This lentil soup is flavored with andouille sausage and vegetables. Since the andouille is so flavorful we can keep the rest of the ingredients to a minimum. It’s great for weeknights, because it comes together quickly. Plus you get a big pot, perfect for lunches and leftovers.
We love lentils, and why not? They’re nutritious, economical and versatile. They also cook up pretty quick, and unlike most beans, they don’t require soaking.
To make sure we don’t get bored with them, I’m always thinking up new ways with lentils. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Bacon and Lentil Soup
- Lentil Sausage Soup
- Cuban Lentil Soup (Potaje de Lentejas)
- Italian Sausage Lentil Soup
- Lentil Vegetable Soup
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To make this lentil soup recipe you will need
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Small White Onion, finely diced
1 Large Carrot, diced
1 Celery Rib, diced
3-4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 pound Andouille Sausage (fully cooked variety), cut into bit sized pieces
12 ounces Dried Lentils, picked through and rinsed
8 cups Chicken Broth
Kosher Salt, to taste if needed
Cook’s Notes
Keep in mind that andouille sausage is spicy, sometimes really spicy! If you don’t like spicy, or you’re making dinner for the kiddies, substitute the andouille with smoked sausage or a polska kielbasa. As long as it’s a fully cooked variety, it will work.
Prep Work
The prep work on this lentil and andouille sausage soup is a snap!
Start by picking through the lentils and looking for foreign objects such as small stones. Don’t skip this step, I frequently find small rocks in the lentils, so pick through them thoroughly.
Rinse the lentils well and drain.
Next, dice the onions, carrots and celery. This combination is called a mirepoix and it’s commonly used to add flavor to soups, stews and sauces. It adds a wonderful flavor base!
Finally, mince the garlic and slice the andouille sausage. That’s it, now we’re ready to make the lentil soup.
Things move quickly in the beginning, so have everything ready to go before you start. I like to keep all my prepped ingredients in glass nesting bowls. They’re great because there’s a size for whatever I need and they keep me organized.
Saute the vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the olive oil is hot, but not smoking, add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Then, add the garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring almost constantly.
Make the Lentil Soup
Add the andouille sausage to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Then, add the lentils and chicken broth. Stir to combine the ingredients well, while gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot.
Raise the heat to high, when the broth comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Cook the lentils for 30-45 minutes, until they reach the desired tenderness.
If you prefer your lentils al-dente, check them after 25-30 minutes. If you like them on the soft side, cook them longer.
If you want the liquid to thicken, half-cover the pot for some of the cooking time (towards the end). Stir the lentils occasionally so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
Taste the lentils and add salt if needed. Wait until the lentils are done before adding salt. The andouille sausage and chicken broth both contain a good amount of salt already.
Extra salt may not be needed. As a reference, we did not add extra salt to our lentils.
Serve the lentils with white rice or a generous piece of bread. Enjoy!
Looking for more delicious soup recipes? Try one of these:
Lentil and Andouille Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Small White Onion finely diced
- 1 Large Carrot diced
- 1 Celery Rib diced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 pound Andouille Sausage fully cooked variety, cut into bit sized pieces
- 12 ounces Dried Lentils picked through and rinsed
- 8 cups Chicken Broth
- Kosher Salt to taste if needed
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the olive oil is hot, but not smoking, add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring almost constantly.
- Add the andouille sausage to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the lentils and chicken broth. Stir to combine the ingredients well, while gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat to high, when the broth comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
- Cook the lentils for 30-45 minutes, until they reach the desired tenderness.
- Taste the lentils and add salt if needed. As a reference, we did not add extra salt to our lentils.
- Serve the lentils with rice or a generous piece of bread.