Lentil Soup with Smoked Sausage and Basil

by | Nov 18, 2020 | Basil, Fall, Lentils, Recipes, Soup

Lentil Soup with Smoked Sausage and Basil
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We’re full into Fall here, with a sudden change in the weather bringing cold nights and frosty mornings, and today… rain. Yay! Rain! We need it here in California, and I love it. But the best thing about rainy, chilly days is soup. Yes, soup. I love soup, but seriously can’t do it when the temperature is above 70 degrees. It just doesn’t work for me. I need a chilly, wet day. And today we had it. So the question is, what soup do we make to start of this season?

Well, since we still have some basil hanging on in the garden that needs to get used, I was looking for a soup to use up that last bit. And with a bunch of lentils in the pantry nearing their “best by” date, thought we better use those too. And a bit of kale and a lonely turnip I was wondering what to do with. I hadn’t made any lentil anything in a very long time, so with a quick google search came across a recipe for Kielbasa lentil soup with lots of basil, so that was it. Well, almost. As always, I need to adjust for what I have on hand, so made this with a few variations, and I must say we were extremely pleased with the results. Absolutely delicious!! “A keeper” … to quote hubby and son. I’ll bet it will taste even better tomorrow.

This “soup”  ended up quite thick, almost like a stew, and the lentils still had a bit of bite to them (like al dente pasta), but I like them that way. However, I also like my soups a bit more “brothy” so next time I’ll probably add a bit more broth or water. Either way, it’s a substantial and tasty dish for a chilly evening.

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Lentil Soup with Smoked Sausage and Basil

  • Author: Stacey McNeill
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Description

This is a perfect soup for cool fall weather when the garden basil is at the end, but needs to be harvested and used. Definitely try it with a dollop of Greek yogurt. It’s absolutely delicious, and I’d bet that sour cream would be good too.

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 4 stalks of celery, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 5 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 13 ounces smoked polish sausage (kielbasa or other polish type sausage)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 small turnip or potato, chopped (optional)
  • 1 1/4 cups lentils
  • 4 cups unsalted chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup torn kale leaves
  • 2 cups basil leaves, sliced or coursely chopped
  • additional salt and pepper to taste
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream for serving (optional, but yummy!)

Instructions

  1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add oil. Add sliced sausage and spread in a single layer, allowing it to brown, undisturbed, for several minutes until it begins to brown. Turn over sausage with tongs, and brown the other side for a few minutes.
  2. Slide sausage to one side of the pan and add the onion, celery, and carrot to the other side. Saute the vegetables for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onion becomes almost transluscent.
  3. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and saute for a few minutes.
  4. Add tomato paste and stir, browning slightly, for a few minutes.
  5. Rinse and drain lentils, then add them and chicken broth and water to the pan.
  6. Bring to a boil and add kale and turnip.
  7. Lower heat to lowest setting and allow to simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and check the lentils for doneness.
    They should be soft enough to easily chew, but not mushy. When they seem to be done, add the basil and take the pan off the heat for a few minutes, allowing the basil to wilt.
  8. Taste again, add salt and pepper if needed and place back on the heat if desired.
  9. Serve with Greek yogurt or sour cream to add on the side.