Description
Hearty and flavorful Sausage and Lentil Soup cooked slowly in a slow cooker, combining crispy bacon, Italian sausage, tender lentils, and a medley of vegetables in a rich tomato and chicken broth base. Perfect for a comforting and nutritious meal that serves six.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats
- 6 strips bacon, cut into small pieces
- 16 ounces Italian sausage
Vegetables
- 1 medium onion, chopped finely
- 2 sticks celery, chopped finely
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped finely
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Liquids & Sauces
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
Dry Ingredients & Spices
- 1.5 cups dry green or brown lentils
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- Salt & pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until crispy. Remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel lined plate, leaving the bacon fat in the pan.
- Brown the sausage: In the same skillet, add the Italian sausage and cook for 7-8 minutes, breaking it into small pieces as it browns. Transfer the sausage to the same plate as the bacon.
- Sauté the vegetables: Leave 1-2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet, then add the chopped onion, celery, and red bell pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned.
- Add the garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Then transfer the vegetable mixture into the slow cooker.
- Combine ingredients in slow cooker: Add the cooked bacon and sausage, chicken broth, tomato sauce, lentils, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Slow cook the soup: Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 3-4 hours, or set to low and cook for 6-8 hours until lentils are tender and flavors meld.
- Season and blend: Season the soup with salt and pepper as needed. Optionally, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup for a creamier texture while leaving some lentils whole.
Notes
- If you prefer a thicker soup, blend part of it with an immersion blender before serving.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes for more or less heat according to taste.
- If you don’t have Italian sausage, you can substitute with spicy or sweet sausage varieties.
- For a vegetarian version, omit bacon and sausage and use vegetable broth.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or can be frozen for longer storage.
