This sausage and lentil soup is made with kielbasa, lentils, vegetables, and fresh spinach simmered in a savory broth. It's a hearty, budget-friendly soup that's easy to make and ready in about an hour.
What's great about this recipe
- This soup is hearty enough for dinner, with kielbasa, lentils, vegetables, and spinach all in one pot.
- It has straightforward steps and simple ingredients and is ready in about an hour, making it great for a weeknight meal.
- It's budget-friendly, using lentils and vegetables to stretch the kielbasa into six servings.
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Budget Check
- The full recipe is about $11.00-$12.00
- Per serving (6 servings): about $1.83-$2.00
Uses conventional ingredients. Based on recent U.S. national averages. Actual prices will vary by store and region.
Ingredients you'll need
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- Lentils - Brown or green lentils work best because they hold their shape during cooking. Red and yellow lentils cook much faster and aren't a good fit for this soup. For more information, see how to cook lentils.
- Oil - We use olive oil, but another oil suitable for sautéing will work.
- Sausage - Use fully cooked Polish kielbasa or smoked sausage. For a version made with fresh sausage, try our Italian sausage lentil soup.
- Vegetables - Onion, carrot, celery, and garlic make up the vegetable base. Fresh spinach is added at the end.
- Liquid - We use a combination of chicken broth and water. If using all broth, choose reduced sodium to keep the soup from becoming too salty. If using all water, add chicken base or a bouillon cube for extra flavor.
- Seasoning - Kielbasa adds plenty of seasoning to the soup, so we keep it simple with black pepper and add salt at the end only if needed.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make sausage and lentil soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent.
- Add the garlic and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the kielbasa sausage to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the lentils, chicken broth, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender.
- When the lentils are tender, lower the heat to low. Add the spinach and stir until it wilts.
- Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added ½ teaspoon to ours. Serve with bread or crackers for dipping, if desired.
Recipe tips and notes
- Sort through the lentils before rinsing to remove any small stones, debris, or damaged lentils.
- Lentil cooking times can vary. Start checking them after about 20 minutes and adjust the cooking time depending on how firm or tender you like them.
- Wait until the end to add salt since the kielbasa and chicken broth already contain salt. Use reduced-sodium broth if you are sensitive to salt.
Substitutions and variations
- Use kale or Swiss chard instead of spinach. These greens take longer to cook than spinach, so add them earlier and cook until tender.
- Substitute another fully cooked smoked sausage for kielbasa. Turkey, pork, or beef smoked sausage will work. For a little heat, try andouille sausage.
- Add other vegetables. A small amount of zucchini, yellow squash, or broccoli can be added toward the end of the cooking time. Harder vegetables such as potatoes or butternut squash should be added earlier so they have time to become tender. Keep additions modest since extra vegetables can absorb some of the broth.
Serving suggestions
Serve the soup with crusty bread or saltine crackers for dipping. For a fresh side, pair it with a simple salad dressed with Parmesan peppercorn dressing. You can also serve the soup with white rice for a hearty meal.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate: Let the soup cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze: Cool the soup completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat: Warm the soup in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave it until hot. If it has thickened during storage, stir in a little water or chicken broth until it reaches the desired consistency.
Do not leave cooked food out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
Frequently asked questions
Brown or green lentils work best because they hold their shape during cooking. Red and yellow lentils cook much faster and tend to break down, so they aren't a good fit for this recipe.
No. Brown and green lentils don't need to be soaked before cooking. Sort through them, rinse well, and drain before adding them to the soup.
Yes. This soup works well for meal prep and can be made a day or two ahead. It will thicken as it sits, so add a little chicken broth or water when reheating if needed.
More lentil soup recipes
If you enjoy lentil soups, try this chicken lentil soup made with chicken thighs. Our popular Cuban lentil soup (potaje de lentejas) is fully loaded with pumpkin, potatoes, and more. Turkey and lentil soup is a great way to use leftover turkey, or try lentil potato soup for a meatless option.
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📖 Recipe
Sausage and Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion finely diced
- 1 Large Carrot peeled and diced
- 1 Celery Rib finely diced
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 14-16 ounces Kielbasa Sausage sliced into ¼ inch rounds (use a fully cooked variety, smoked sausage also works)
- 12-14 ounces Lentils sorted, rinsed, and drained (green or brown lentils work best)
- 4 cups Chicken Broth use reduced sodium if you are sensitive to salt
- 4 cups Water
- 4 ounces Fresh Spinach
- Salt to taste if needed at the end
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent.
- Add the garlic and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the kielbasa sausage to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the lentils, chicken broth, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender.
- Taste a couple of lentils to check for tenderness. If they're still firm, continue cooking and check them again in about 10 minutes.
- When the lentils are tender, lower the heat to low. Add the spinach and stir until it wilts.
- Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added ½ teaspoon to ours.
- Serve with bread or crackers, if desired.
Notes
- Sort through the lentils before rinsing to remove any small stones, debris, or damaged lentils.
- Lentil cooking times can vary. Start checking them after about 20 minutes and adjust the cooking time depending on how firm or tender you like them.
- Wait until the end to add salt since the kielbasa and chicken broth already contain salt. Use reduced-sodium broth if you are sensitive to salt.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Kathy
Delicious, easy. I used andouille sausage and everyone loved it.
Elizabeth Rodriguez
Hi Kathy, I’m so glad to hear you all enjoyed it. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Zahra
This is so delicious.. I’ve made it every week for the last month, clearly obsessed ha! Thank you!
Elizabeth
Really happy you enjoy it!
Savanna
Made this tonight and loved it! I added kale instead of spinach and added some steak seasoning at the end to add a little extra smokiness. Yum!
Elizabeth
Hi Savanna,
That sounds delicious! I’m really glad you enjoyed it.