This healthy, hearty lentil soup recipe comes together quickly with pantry and freezer ingredients you probably already have. No trips to the grocery store for fresh food necessary!
It’s official. I’m working from home for a few weeks courtesy of Covid-19. And, while that doesn’t mean I don’t have to work, working from home will allow me the flexibility to get my work done sooner, which means more time to blog in the late afternoon and early evening. Get ready to hear from me a lot… (I hope!)
Because many of us are – and should be – practicing Social Distancing that means fewer and fewer trips to the grocery store for last minute ingredients and more reliance on peeking in the pantry and freezer and relying on dry staples like beans and rice, and canned and frozen food. This Easy Lentil and Sausage (or not) Soup is easy on the wallet, can be made with nary a fresh ingredient, is ready in 30 minutes or less, can be vegan or not, and it’s still HEALTHY!
This Easy Lentil and Sausage (or not) Soup is…
- Hearty and satisfying
- extra healthy – lentils like other legumes help fight inflammation in the body and improve gut health
- Flavorful
- Fiber-packed
- Quick and easy to make
- Freezer friendly
- Easy to make vegan (or not)
It’s getting crazy here in the U.S. folks. Please stay in and stay safe. We can and will get through this! Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
Peace, Love and Good Eats, from our Empty Nest to yours.
Trending in the Empty Nest Kitchen: frozen veggies of any kind!
Mr. EN’s take on this recipe: “I liked it fine without the sausage but with it, is even better.”
Lentil and Sausage (or not) Soup - Pantry Friendly
Yield 6-8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 very full cup of lentils, rinsed
- 4 cups beef or vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons dried onion flakes *
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 10-oz package frozen mixed vegetables (I used carrots and peas)
- Optional - 1/2 pound cooked, hot Italian sausage
Instructions
- In a medium size pot, place the lentils, broth, water, onion flakes, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
- Over medium heat, bring the lentils to a low boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce to a low simmer and cook until lentils are tender (about 20-30 minutes). SEE NOTES.
- When the lentils are tender, stir in the frozen vegetables and if using, the cooked sausage. Bring to a low boil and heat until the veggies are hot. Taste and add more salt or pepper if desired. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- * If you don’t have the bay leaves skip them. If you don’t have onion flakes, use 1 small onion, chopped.
- Depending on the type of lentil you use the cooking time can be longer or shorter. Check for tenderness. I used French lentils which take longer to cook. Regular brown lentils will cook more quickly.
- If you have extra veggies, such as chopped green or red pepper or a few leaves of kale go ahead and add them in Step 1. If you have fresh washed spinach, add that in Step 3.
- Store leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze for up to six months.
Leave a Reply