ITALIAN SAUSAGE LENTIL SOUP

 

This Sausage Lentil soup is hearty, delicious and full of flavors. 

It's loaded with lentils, carrots, celery, onions and sausage!

Add a hearty piece of crusty bread and this soup makes for a very satisfying meal.

Making soup is not like baking so you can play with measurements.

More of this, less of that....Right?

Brown up several slices of bacon in a large Dutch oven and

remove when done. The bacon grease in the pot is

what I will saute all the vegetables in :)

Did not say this was a low calorie soup! 

Slice up about 8 carrots or more if you love carrots like I do.

Chop up one onion.

Chop up one whole stock of celery or more if you like.

Set all the ingredients aside.

I used 6 sausages. 

Hot Italian & Mild Italian

Remove the sausage from the casing and brown it in the Dutch oven.

Take the sausage from the pot and set it aside.

That grease left over is "Gold" and the vegetables will deliciously cook in it :)

Now to start the Italian Sausage Lentil Soup.

Salt & Pepper the vegetables and cook till tender.

Sprinkle in about 1/2 teaspoon or more dried Oregano 

and hot pepper flakes to taste.

About 3 or 4 cloves of minced garlic. (Trader Joe's Cheater Garlic)

Pour in about 6 cups of chicken stock.

Pour in 2 14oz cans of diced Fire Roasted tomatoes.

Add in a 12oz. bag of dried lentils plus another half cup or so more.

I love lentils!

Add in about a half cup of tomatoes puree or more.

Bring the soup up to a boil and turn down to simmer.

Stir occasionally as it simmers.

Tumble in the sausage.

Crumble in the bacon!

I did say this was a HEARTY soup :)

Few bays leaves into the pot.

Put a lid on the Dutch oven and let it simmer on low for about 1/2 hour.

Omg....This pot smells devine!

Have a taste of the soup you may want to add more salt 

or red pepper flakes?

When I make a pot of soup I always cook up plenty so that I have

homemade soup to freeze and enjoy later.

Time for dinner!

Put A Ladle In It :)

Grab Your Bowl And Pour The Wine!

Top the Lentil Soup off with some Parmesan cheese and grab some crusty bread.

YUM!

Enjoy!