by AntoniaJames
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1 1/2 cup
French green lentils
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2
bay leaves
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3 tablespoons
bacon fat or olive oil, divided
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3 or 4
sausages made with herbs and/or garlic
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1
large yellow or white onion
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4
cloves of garlic
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1/2 cup
sturdy red wine
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3
stalks of celery, and their leaves if possible
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1 tablespoon
dried marjoram or an equivalent amount of fresh
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4 or 5
carrots, depending on their size
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4 cups
chicken or beef stock (preferably homemade)
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3 tablespoons
organic ketchup
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2 cups
chopped spinach (frozen is fine, if you don't have fresh; just use 1 1/2 cups instead)
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1/4 cup
chopped parsley
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Salt and pepper, to taste
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Red wine vinegar, to taste
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Fill a tea kettle with water and put it on the stove to boil while you do the following step.
Ask the hotline about this step!Heat 2 T of oil or bacon fat with one of the bay leaves and gently saute the sausages, if they are not already cooked. If they are pre-cooked (or if not, once you've cooked them), slice them into ¾“ slices and brown them in the bacon fat or oil. Remove the sausage slices with a slotted spoon and set them aside.
Ask the hotline about this step!Rinse the lentils in cold water two or three times, pick out any stones or other debris, and put the lentils on the stove in a saucepan with at least three cups of hot water from the kettle. If it hasn’t boiled at this point, don’t worry about it. Stir the lentils and cook them over medium heat, while you chop the vegetables. Be sure to keep an eye on the cooking lentils and stir them occasionally. Add more hot water as they cook, if they start to look dry. (You don’t have to do this step if you have a lot of time to make this soup. I.e., you can put them in the soup, uncooked, with the hot water, after you have cooked the onions and garlic.)
Ask the hotline about this step!If time is short, heat your stock in the microwave or on the stove so it will be nice and hot when you need it, in a few minutes.
Ask the hotline about this step!Meanwhile, dice the onions so they are about ½” square; chop the garlic. Add the remaining oil or bacon fat, as well as the onions and garlic, to the pan in which the sausages were browned; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the onions start to look a bit translucent, push them aside with a spoon and add the wine. Cook for a minute or two to deglaze the pot.
Ask the hotline about this step!Stir the lentils in with the cooking water. It doesn’t matter whether they are cooked. Just add them now, and add the stock.
Ask the hotline about this step!Chop the celery into small dice and chop a small handful of the celery leaves, if you have them; add to the soup. Add the marjoram and stir well, continuing to cook.
Ask the hotline about this step!Cut the carrots into slices or chunks, depending on how thick they are. Add them to the pot, with the reserved sausages, and the salt and pepper to taste, and stir well. (I add the sausages at this point, rather than earlier, because the kind I use tends to fall apart, even after browned, if I cook them much longer. You can add them when you combine the lentils and their cooking water, if that's not a problem for you.)
Ask the hotline about this step!Cook for at least another ten minutes, adding more water if necessary and stirring occasionally, to prevent the lentils from sticking. At this point, you can also turn it down to simmer, if you have the time, but do keep an eye on the lentils, please, and add more water if necessary.
Ask the hotline about this step!Add the ketchup and stir well. Cook until the carrots are tender.
Ask the hotline about this step!Test and correct the seasonings. Add the spinach and the parsley. Heat until the soup is very hot.
Ask the hotline about this step!Pass the red wine vinegar separately, for people to add, to taste. Serve with a hearty whole grain bread and fresh butter.
Ask the hotline about this step!Enjoy!!!
Ask the hotline about this step!This soup is a great one to add to your collection! Simple and hearty. Perfect for a cold winter night.
Delicious! I made this tonight. It didn't take long and it was appreciated by everyone in the family, husband, toddler, and preschooler, and me. We made it with andouille.
I'm late in telling you that I made your soup recipe, at long last, for New Year's Day 2012. You are now an overnight sensation in my house. I was stubborn, insisting on doing the lentils my way, in the oven, and missing all your time-saving advice, but in the end I followed your recipe most religiously. Thanks for this, dear chef.
Just WOW. I can't remember ever enjoying a soup more than this. I found just enough marjoram and thyme hanging on in my garden, used garlic sausage from Marin Sun Farms and splashed on some excellent Italian red wine vinegar at the end. I usually have no trouble with portion control, but I and my other half each ate two full bowls of this in no time. I'll be recommending this recipe to everyone I know! Thank you, thank you, AntoniaJames!
I loved this recipe! I did make some variations to conform with what I had (notably, I used canned white beans instead of the lentils and added a cut-up white potato I wanted to use up), but the seasoning makes the soup and this was really good; it has gone into my permanent file. Thanks!
I had a Iron Chef contest with my son, a professional chef, both of us cooked lentil soup. I used your recipe and, of course, I won. It was delicious! The secret ingredient, celery
Oh, that's great to hear, santa, and yes, the celery really does make a difference in this soup. Thanks so much for your kind words. ;o) P.S I love the idea of your having a competition with your son. What a good idea! And such fun.
I had a Iron Chef contest with my son, a professional chef, both of us cooked lentil soup. I used your recipe and, of course, I won. It was delicious! The secret ingredient, celery
I had a Iron Chef contest with my son, a professional chef, both of us cooked lentil soup. I used your recipe and, of course, I won. It was delicious! The secret ingredient, celery
I had a Iron Chef contest with my son, a professional chef, both of us cooked lentil soup. I used your recipe and, of course, I won. It was delicious! The secret ingredient, celery
And @Steveandbelinda -- do try a dash of red wine vinegar in your bowl. It adds a little extra zing that you didn't even know was missing. I grew up eating lentil soup (Greek version) and we always had a bottle of red wine vinegar on the table for that final touch.
This wonderful dish also works just fine with regular old brown lentils. I have made this repeatedly with, as others have said, variations on the lentils/sausage/greens, etc. -- all good. It has become a family favorite, loved equally by the kids and the grownups! Thanks again, AntoniaJames!
So glad to hear it! Thank you, cookbookchick. ;o)
Just made soup last night. Was very good. I also use Keilbasa. Added that warm smocky flavor. Although I did not use the Red Wine Vinegar. Seemed to be good enough without it. Thanks
You're welcome, Steveandbelinda. Thanks so much for letting me know. I like kielbasa in this, too. I use a different combination of greens and sausage just about every time I make this, it seems. Lately, I've also been using brown masoor dal on occasion, when I don't have any French green lentils on hand. I'm so glad you enjoyed this. ;o)
Made this last night, really great recipe! Thanks so much for sharing. I substituted rainbow chard for the spinich and added a handful of small tomatoes too, trying to use up the rest of what was in my garden before it frosted last night. Great additions, and the soup was perfect for this weather. Made it with chicken feta sausage and garnished with a handful of parmesan. YUM! This is a new fave in my house!
Thank you, dressage101. So glad you liked it! I love your variations. Have never tried rainbow chard in this before. Now I must! What a great way to brighten up a chilly winter evening. ;o)
Thank you, dressage101. So glad you liked it! I love your variations. Have never tried rainbow chard in this before. Now I must! What a great way to brighten up a chilly winter evening. ;o)
I made this yesterday and I just wanted to let you know how wonderful its, it wasn't exactly a cold winters night but it was cool out and the soup was the perfect meal. I made it with kielbasa and and the smoky flavor of the sausage flavored the soup so beautifully. Thank you for a wonderful recipe that I will make all winter. It's delicious.
Thank you, sdebrango! (Not sure how I missed this comment when you posted it . . . . ) I used kielbasa in my last batch and I agree, it's so tasty. And I'm happy to know that you'll be making it all winter, just as I will! ;o)
Does anyone use a pressure cooker for lentils? My friend swears by hers and says it cuts cooking time down to a few minutes. Do you think it would be worth the investment? I just worry the lentils might get mushy...
I don't, because the lentils cook in about the time it takes for the vegetables to cook and the flavors to come together. (The concurrent boiling of the lentils with the cooking of the first vegetables is suggested where time is short, e.g., a weeknight when you're starting this for dinner that evening.) I've heard that pressure cookers are great for harder beans that typically take much longer to soften. Most lentils, though, cook fairly quickly in my experience. ;o)
thanks for the short cuts ---> i cook lentil soup a lot and HATE waiting :)
Oh, I'm so glad. I often cook linearly, i.e., something's cooking mostly unattended while I'm chopping what needs to go in next. I have my own very-full-time business (not cooking related!), always exercise outside right after work, and am hungry when I finally get into the kitchen in the evening. My French Country Soup is structured the same way. ;o)
I made this recipe and had great results-- it tasted fantastic! I've been looking for a good way to cook lentils and was the perfect answer.
I did however have one question about it though. I am new to cooking lentils-- so it may have something to do with that-- but my soup looked much more like photo #2, than photo #1. (Photo #1 seems to have a much clearer broth.) Does anyone know what would make this difference? I was thinking it may have had to do with the type of lentils used or the way I cooked them?
Either way- it's definitely something I will make again :)
So glad you liked it! What kind of lentils did you use? Amanda and Merrill used the light, flat brownish green lentils (the kind you can buy in bags in most supermarkets). I use French green lentils, which are much darker; the broth with them is usually a bit thick. I sometimes mash some of the lentils with the back of my spoon, right in the pan, to thicken it. We like a sturdy soup! Plus, my stock is usually a bit cloudy. It's homemade and I don't typically don't strive for clarity when I make it. Finally, that photo was taken the day after I made the soup. I find my bean and lentil soups usually thicken a bit overnight, and that often results in a thicker broth. ;o)
It's a chilly summer in San Fran! Is it okay to substitute masoor lentils? Would I need to adjust cooking times/liquid volumes?
If the masoor are brown, and therefore the firmer variety that don't break down, you can substitute them. I wouldn't substitute red masoor (the orange ones that quickly break down and become more yellow when cooked). Regular lentils (brown or green) would be a better choice. You would not need to adjust either the cooking times or liquid volumes. Both are fairly flexible (and related). I'm across the Bay from you, where it is cool and overcast -- real soup weather -- as well. I can totally understand your wanting to make this now!! ;o)
Thanks! Very excited to cuddle up with this soup + a glass of red wine tonight :)
Made this soup last night and it was absolutely amazing and so easy. I was in a rush so I cooked the sausage and then took it out, cooked all the veggies together, poured everything else including the wine in at the same time, brought up the heat and then let it simmer for an hour. Also added a parmesan rind which added a nice amount of salt and richness. Thanks again, this is definitely going into the winter rotation.
Thank you, tvwells, for your compliment and your report on how you made this! I'm so glad you liked it. Great idea to throw in a parmesan rind. I always seem to have them, but I've never tried one in this soup before. I can see though how it would be an excellent addition. ;o)
Made this yesterday and used freshly made lamb merguez sausages - it was outstanding! I didn't have any ketchup per se, but I had some lovely pizza sauce leftover from earlier in the week and it was just fine. The addition of vinegar is very French and completely amazing. A drizzle of creme fraiche is nice too.
Wow, what great substitutions. I love this soup because it's so versatile. Glad to hear that the nice pizza sauce worked well. I'll have to remember that. ;o)
I really really like this soup. I made it twice in the last two weeks and its really flavorful and yet so easy to make it! thank you :)
Wow, that's great. Thanks so much. I'm really glad you like it, and that you find it easy to make. It's a favorite of ours for just that reason. ;o)
Made this last night with a last minute substitution- green split peas instead of lentils, as the store was out of stock. I followed the same preparation instructions for the peas as the lentils and it came out great. Garlic herb turkey sausage was also a flavorful substitution. Thanks for the great recipe!
You're welcome! Great idea, using split peas. I've been making a similar soup with black beans, the recipe for which I hope to post within the next week or so. So glad you liked this. Thanks for letting me know. ;o)
I made this last night, and (despite a few mishaps attempting to open my wine bottle) it was a resounding success. My husband told me it would "take a lot" for a soup to impress him, and he was definitely impressed. I look forward to serving my leftovers to a discerning friend later on this week. I will definitely add this delicious soup to my repertoire of fall/winter dishes!! Thanks so much!
Oh, that's wonderful. Love to hear that converts to soup and/or lentils are happening with this soup. And I'm so glad you're adding it to your fall/winter repertoire. Thanks for your kind comment. ;o)
AntoniaJames - I finally got around to making a version of this soup tonight (mine had some lamb sausage, crushed tomatoes, and chopped fennel I had lying about) and it was outstanding. I must say the addition of ketchup is brilliant, adding a savory sweetness that along with the acidity of the vinegar made this a perfect meal for this VERY cold night. Thanks! - S
Thank you, Oui, Chef! Malcolm Gladwell had a fascinating article (aren't they all, though?) in The New Yorker a few years ago about ketchup. It's perfect in a soup like this for a reason. I don't use Heinz, which is the subject of Gladwell's article, but his point, that a great ketchup is the perfect "umami" flavor, holds true. I put some in a different soup that I made yesterday -- the recipe for which I hope to post within the next week or so -- and it had the same magical effect. So glad you liked this one, which I must agree is a great choice for a cold winter night. ;o)
Made the soup as written the other night with chorizo, which is what I had on hand. After years of pretty basic lentil soup (Greek family recipe -- always with red wine vinegar stirred in at table), this is my new go-to lentil soup. A wonderful winter meal-in-a-bowl! Thanks!!
Thanks so much! I'm thrilled that you like it. I've made this with all sorts of sausages, and a wide variety of greens, and it always turns out well. I'm really honored that this is now your "go-to" lentil soup! It's our favorite winter one-bowl meal, too. ;o)
My boyfriend made a face when I said I was making lentils, but he LOVED it and so did I. A perfect, healthy meal for a cold night.
Thanks, I'm so glad you, and especially the BF, liked it. I appreciate your letting me know, too! ;o)
I made this last night for surprise dinner guests. It was fantastic! A crowd pleaser for sure! Thanks for the recipe.
Oh, I'm so pleased to hear that. Your recipes are all superb, so that is quite a compliment!! Many thanks for letting me know. ;o)
Love, love, love this soup! I used hot & spicy Texas sausage and increased the wine a bit. It's my new favorite!
Splendid! Just love how everyone is adding their own favorite sausages, greens, etc. to customize this to taste. Thanks so much for your comment. It makes me happier than words can describe to know that this soup (which I almost didn't post because it seemed to me at the time so "every day") has become your new favorite! ;o)
Thanks, nannydeb! I really appreciate your letting me know. And I'm so glad you liked it! ;o)
I added a handful of barley and some leftover BBQ ribs....and it was good but unremarkable until the ketchup and the vinegar went in. Then OMG did it come together into something special. Thanks for a great recipe and a great and versatile flavor enhancing idea.
You're welcome, and what a great idea, adding barley! Perfect for winter, making the soup even heartier. I'll have to try that! And the BBQ ribs sure sound good, too. You know, when I first posted this, one of the earliest comments was, "Ketchup??" I started making this soup when my boys were young. Like most kids, they loved ketchup, and would have put it on everything, had I let them. I remember putting ketchup in the first time, thinking that it would make it more appealing to the boys; I found that everyone, young and old, liked the soup a lot more with the ketchup. The red wine vinegar (or some kind of vinegar, or lemon or lime juice) is just a habit with me, when serving soup. Thanks so much for your comment! ;o)
Great recipe! The red wine vinegar is such a lovely finish. My husband and I ate (almost) the whole pot! http://www.twosisterstwosuppers.com/2011/01/sausage-lentil-stew.html
Thanks so much for your comment. I agree, the red wine vinegar really makes this soup. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I make this all the time, and no one ever gets tired of it. ;o)
Absolutely delicious! The first batch went so quickly, that I decided to make another just a few days later. thanks for a wonderful, very warming (my house is freezing!) dish ~
Thank you, Jennifer Ann! I'm glad you liked it, so much that you made a second batch soon thereafter! That's quite a compliment. .;o)
Made this yesterday afternoon -- a delicious and hearty soup for a cold day! I used one link of andouille and one link of chorizo. My family couldn't stop raving about it. This is going on my winter soup rotation, for sure!
Oh, andouille and chorizo . . . love it! My sons are crazy about Spanish-style chorizo. I'll have to try that while they're still home from college. Thanks so much for this great idea, and for your kind words. I'm thrilled that this is in your winter soup rotation!! ;o)
Made your soup last week. The soup was a great weeknight dinner, our days are getting colder and this was the perfect warm-up meal. The only problem was standing in front of an aisle full of sausages with German names so I went for the known spicy Spanish sausage. Thanks for a light addition to our dinner repertoire.
Thank you (belatedly . . . things have been nuts here since early November) for your kind words. I would think that spicy Spanish sausage would be excellent in this soup. That's the nice thing about this recipe . . . you can use any kind of sausage, and any kind of greens, and it still tastes wonderful. (I often use kale, and have tried all different kinds, when I make it.) I'm so glad you liked this! ;o)
Tonight's dinner is inspired by your soup, AntoniaJames! I've got lentils, some gorgeous rainbow chard, and some smoky, garlicky kielbasa from one of our favorite local farms. And of course, two of our shared favorites - fresh marjoram and celery leaves (which I can not get enough of, as fresh local celery is such a treat). It smells heavenly already. Cheers!
Oh, I'll have to try rainbow chard in this soup! What a great idea. I've been using Chinese celery in this whenever I can, lately, as the leaves are so flavorful, and go so well with fresh marjoram. Thanks so much for the great tips -- I'll be looking for a smoky kielbasa at our farmers' market this weekend!! -- and for your kind words. ;o)
I made this again last night, and just had leftovers for lunch. Used a local bison and cheddar sausage, and splashed on cider vinegar instead of red wine vinegar before eating. Tasted great. Tested a small bowl using arugula instead of spinach, but decided I like spinach more. Served with my buttermilk multi-grain bread. And the excellent Robles Rhone-style wine our dear friends / neighbors brought, the last time they were over. Life is so good. ;o)
This was so delicious; we really enjoyed it - thanks for a great recipe!
You're welcome! I'm so glad. Thank you for letting me know. ;o)
Hey, everybody, just wanted to let you know that I made this the other night -- from October through about April, I make it on average once every two weeks -- and I added some fresh thyme with the marjoram. (I added about a half a teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme leaves, which would translate to 1.5 tsp. of dried.) It made the soup taste even better. I think. I say that because I also had a lot of dark green celery leaves this week, and added more of them than usual. You couldn't taste either the thyme or the celery leaves, individually, but the greater depth of flavor was noticeable . . . . and quite tasty!!
Delicious! My 2 year old loved it too. This will be a part of our "rotation of favorites". Great recipe - thanks.
You're welcome! I'm so glad to hear that. My boys (who haven't been 2 years old for a long time) love this soup, too, and have since they were little. I make it so regularly that I usually cook up twice the amount of green lentils, before adding to the soup, and put half in a quart storage box, topping off with water or broth (if the latter is handy) and putting those in the freezer for the next time. I do that with all of the beans/lentils I cook for soup, by the way. My freezer has a large shelf with nothing but homemade stock and cooked beans/lentils, most in broth or with aromatics. Thanks for your kind post.
Thia is my very first comment on this site and I say YUMMY! My only changes were to add a smoked turkey leg as a sausage subsitute and to add a diced sweet potato. I love the idea of marjoram but since I had none I used a stalk of fresh rosemary instead. Oh yeah-also used chopped kale instead of spinach because it holds up better in a soup. This is a great meal in a bowl.
Thanks so much! These are great ideas. LOVE the idea of using smoked turkey. And I bet that rosemary went even better with the turkey than marjoram. And a sweet potato -- love it!! I often use chard (we get a fairly sturdy variety locally here) instead of spinach. Any green that you really like works. I am so pleased that you played with the recipe, using what you had on hand, and that it worked out so well for you. Yes, it's a great meal in a bowl, which is why we love it so much! Take care and again, thanks. ;o)
Can't wait to try this!! Im in Los Angeles right now, and it's a little warm right now for a hearty soup, but I'm originally from northern california where it gets nice and cold. Now I have an excuse to go home AND to cook a great soup.
I finally had a chance to make your delicious soup! It is wonderful and it will be devoured by my husband and I this week!
Kitchen Kim
That's great! I'm so glad you like it. I made it using a smoky Kielbasa over the weekend . . . . just what the doctor ordered for this cold, wet, truly unpleasant weather that's watering my lemon tree right now. ;o)
I've made this soup now twice, using different sausages and veggies depending on what I could find or what I had in the fridge. The first time was with a chicken italian sausage and the spinach. I fell in love, it was so warm and satisfying without being heavy. The second time I did it with Aidell's garlic and gruyere and cabbage. Very different but still hit the spot. The little bit of vinegar added is genius!
Wow, these are great ideas. The latter combo sounds so tasty, and I just happen to have some cabbage on hand. I'm so glad you liked the soup(s), and that you found the vinegar to be a nice touch. A nice, high-quality vinegar is a wonderful addition to so many soups, stews, bean dishes, etc.
Made this today and it came out great but the directions are a little unclear in a few spots, especially regarding how much water to use in addition to stock. here is what i did. browned sausage in stockpot until brown, removed and when cool sliced. to the same pot added onion and garlic, sauted until brown. added chopped celery and carrot sauted about 10 min until soft. added splash of red wine to deglaze, reduced and then added lentils, 4 cups chicken stock and 6 cups water. simmered around 20 min and the added sliced sausage and spinach. cooked another 10 mins. done!
Thank you! This is so helpful. I usually put a kettle on water on, filling it up and heating it to boil, getting that started before I do anything else. Then I add the water, as it is needed, without measuring. I really appreciate that you took the time to let us know that 6 cups of additional water is necessary, if you don't start the lentils separately in water, as I usually do (to save time). I'm so glad it came out well for you, too!! Thanks again. ;o)
Double thanks! They're a little unclear to me too. And if you read the instructions, it really isn't a one-pot dish. Your method is.....one-pot.....always desirable :-)
Giving the recipe a go tonight following your method. I'll post atop all the results. Thanks again.
Got home from a 5 day trip today around 6:30 and I was beat; however, I couldn't bear the thought of going out to eat or picking up take-out. I was craving a wholesome home cooked meal and decided to give this recipe a try. It was perfect - just what my weary body needed (and it took less than an hour to make). Thanks for the recipe and all the tips to hurry the process along!
You're welcome! I'm so glad that it worked out for you, and that you were benefitted by the tips on how to pull it together in less time. I have a busy law practice, so I've developed a lot of tricks over the years to get weeknight meals on the table in less time than if I were making them at my preferred, more relaxed pace, over the weekend.
I am always cooking a pot of soup and am looking forward to adding this to my recipe file! You have my vote!
Thank you!!
A wonderfully hearty meal; perfect for these extremely chilly nights
You're so right about that. I realized last night that I hadn't included in the intro that this soup holds really well, and in fact, improves a bit, if eaten the next day BUT, and this is important, don't chop and add the spinach until right before eating. The greens will cook up nicely in just the time it takes to heat the soup through. I work out of the kitchen on all weekdays, so I always make at least a part of two weekday meals, ahead of time, while doing my weekend cooking. This is a fairly typical Monday or Tuesday night meal for us when during the cool and cold months.
Delicious! I made this last night and my better half said, between bites, "This gets my vote!"
Thank you!! I'm so glad you and he liked it. My better half -- who I jokingly refer to as "my better third";o) -- would agree!
I love this ... perfect for these chilly nights ... i'm dying to know ... what inspired the ketchup?
Good question! Ketchup (the good kinds, meaning those that aren't full of corn-derived sweeteners and salt) is both a bit sweet and a little vinegar-y, while still true to its tomato base. Low-brow as it may seem, I love ketchup on a good brat (and I've eaten some terrific brats, in quite a few different ballparks), so if I'm putting a hearty sausage in my lentil soup, it just makes sense to add a bit of ketchup, too. I've been doing this as long as I've been making this recipe, which is a good long time. Ketchup is one of the "secret ingredients" . . . .
haha i love this ... as much as i am a foodie i still favor my "low brow" food ... i rolled up to a gathering with in-n-out in my hands the other day and my friends were shocked :P to appreciate food in all forms makes a true foodie :D congrats on the win!
Can't wait to make this for my hubby- he loves sausage and lentil soup, but every recipe I've found is just too HEAVY. This looks like the ticket. Yum!
Gina
www.zestfloridafoodie.com
Thank you, Gina. I hope he and you both love it! This one definitely is not heavy. Serve it with a light multigrain bread and a small salad for a tasty and satisfying dinner! P.S. All those veggies are the result of this slacker-mom's devious attempts to create a one-dish supper.
I love lentil soup and had I been anywhere near my recipes when this contest was open, I would have entered my version. Mine is very similar but doesn't incorporate the sausage. That feels like a great addition instead of the bacon I usually use. I plan to make this one this weekend. It really looks great. Congrats on being a finalist!!
Thank you! Well, it seems that brilliant minds think alike . . . . ;o) I hope you love this as much as we do!!
i dont eat pork, but i love your recipe- some nice spices in there and some hearty veggies.
Shayma, this soup is just as tasty when made with sausages not made with pork. Most of the ones I use are chicken or turkey based. They just need to have a bit of oooomph to them, with a strong herb and/or garlic flavor. The soup gets a lot of its flavor from the sausage. You could make it without, but then you'd want to dump handfuls of fresh herbs in, and start with more garlic!
that is lovely to know, thank you. there is a turkey sausage available at Whole Foods which i adore, perhaps that would work. i would never leave the meat out - but i shall add more herbs (and garlic!), regardless :)
I can't wait to try this. I've already planned a lentil dish for tonight, but will try this next time around. Do you have a favorite type of sausage in this?
I use a local sausage labeled simply as "Garlic and Herbs," which has a fair bit of garlic, with parsley and basil. On occasion, I use a sweet Italian that has a strong fennel note; for that, I usually add a few crushed fennel seeds after the onion has cooked a bit. If I have some, I'll add some of the bright green leaves that you find on the top of a fennel bulb, too. I use that same sausage in my starting rotation ragu (with the same enhancements). Pesto sausage (pre-cooked, from Trader Joe's, which I keep in my freezer for last minute quick meals of various kinds) is also quite tasty in this; I usually amp up the garlic when I use that. Thanks for asking!
I know and like those Trader Joe's sausages too. My farmstand is closed for winter right now, but when it reopens in a week or two - if this snow ever stops - I will have a source for great local made sausage that sounds like it will be great for this soup. Thanks!!
This is somewhat similar to a lentil soup recipe that I make, and just adore. I too add vinegar, but love your addition of marjoram. Nicely done!
Thank you. Quite a compliment. I'm glad you appreciate the marjoram. As I said in the notes, it's not an herb you see much. I really don't understand why. The vinegar is a nice counterpoint to its sweetness, and to the sweetness of the carrots. How is your recipe different? Do tell, please!!!
It is roughly the same except for: thyme instead of marjoram, diced canned tomatoes instead of ketchup, no wine, kale in place of spinach, and I run a stick blender through mine for a few seconds just before serving to break up a few of the lentils and give it a creamier texture.
If I'm really lucky, I'll have some D'Artagnan duck sausage in my freezer to add to the lentil soup....... they are perfect with the dish.
Oh me, oh my! That all sounds so tasty. I'd like to be eating dinner at your place, the night this is served! Thank you so much for these fabulous suggestions. I plan to implement them chez moi the next time it's in the rotation . . . . though I'll have to research the D'Artagnan duck sausage. Sounds marvelous.
You can check out the duck sausage here:
http://www.dartagnan.com/51225/565797/Game-Sausages/Duck-and-Armagnac-Sausage.html
Their merguez sausage would also be fab with a lentil soup!
This just made me wish I were at home, in sweat pants, and having a big bowl of this on my couch. Great combination!
Well, it's really to easy to make . . . . and yes, it's the kind of comfort food made even better when eaten while in sweat pants, on the couch! Love the image, and so appreciate the compliment. Thank you ;o)
Brilliant recipe, the addition of the red wine is a great idea. Just waiting for the snow to melt so I can buy some more lentils! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
You're welcome! You can't really taste the red wine, itself, as an independent, identifiable ingredient, but it definitely improves the dish. By the way, I didn't know you have snow there in Tuscany!! I was only there in the summer and fall.
Mmmm, this looks hearty, warming and absolutely delicious!
I hope you can try it . . .it is hearty, it is warming and I can say unequivocally that it is delicious! (And my boys love it, which of course gives it "ace" status in the soup rotation chez nous.)
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Double-checking the recipe. At first glance, it seems long and complicated, but it's actually quite straightforward.
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AntoniaJames calls for green French (or Puy) lentils, which are tiny and darker green than regular green lentils. We only had the latter, but our soup turned out just fine.
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Amanda smiles at the thought of lentil soup with sausages for lunch.
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The sausages nestle happily in the pan. You cook them through over low heat before slicing and browning them.
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Rinsing the lentils ensures you get rid of any grit.
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The carrots look almost neon orange in this picture.
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And the spinach looks ultra green. The fresh vegetables add vibrancy to the soup and keep it from being heavy.
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The sausage is nice and browned.
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Onions, garlic, red wine and bay leaves make up the fragrant base.
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The spinach is the last thing to go in -- you should serve the soup as soon as possible so you don't sacrifice the lovely green color.
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I just made this for dinner tonight and it is wonderful!! The flavors of this soup are so delicious and that little bit of red wine vinegar just adds something special to the bouquet! Two thumbs up!