Sausage + Lentils = The Best Winter Soup Ever

sausage

🥗Healthier: turkey sausage

💰Cheaper: ground beef

Turkey sausage is lower in fat, while ground beef is often less expensive.

vegetable broth

🥗Healthier: homemade broth

💰Cheaper: water

Homemade broth is healthier, while water is a cost-effective base.

Chop one large onion into about 2 cups.

Dice three celery ribs and three medium carrots.

Dice one medium zucchini.

Remove sausage meat from casings if using sausage links; use one pound of bulk Italian sausage.

Mince six cloves of garlic.

Heat 4-6 tablespoons of olive oil in an 8-quart Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the sausage to the pot and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.

Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.

Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and zucchini to the pot; add more olive oil if needed and a pinch of salt.

Sauté the vegetables until softened, about 5-6 minutes.

Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Pour in one cup of dry white wine and bring to a boil, reducing it by half.

Add the canned plum tomatoes and crush them by hand into the pot.

Pour in six cups of homemade chicken stock and add the browned sausage back into the pot.

Add eight ounces of lentils and two parmesano regano rinds.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 40-50 minutes, until lentils are tender.

Adjust consistency with water as needed, adding up to one cup if desired.

Remove the parmesano rinds before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens