Sausage Lentil Kale Soup

4.72 from 7 votes

This Sausage Lentil Kale Soup is made with mild Italian chicken sausages, brown lentils, carrots, and kale in a savory tomato based broth!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Keyword: lentil sausage soup, lentil sausage kale soup, chicken sausage lentil soup

Servings:

Calories: 422kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Equipment

Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot

Ingredients

6 cloves garlic
1 onion any color
4 stalks celery
4-5 large carrots
4 chicken sausages such as mild Italian or spicy Italian
3 Tbsp. olive oil split
1 ¼ cups brown lentils make sure brand is gluten free
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups crushed tomatoes equals 16 oz.
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2-3 packed cups kale or hearty greens of choice
¾ tsp. kosher salt split
¾ tsp. pepper split

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color). Finely chop 4 stalks of celery.
Peel and chop 4-5 large carrots into slices, making sure that they are relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly.
Roughly chop 2-3 packed cups of kale (or hearty greens of choice, such as Swiss chard, collards, or spinach).
On a separate cutting board, cut 4 mild Italian chicken sausages (or sausages of choice) into slices.
Place a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the pot.
Once the oil is hot (the sausages should sizzle as they hit the oil), add the sliced chicken sausages to the Dutch oven. Sauté the sausages for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sausages will brown a bit on the outside and some of the fat will render into the soup pot.
Remove the sausages from the Dutch oven and set aside, leaving the fat and brown bits in the pot.
Add another 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the pot, along with the minced garlic, onions, and celery. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, stirring often.
Add the chopped carrots, along with ½ tsp. kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for another 5-6 minutes, stirring often and scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spatula.
Add 1 ¼ cup brown lentils and sauté for 1 minute, or until completely coated in the olive oil.
Add 6 cups low sodium chicken broth, 2 cups (equals 16 oz.) crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper to the pot. Stir until combined.
Bring the soup to a boil, reduce to a medium-low boil, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, return the sautéed sausages and 2-3 packed cups of kale (or hearty greens of choice) back to the Dutch oven and stir until incorporated.
Cover and cook for another 10 minutes on a medium-low boil, or until the lentils and carrots are tender, but not mushy and the kale has cooked down.
Cook for a few additional minutes if necessary.
To Serve: Serve with some grated Parmesan, Asiago, or Romano cheese and fresh minced herbs such as chives, parsley, or basil (optional).

Notes

Any kind of sausages may be used in this recipe. If using uncooked sausage or bulk sausage (not smoked sausage) make sure that it cooks thoroughly. Using an alternate variety of sausage may alter the nutritional information.

Make sure the brand of sausage used is gluten free if gluten is an issue for you.

Any kind of greens may be substituted for kale such as Swiss chard, spinach, or collards.

Nutrition