It’s FALL Y’ALL and the temperatures are dropping across the country, even here in TX, so it is time to start making soup! I try to make a pot of soup at least 1x per week throughout the fall and winter. I love soups because they are healthy, easy to make and super versatile. You can have soup for lunch, or dinner, serve with a side salad or a protein. Soups also make for great leftovers, as I think the flavors get better and better as they sit.
I love lentil soup and for this particular recipe, I decided to add sausage to make it a little heartier and appeal to the men in my family. They tend to think a vegetable soup is not enough for them, so the sausage adds more protein and is more filling. You can leave out the sausage and use a vegetable broth for a vegetarian option, or follow my recipe exactly for an omnivore’s delight!! Either way, I hope you love this recipe!
Ingredients:
1 large onion, diced
4-5 carrots, peeled and diced
3-4 stalks of celery, diced
1 pound of sausage (I used Owen’s Natural)
8-10 cups chicken broth
1-28 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 cup red lentils (rinsed and sorted)
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
Directions:
In a large soup pan, over medium to high heat, add the sausage and begin to break apart and crumble. As the sausage is cooking, add the onions, carrots and celery. Continue to cook, stirring often, until sausage is cooked through and no longer pink, and vegetables are tender. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, lentils, bay leaves and all other herbs and spices. Bring to a rapid simmer. Reduce heat to low and partially cover. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until lentils are cooked through but not mushy. Add salt and pepper to taste and garnish with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
