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Sausage and Brown Lentil Soup
Melissa Hart

Sausage and Brown Lentil Soup

Brown lentils keep their shape while Italian sausage seasons the whole broth. There's no need to soak them, but rinse them well or the soup can taste dusty. A handful of spinach at the end brings color without asking kale to cook for seven hours.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb mild Italian sausage casings removed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 3 carrots diced
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 1/2 cups dried brown lentils rinsed
  • 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Method
 

  1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the sausage, breaking it into small pieces, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until the onion softens, 4 minutes; stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, oregano, salt and pepper.
  4. Cover and cook on low until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 6 to 7 hours.
  5. Stir in the spinach and vinegar and cover for 5 minutes until the leaves wilt.
  6. Taste the broth after the sausage has seasoned it and add more salt only if needed.