Lentil Kale Soup with Chicken Sausage

This gluten free Lentil Kale Soup with Chicken Sausage recipe is healthy and easy to make! It's full of vegetables and Italian flavors.

The time for hearty winter comfort food recipes is here and I can't think of a better one than this hearty Lentil Kale Soup. This soup is just the thing for a cold winter night!

I love soups like this one because it fills you up and is full of hearty ingredients like carrots, chicken sausage, an kale yet it's healthy at the same time.

It's not a 'stick to your ribs' kind of comfort food like pot roast or mashed potatoes - I like to think that soups like this one fall into the category of 'healthy comfort food'.

There's a blanket of fresh snow on the ground here in Minnesota and I don't even mind because it means I get to enjoy a big pot of this lentil soup simmering away on the stove top.

Jump to:

• Ingredients For Lentil Kale Soup
• How To Make Lentil Sausage Soup
• Can I Just Add Lentils To Soup?
• How Long Does It Take To Cook?
• What To Serve With Lentil Kale Soup
• Can This Soup Be Frozen?
• Lentil Kale Soup with Chicken Sausage

Ingredients For Lentil Kale Soup

I like to start out any soup recipe with a base of aromatics like garlic, onions, and celery. The aromatics used vary from soup to soup but these ones are staples in most of them.

Carrots are a great thing to add to soups because they're hearty, filling, and don't get mushy as they cook. They add a nice sweetness to any dish.

This lentil sausage soup is made with kale but you can substitute any greens you like. Spinach, Swiss chard, are all great alternatives to kale. Alternately, you can leave the greens out altogether if you don't care for them.

Here's What You'll Need To Make It:

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion (any color)
• 4 stalks Celery
• 4 large Carrots
• 4 gluten free Chicken Sausages (such as andouille or Italian sausage)
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 ¼ cups Brown Lentils
• 6 cups Low-Sodium Gluten Free Chicken Broth
• 1 15 oz. can Tomato Sauce
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• 4 packed cups chopped Kale
• ¼ tsp. Kosher Salt and Pepper

Which Kind Of Sausage Is Best For This Soup?

I love to use chicken sausage when making soups. Chicken sausage is a bit lighter but every bit as tasty as regular sausage.

You can use any kind of sausage you like such as andouille or Italian smoked sausages. If you choose to use an uncooked sausage or ground sausage it's important to cook it thoroughly before adding it to the soup!

You can definitely use any kind of sausage you like. Pork sausages or even veggie sausage is just fine.

If you like chicken sausage be sure to check out this Butternut Squash Sausage Soup and Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage!

How To Make Lentil Sausage Soup

This soup is easy to prepare. I like to cook soups like this one in a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot. It's important to have one large enough to fit all of the ingredients.

1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
2. Chop 4 stalks of celery.
3. Cut 4 large carrots into slices (make sure they are relatively the same size to ensure even cooking).
4. Roughly chop 4 packed cups of kale (or green of choice).
5. Cut 4 chicken sausages into slices.

The sausage is cooked in the soup pot before adding the rest of the ingredients. The fats from the sausage help to flavor the soup.

1. Heat a cast iron Dutch oven or soup pot to medium high on the stove top. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the pot.
2. Once heated add the sliced sausages and saute for 5 minutes, stirring often. The sausages will brown a bit. Remove after 5 minutes and set aside. (If using uncooked sausage cook it through at this point. Cooking it through may take longer than 5 minutes).
3. Add the minced garlic, onions, and celery to the pot. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add the sliced carrots along with ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper. Saute for another 5 minutes, stirring often.
5. Add 1 ¼ cups brown lentils, 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce, and 1 tsp. Italian seasoning to the pot. Stir until combined.
6. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce to a low-medium boil, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.

Can I Just Add Lentils To Soup?

Lentils are great for many reasons. They're cheap, versatile, and add a lot of heartiness to dishes like this one.

They're not fussy and are perfect for any type of rustic recipe.

This recipe uses brown lentils. They're probably the most common lentils available in most supermarkets. They are usually found in the dry goods section of the grocery store or in the bulk section of your local food coop.

You can just add them right to the soup. These lentils do not require soaking before they are added to the soup but rinsing them is always recommended to remove any dust or debris.

If you're gluten free it's important to check labels when purchasing lentils. Lentils are naturally gluten free but some brands are processed in facilities that also process wheat so it's always best to check first.

How Long Does It Take To Cook?

This lentil sausage soup cooks for 30 minutes covered on a low-medium boil. At this point the lentils and carrots should have softened quite a bit.

1. After 30 minutes remove the cover from the soup pot. Add the sauteed sausages and 4 packed cups of kale (it will look like a lot but the greens cook down quite a bit).
2. Stir these ingredients into the soup, cover, and cook for another 15 minutes on a low-medium boil.

Cooking times may vary slightly. 45 minutes on a medium-low boil should have softened the lentils and carrots enough but feel free to cook 5-10 minutes longer if needed.

What To Serve With Lentil Kale Soup

This soup is definitely hearty enough to be served on its own but I always love soups served alongside a loaf of French bread or a slice of freshly baked no knead bread.

Soup and sandwiches are a great combo - This one would be great paired with a Chipotle Chicken Panini, Chicken Gouda Grilled Cheese, or Italian Mozzarella Grilled Cheese.

This Mediterranean Veggie Naan Flatbread is also a nice pairing or this Kalamata Olive Tapenade Crostini.

Italian soups are delicious topped with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese or any kind of salty hard cheese. Fresh herbs such as basil or parsley are also a nice addition.

If you like hearty and healthy soups I think you'll love these recipes:

• Harvest Vegetable Soup
• Rustic Beef Stew
• Kale and Carrot Soup
• Tuscan Vegetable Soup
• Healthy Ham and Potato Soup
• Vegetable Soup and Pesto Grilled Cheese
• Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup
• Winter Root Vegetable Soup
• Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
• Crockpot Tortilla Soup
• Sweet Potato Kale Soup
• Roasted Carrot Soup
• Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
• One Pot Wild Rice Turkey Soup

Can This Soup Be Frozen?

This soup makes an excellent freezer meal! It’s always nice to have a pre-made soup like this one on hand in the freezer when things get extra busy and hectic in life.

How To Freeze:

Prepare the soup according to the instructions and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, place the soup in heavy-duty freezer bags labeled with the date or in airtight containers. Store up to 3 months in the freezer.

How To Thaw:

Place the containers of frozen soup in the fridge for 24 hours to thaw. Place the soup in a Dutch Oven or soup pan and add ½ cup of water or chicken broth and heat thoroughly.

How Long Does It Last In The Fridge?

This soup should last 3-4 days stored in airtight containers in the fridge. Make sure to cool the soup completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Love lentils? Check out these recipes!

• Mediterranean Lentil Soup
• Instant Pot Green Lentils
• Instant Pot Spinach Lentil Soup

Looking For More Hearty Lentil Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Lentil Bolognese Sauce

Lentil Sloppy Joes

Instant Pot Curry Lentils