Lentil Sausage Soup

Lentil Sausage Soup is packed with ground sausage, soft lentils, lots of veggies in a tomato based broth. This hearty sausage and lentil soup tastes as if it has been slow simmered for hours. This one pot budget soup stores well, tastes amazing & would feed a large family.

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Lentil soup with sausage

Lentil soup with sausage is the best you would ever make in your instant pot with simple ingredients. This protein packed soup is super filling, so comforting and easily customizable and packed with incredible flavors.

Use your favorite ground sausage like spicy sausage, or Italian sausage or even regular sausage to make this healthy soup.

Load it with extra veggies like zucchini, bell peppers, yellow squash! You can also give this easy lentil soup a healthy boost by adding your favorite greens like baby spinach or baby kale. Lots of fresh chopped parsley and a few drops of lemon juice is all you need to enjoy this green lentil soup.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Find the Ingredients with actual measurements at the bottom of the post. The list below is just a reference.

• Lentils: Green lentils. Pick the lentils and rinse them well under running tap water.
• Sausage: Ground sausage. You can use regular, Italian, spicy or mildly sweet ground sausage. You can also sub the ground sausage with diced Anadolu or kielbasa sausage.
• Aromatics: Yellow onion and lots of minced garlic.
• Veggies: Celery and carrots. You can also add extra veggies like zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers.
• Tomatoes: Diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes from the can. We used regular petite diced tomatoes. Pick your favorite diced tomatoes. You can also sub the can of crushed tomatoes with diced tomatoes with basil in it or chilis.
• Seasonings: Smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, chives, ground black pepper, red pepper flakes. Skip the red pepper flakes if you are making this sausage lentil soup for kids. Add salt according to your own personal taste preference.
• Bay Leaves.
• Worcestershire sauce: If you do not have it handy sub it with equal amounts of low sodium soy sauce.
• Cooking fat: Extra light or light olive oil.
• Better than bouillon: Use the better than bouillon chicken base stirred in water to make an instant chicken stock.

Tips for success

• Flavor secret: Brown the ground sausage. This will add a huge flavor boost to the soup.
• Healthy option: Sub the ground pork sausage with ground turkey. The recipe and the cook time would remain the same.
• Spicy lentil soup: Increase the amount of red pepper flakes and also add hot sauce while serving the green lentil soup.
• Extra veggies: You can add about ½ cup each of chopped red bell pepper, zucchini and yellow squash along with the other veggies. In that case add about ½ cup more liquid.
• Soup consistency: We prefer a stew like instant pot lentil soup consistency. Todays recipe is just that. However, if you prefer a brothy soup do add about 6.5 cups liquid.

How to make instant pot lentil soup with sausage?

Find the detailed step by step recipe along with measurements + Video at the bottom of the post.

Step #1 Brown Sausage

• Brown Sausage: Brown the ground sausage in the instant pot on sauté mode set on high heat. Once done, add the chopped veggies and the aromatics and sauté again.

Step #2 Sauté veggies & aromatics

• Sauté veggies, aromatics: Sauté the veggies and the aromatics until they begin to turn soft. Add the seasonings and the salt. Sauté for another 30 seconds. Cancel the sauté mode.

Step #3 Deglaze pot

• Deglaze pot: Add the stock. Deglaze pot very well by scrapping the sides and the bottom of the pot with the help of a spatula. This will help loosen any stuck food particles and prevent the burn error.
• Add lentils, tomatoes: Add the Worcestershire sauce, the rinsed and drained green lentils, crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes from the can. Throw in the bay leaves.

Step #4 Pressure cook soup

• Pressure cook soup: Secure the lid and pressure cook the soup on high pressure for 15 mins followed by 15 mins natural pressure release. Open the lid, discard the bay leaves and give the instant pot lentil soup a good stir.
• Serve soup: Serve the soup immediately garnished with fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley.

Crockpot sausage lentil soup (method)

• Brown sausage: Set a skillet over medium high heat on the stove top. Add oil and brown the sausage well. Set it aside on a plate.
• Slow cook: Add the chopped veggies, onion, garlic, rinsed and drained lentils, tomatoes, seasonings, salt, stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves and the browned sausage along with any leftover sausage fat (optional). Close the lid and slow cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours. If the soup starts to get thicker add more stock or water and stir well.
• Serve soup: Serve the sausage and lentil soup garnished with fresh lemon juice and lots of fresh chopped parsley.

Serving Ideas

This instant pot lentil soup with sausage is a wholesome and a very filling soup. You can easily make a complete meal out of it. However, if you would love to add a side than here are some great ideas:

• Cornbread.
• A light crisp salad.
• Crusty bread.
• A simple coleslaw.
• Air Fryer garlic bread.
• Air fryer frozen corn on the cob.
• Air fryer smashed brussel sprouts.
• Air fryer roasted beets.
• Air fryer carrots and potatoes.
• Butternut squash fries air fryer.
• Instant pot Moroccan couscous.

Leftovers & storage

Fridge: You can store the sausage and lentil soup in air tight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. The soup will thicken a lot in the fridge, as cooked lentils tend to absorb a lot of liquid. Follow the reheating directions shared below.

Freezer: You can freeze this healthy lentil soup for up to 3 months in the freezer. Use portion control individual size freezer safe bags or containers for storing the soup. Thaw the frozen soup overnight in the fridge and than follow the reheating directions shared below.

How to reheat

Microwave oven: The lentils soak up a lot of liquid when stored in the fridge. You have to add some extra water or stock before reheating the soup in the microwave oven until warm or hot.

Stovetop: Transfer the thawed or fridge cold soup in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add some water or stock, gently stir to mix well. You can totally control the consistency of the lentil sausage soup and keep it the way you like. Reheat the soup over medium high heat on the stovetop stirring often.

FAQs

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