Italian Lentil Soup with Sausage
A hearty Italian lentil soup full of vegetables, fire roasted tomatoes, parmesan, fresh herbs and Italian sausage.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 16 ounces of Italian sausage, ground
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 ribs of celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon of dried Italian herbs
- 1/2-1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
- salt and black pepper
- 6 cups of chicken or beef stock
- 30 ounces of fire roasted tomatoes
- a bay leaf
- a parmesan rind (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups of brown lentils, rinsed
- 1/2 cup of parmesan, finely shredded or grated
- 1/2 cup of fresh herbs, chopped
Instructions
- Add 16 ounces of Italian sausage into a large pot over medium heat and cook until cooked through and browned
- Transfer the sausage onto a plate and set aside for now
- Add the diced onions, carrots, celery and minced garlic into the pot and cook for about 8 minutes or until they have softened
- Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of dried Italian herbs, a big pinch of salt and black pepper and an optional 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and mix to combine
- Add 6 cups of chicken or beef stock, 30 ounces of fire roasted tomatoes, a bay leaf, 1 1/2 cups of brown lentils and an optional parmesan rind and bring the mixture to a simmer
- Add the browned sausage, reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender
- Before serving, remove the bay leaf and parmesan rind and stir in the fresh herbs and parmesan
- Taste test and add additional salt and black pepper, if necessary
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat with additional stock if necessary