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A white pot filled with rustic lentil soup, and a metal ladle scooping out a portion.
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4.93 / 14 votes

Rustic Lentil Soup

Rustic lentil soup is full of nourishment, comfort, and flavor. A simmering pot of green lentils, tomatoes, carrots, celery, potatoes, and spices. Add sausage, bacon, and pancetta, if you're so inclined.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Appetizers
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 727

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (1/2 oz) unsalted butter, 1/2 oz
  • 2 ounces diced pancetta
  • 2 strips bacon, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2 small plum tomatoes, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
  • 5 to 6 cups homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups green lentils*, rinsed and drained
  • 1 russet potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 to 2 Italian sweet or hot sausage links (5 oz | 143 g)
US - Metric

Instructions

  • In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter starts to foam. Add the pancetta and bacon and cook until the bacon is crisp, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic has softened, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, strain the chopped tomatoes through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the pulp to extract as much liquid as possible.
  • Add 5 cups chicken stock to the pot and then stir in the strained tomato pulp, bay leaves, salt, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Add the lentils, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the soup to a boil. Partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the soup for about 45 minutes.
  • Add the potatoes and cook the soup for about 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally, or until the lentils and potatoes are tender. Add more chicken stock if the soup becomes too thick.
  • Meanwhile, remove the casings from the sausage. In a small nonstick saute pan over high heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 4 to 5 minutes or until it is nicely browned.
  • Add the sausage and any fat remaining in the pan to the soup. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste the soup and add salt if necessary. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Notes

*What can I substitute for green lentils?

Green and Puy lentils are usually favored because of their texture and flavor, holding their shape well in both warm and cold dishes. If you can’t get green lentils, brown lentils do an excellent job of subbing in. Brown lentils hold their shape like the green variety and have a similar earthy taste. Be aware that they can cook a little more quickly, so start checking them earlier than you would with the green variety.

Vegetarian Rustic Lentil Soup variation

Omit the pancetta, bacon, and sausage and substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.

Sliced Sausage Rustic Lentil Soup variation

Instead of crumbling and cooking the sausage, simply slice and pan sear before adding to the soup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 727kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 1417mg | Fiber: 25g | Sugar: 10g