Make Ahead
Lentil and Sausage Soup with Kale
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56 Reviews
deborah L.
December 31, 2022
Delicious! Made last night for the first time using French green lentils (did not soak), spicy Italian sausage out of the casing. Pre-sausage add, felt it was a little watery and need more concentration of flavors and wanted more of a stew-like texture so let it cook longer and added 1/4 c of orzo to help thicken. Ultimately added another cup of chicken broth to the over-thickened stew. Just perfect. Will make again.
Beth6582
October 30, 2022
Great recipe! I didn’t use as many lentils and added fennel and mushrooms, which really gave it a great flavor. Served with crusty bread was a great rainy Sunday night dinner!
Jaxmccaff
March 22, 2020
Made this recipe again the other day. Used mung beans instead of lentils and used 1/2 water and 1/2 beef stock. It was so delicious. Such a great recipe for lots of leftovers.
mcewenrw
November 10, 2019
Substituted smoked Jalapeño sausage and it turned out excellent. Also added two cups chicken stock in place of two cups water for additional flavor. I will halve the amount lentils next time, 1 1/2 cups ends up being too much for me once they are cooked and soak up liquid.
Jes A.
November 27, 2018
I love this recipe, I've been making it for years and it's so tasty.
Does anyone know the caloric breakdown?
Does anyone know the caloric breakdown?
Megan G.
November 12, 2018
It's starting to get cold so I've been craving some new soup recipes. Just made this last night and it is AMAZING! I used red lentils instead of french green lentils, and I used Andouille-style chicken sausage and was very happy with the result. I know what soup I'll be making on repeat this winter :)
Rhonda35
March 6, 2018
Hi Merrill! Made this soup for the hundredth or so time - always SO good - especially inviting when it's 30 degrees with 45 mph gusts outside! This time, I switched out the lentils and used barley instead - a nice variation. Thanks for sharing your recipe. :-)
Alison
January 28, 2018
This is really good and very simple to make on a cold winter afternoon. Since there wasn't a specific weight given for the sausages, I interpreted this ingredient quantity expansively (indulgently?), and used an entire package (actually 8) of chicken breakfast sausage, which was well-received by the consumers of this fine dish. Clearly, any type of sausages would work well, so I think it depends on what flavor profile you want and/or how much meat you want. I also used regular green lentils rather than french green (la puy style), since this is what I had on hand, and was perfectly happy with the result. thanks for this recipe! It will make return appearances in my home.
Alison
October 13, 2017
Great base - I used almost twice as much kale, ground turkey that I seasoned lightly, and dried herbs. Delicious and filling with infinite room to adapt.
Marie F.
August 30, 2017
Lentils don't have to be soaked, if they were crunchy the soup should have been simmered longer.
Tigi
February 2, 2017
I make a soup similar to this, except that I use turkey Italian sausage and equal parts barley, split peas and lentils. One of my favorites.
Tracy D.
January 17, 2016
I made this today in my pressure cooker, substituted spinach for the kale. I also topped it with a drizzle of olive oil and parmesan cheese, it was delicious!
Gretchen S.
December 28, 2015
Delicious and hearty winter soup without being too rich or fatty. Nice to have a recipe without added stock and plenty of flavor. The lentils took quite a bit longer to cook and I ended up adding quite a bit of extra water.
jklinsm
November 25, 2015
This was delicious and received rave reviews from all. Even my picky 4 year olds thought it was good. Definitely adding to the winter rotation.
cocos C.
June 29, 2015
I would say 1 out of 3-4 recipes I cook comes from Food52. Always a great inspiration to me! I recently realized that I hadn't thanked the creators of my favorite go-to dishes, of which this soup is one. It is a perfect balance of the things I want in cool weather. Thanks!
AntoniaJames
November 1, 2014
Excellent soup, and so easy! I used regular flat green lentils, because we eat the French ones so often in another lentil-sausage-greens soup. Also, I added parsley right before serving and splashed on red wine vinegar, to brighten it up a bit. We needed a lot more water, as the lentils drank the broth right up. ;o)
Teri
October 26, 2014
I will never make another lentil soup recipe again, because this is the best one EVER.
Debbi S.
August 7, 2014
There are several varieties of chicken sausage (Italian, Polish, apple and gouda, garlic and spinach, etc.). Which did you use? Getting the ingredients tomorrow. Thanks!
liz A.
March 4, 2014
this was the perfect its-still-winter-and-i-have-a-cold dinner for me tonight. i'll be anxiously awaiting leftovers ;)
Shari K.
February 20, 2014
Great soup! I used less liquid and substituted collards for the kale. The sausage was a chicken and turkey andouille. Delicious.
Fifer
February 10, 2014
Planning to make the soup this week - looks delicious, and hoping my son will partake. However, I wanted to check that I should use French green (puy) lentils, and not regular green lentils. The photo looks very much like the latter. Thanks!
Medooka
January 30, 2014
Delicious soup. I made it without the sausage and replaced kale with spinach. Still delicious, though I loved kale better when I made it the first time.
Harriette C.
January 20, 2014
This was really delicious, but I had some trouble. I followed the recipe to the T but the lentils were a little crunch and overwhelmed the texture. But it was really tasty and it makes a lot so next I will add more kale and less lentils.
Davide A.
January 25, 2014
You should either use canned/tetrapak lentils or soak the lentils in salted water for four hours before cooking.
robin L.
February 7, 2016
Also wanted to ask this: aren't beans supposed to be cooked without tomatoes (or added only toward the end of their doneness) because otherwise beans will not cook well?
Chaz B.
January 14, 2014
Is it unreasonable to point out that that photo clearly has yellow split peas in it, and not French green lentils at all...?
Merrill S.
January 14, 2014
It's not unreasonable, but it's also not true! These are green lentils -- I made the soup myself, so I know!
Karen
January 12, 2014
This sounds wonderful! I'm going to make it this week and I'll puree some of the lentils!
Doug D.
January 9, 2014
I've been making just about this same soup for years. Before I add the meat, I take some out and puree it in the blender and add it back for a thicker soup.
Yessica
January 7, 2014
Well.....wow wee! This soup was a hit with the family. My hubby had 2 gigantic bowls and I had to exercise much restraint so I could pack some for lunch. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Oh and we are pretty much sold on kale :o)
Yessica
January 7, 2014
ok, since we are going through a wild and crazy winter here in NJ I am going to try this tonight. It will be a first for me to cook with kale. I have been wanting to try it. Does it need to be cleaned out like greens? or can I just wash and toss in the pot?
Merrill S.
January 7, 2014
Welcome to the wonderful world of kale! I recommend soaking the leaves in a big bowl of cold water and swishing them around a bit -- then give them a good second rinse in a colander or salad spinner, dry them a bit, and you should be good to chop and toss!
The F.
September 8, 2013
Made this today, added a mixture of water and chicken stock (needed to use it) and it's very flavorful. Going to let it stew on the stove for a few hours before we enjoy it. Thank you for an easy Sunday dinner!
cschaefer
September 3, 2013
Made this for my daughter around 8 months of age and she absolutely loved it! (I think I may have quite the foodie on my hands). A few healthy-sized bowfuls aside, I pureed the rest and froze 21 single servings. She never grew tired of me thawing and reheating this soup for her meal after meal. Thank you for posting this under your "Cooking for Clara" column, Merrill. I would have never tried it had you not suggested it!
Emilia R.
May 22, 2013
Boy, oh, boy, another recipe that makes me want to long for winter... And I hate winter! :-)
adele93
May 11, 2013
would roast chicken, shredded work as a substitute for sausage? trying to avoid that much fat
punkage
April 15, 2013
carol from chicago
Just made this lentil and sausage soup with kale....one word....
Yummmmoooooo
Very very good. I never used chicken sausage before and you would
never miss regular Italian sausage. Excellant and I'll make it time and time again. Many thanks, C
Just made this lentil and sausage soup with kale....one word....
Yummmmoooooo
Very very good. I never used chicken sausage before and you would
never miss regular Italian sausage. Excellant and I'll make it time and time again. Many thanks, C
shirlee R.
March 14, 2013
This question came to me and not an expert but would leave them whole as easier to remove when finished cooking.
Merrill S.
March 14, 2013
Yes, that's what I do. You can also chop up the leaves and add them that way.
BadCat
March 13, 2013
That was quite good! I used two rashers of bacon as well as Italian sausage. My eight year old daughter loved it and it was so easy to make on a Wednesday night.
shirlee R.
March 7, 2013
Wanted to ask about the liquid?? Only juice from tomato's? I make a similar White Bean and Sausage which calls for 4 cups of chicken broth and would like to not have to use so much broth. Would like to use water.
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