Lentil Soup with Spicy Italian Sausage

What you'll need

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound fully cooked hot Italian sausage, cut into half-inch cubes
  • 1 unit large onion, chopped (about 3 cups)
  • 2 unit large carrots, peeled, chopped (about 1 3/4 cups)
  • 2 unit large parsnips, peeled, chopped (about 1 3/4 cups)
  • 2 unit large celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning blend
  • 1 pound brown lentils
  • 3 quarts low-salt chicken broth
  • 5 ounces baby spinach leaves

Serves: 8

Cooking time: 55 minutes

  1. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to bowl. Add onion, carrots, parsnip, celery, and Italian seasoning blend to drippings in pot. Cook until onion is translucent and vegetables begin to soften, stirring often, 7 to 8 minutes. Add lentils; stir to coat. Add 3 quarts broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally and adding more broth by quarter-cupfuls if soup is too thick, 20 minutes.
  2. Add sausage to soup and simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors blend, 10 to 12 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.

Submitted by: Liz

Thanks to: Bon Appetit, January 2010