions to this soup. Kale can be added during the last 5 minutes, spinach during the last 3 minutes.
- The Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder can’t be tasted outright but act as flavor enhancers in this soup. The hot sauce doesn’t make it spicy, this is the hot sauce I use.
- Low Sodium broth may be used if desired as sausage also contains salt.
- For brothier soup, use 3/4 lb. or 1/2 lb. sausage.
- Ground Turkey can be used instead of sausage for a lighter option.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This soup freezes very well for future meals.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 3.5 quart Dutch oven– this is what I use for this recipe. (Le Creuset is great quality, you’ll have it forever.)
- Food Storage Containers– These are what I use, they fit exactly 1 cup and are leak proof, microwave safe, stackable, and BPA free.
- Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
- Pinch Bowls– for measuring out seasonings ahead of time.
- Chefs Knife– I have this one, it’s affordable but high quality.
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Lentil Sausage Soup
Ingredients
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Soup
- 1 lb. ground sausage, hot or mild
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed. See notes.
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage: Remove the casings from the sausage if you purchased links. Preheat a large pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook and crumble to break it apart. Once cooked halfway through, cover partially and continue to heat, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. It’ll take around 10-12 minutes total. Set the sausage aside on a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon drippings. (Butter can be used if you don’t have drippings.)
- Add the drippings to the pot along with 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the diced onions, celery, and carrots and cook for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the flour and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and beef broth in splashes, and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the pot to add more flavor the soup.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lentils, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the sausage back to the soup along with the diced tomatoes, Simmer for 10 minutes. A little water or broth can be added to thin the soup out slightly if desired. Serve!
Notes
- Chopped Kale or Spinach make great additions to this soup. Kale can be added during the last 5 minutes, spinach during the last 3 minutes.
- The Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder can't be tasted outright but act as flavor enhancers in this soup. The hot sauce doesn't make it spicy, this is the hot sauce I use.
- Low Sodium broth may be used if desired as sausage also contains salt.
- For brothier soup, use 3/4 lb. or 1/2 lb. sausage.
- Ground Turkey can be used instead of sausage for a lighter option.
- Green lentils may also be used for this recipe, however they take longer to cook due to their tougher exterior. Canned or Red lentils shouldn't be used for this recipe.
Crock Pot Method
- Note: Reserved sausage drippings and flour are not needed for this method.
- Brown the sausage in a skillet as outlined and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
- Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in the Crock Pot and add the diced onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and tomato paste. Toss to coat.
- Add the cooked sausage, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lentils, seasonings, and chicken/beef broth.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8.
- Note: Higher altitudes may require more cooking time and crock pot temperatures do vary. Opening the crock pot during cooking will set the time back at least 30 minutes as heat escapes when the lid is removed.
This humble soup is swoon-worthy. The flavor is wow. Made it for Thanksgiving Eve and was enjoyed by everyone. Going to make another batch to keep in the freezer. Thanks
Yayyy! I’m so happy everyone enjoyed it for Thanksgiving, nice work! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and leave a review!💗
This looks great! I’m a diabetic and the carb count is a little high but I may be able to do a work-around.
Thanks for posting on Instagram.
Art Spafford Jr.
Oceanside, CA.
Great, I hope you enjoy it Art! 🙂
I’ve made lentil soup in the past, but never with sausage. The combination was delicious and made it hearty enough to be served for dinner. I added a few more tablespoons of tomato paste, but that’s just a personal preference. I’m sure it was wonderful as is, too!
Hi Rosemary! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this soup! I LOVE the sausage/lentil combo too. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
This soup is so very good and very easy. I used add on of kale. I like a spicier soup and therefore used the hot sausage. I also used fresh red lentils, as I couldn’t get brown or green. It was delicious. This will be added to my “staple soups”. Delicious! Thank you.
I’m so happy you enjoyed this one Cindy, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!❤️
Made this today. So easy and good!
Yayyy! That’s so great to hear Jena, thanks so much for the great review!❤️
This looks delicious and I would love that make it. I have red lentils. Why would those not work for this recipe ?
Hi Autumn, brown and green lentils retain their shape well, whereas split red and yellow lentils tend to disintegrate are best for soups where they’ll be pureed.
Thankyou for the recipe Stephanie. Ready for the fall. Marlene
My pleasure Marlene! Even though I eat soup all year round, I can’t wait until the fall!💗
Usually I find lentils boring and flavourless, but wow! This soup was so delicious with many delightful flavours. I had sausages and lentils I needed to use up, I’m so glad I found your recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that Sara! It’s funny, when I told my husband I was making him Lentil Sausage Soup he said that he wasn’t a fan of Lentils. I got him to change his mind with this recipe😊. Thanks so much for the great review!
This was one of the best soups I’ve ever made. The spices were perfect. Will definitely make it again and again. I just ran sausages under hot water and peeled them before cooking. It was like cooking ground beef. Worked out really well that way. Make sure you wash hands thoroughly afterwards.
Wahoooo! I’m so happy it’s one of the best soups you’ve ever made Carmelle! I love how you did the sausages. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!❤️
This is so flavorful. Ready in an hour. I will definitely make again.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup Darlene! Thanks so much for the great review!😃
This was delicious! Used turkey sausage and added kale near the end. Very good flavor and healthy too!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this with Turkey Sausage Heather! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and review!😍