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!

Be sure to try my Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta and Sausage Tortellini Soup recipes next!

A bowl of Lentil Sausage Soup with a spoon on the side.

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.

A soup pot with cooked sausage and softened onions, carrots, and celery.

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.

Adding chicken broth to a soup pot, then adding lentils.

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!

Adding cooked sausage and diced tomatoes to Lentil Sausage Soup.

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.

A red Dutch oven filled with Lentil Sausage Soup with a wooden spoon in it.

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.
  • 16 oz. storage containers – I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.

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A bowl of Lentil Sausage Soup with diced tomatoes.

Lentil Sausage Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
4.97 from 33 ratings
Servings: 6 people
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This Lentil Sausage Soup recipe is made with hot or sweet Italian sausage in a savory broth with lentils. Optional additions include kale and spinach, and it is Stove Top and Crock Pot friendly!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

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 bay leaf
  • 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, bay leaf, 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

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.
  • 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, diced tomatoes, 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 64mg, Sodium: 1843mg, Potassium: 1025mg, Fiber: 12g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 3920IU, Vitamin C: 29mg, Calcium: 93mg, Iron: 5mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Author: Stephanie