Name: ina garten’s lentil & sausage soup
Ingredients: 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed; 1 pound French green lentils; 1/4 cup olive oil; 2 large yellow onions, diced ((4 cups / 18 ounces)); 3 leeks, chopped, white & light green parts only ((4 cups / 13 ounces)); 2 garlic cloves, minced ((1 tablespoon)); 1 tablespoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 8 stalks celery, sliced ((3 cups / 11 ounces)); 6 carrots, sliced ((4 cups / 18 ounces)); 3 quarts homemade chicken stock or organic broth; 1/2 cup tomato paste; 2 tablespoons dry red wine or red wine vinegar; freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving; chopped fresh parsley, for serving ((optional))

Who’s ready for some hearty soup? Ina Garten’s Lentil & Sausage Soup is just what you need when there’s a chill in the air. Full of flavor with stick-to-the-ribs goodness.

As you probably guessed, the inspiration for this deliciousness comes from Ina Garten. The recipe for Lentil Sausage Soup is featured in her book, Barefoot in Paris. I’ve switched things up substantially over the years, but Ina still deserves the credit.

Planning to make Ina Garten’s Lentil & Sausage Soup? Here’s what you’ll need…

Mild Italian sausage – if you like it spicy, go for the hot version
French green lentils
Olive oil
Large yellow onions
Leeks – white & light green parts only
Fresh garlic
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Fresh thyme leaves
Ground cumin
Fresh carrots & celery
Chicken stock – highly recommend homemade or organic broth – a combination of both is great
Tomato paste
Dry red wine – or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated parmesan cheese – adds a ton of flavor when sprinkled on each serving
Chopped fresh parsley – totally optional but the touch of green is awesome

Before you start slicing and dicing, there are some important steps to take.

Brown the sausage so that you end up with sausage crumbles.
Remove the sausage from the casings.
Break up sausage into small bits and brown until cooked through.
Set aside.

Then get the lentils soaking.

In a large heatproof bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water.
Make sure you don’t skimp on the water …a good bit of it will be soaked up before they’re done.
I use about a quart of boiling water and that seems to work out well.
They only need a total of fifteen minutes, but it’s best to have them ready when it’s time to add them to the mix.
Drain and set aside with the prepared sausage.

Choose a dutch oven or stock pot that holds at least 7 quarts.
You’ll start off by sautéing the onions, leeks, and garlic until they are translucent.

After about 20 minutes, add the celery and carrots.
Sauté for another 10 minutes.

Add the stock along with the tomato paste, drained lentils and browned sausage.
Let it all simmer for about an hour until the lentils are cooked through and tender.
I use a combination of chicken stock and broth on this one …one quart of my homemade chicken stock along with two quarts of organic chicken broth.

If you have some soup leftover for tomorrow, that’s good news.

Just be sure to have some extra broth handy. The soup tends to thicken after some time.

Good news for those concerned… this pot of goodness is naturally gluten-free.

Presenting Ina Garten’s Lentil & Sausage Soup. How gorgeous is this bowl of heartiness?

Serve the soup with a generous sprinkling of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and chopped fresh parsley.
I usually top it off with some roasted baby carrots.
Another idea …add some sausage or bacon crumbles. It’s all good.

ina garten’s lentil & sausage soup

Inspired by Ina Garten in Barefoot in Paris

Hearty and delicious with a generous supply of carrots, lentils & sausage throughout.

Servings 4 quarts

Author Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 pound French green lentils
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large yellow onions, diced (4 cups / 18 ounces)
3 leeks, chopped, white & light green parts only (4 cups / 13 ounces)
2 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
8 stalks celery, sliced (3 cups / 11 ounces)
6 carrots, sliced (4 cups / 18 ounces)
3 quarts homemade chicken stock or organic broth
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons dry red wine or red wine vinegar
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Remove sausage from casings. Break up sausage into small bits and brown until cooked through. Set aside.
In a large heatproof bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside with sausage.
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven of at least 7-quart capacity over medium heat. Saute the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender.
Add the celery and carrots. Saute for another 10 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, browned sausage, tomato paste, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender.
Add the red wine or vinegar. Check the seasonings. Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

Recipe Notes

For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock or broth.

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