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This delicious, hearty lentil soup with sausage, potatoes, carrots, celery, and spices is perfect for warming you on those cold winter nights. What’s more, it’s easy to make, economical and very satisfying.

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This sausage lentil soup is a favorite from my childhood, and I still love it! It’s rich in flavor, and lentils are so easy to prepare. They cook so much quicker than dried beans, and a small amount goes a long way.
High in protein and made from scratch with lots of fresh veggies, this filling soup is so perfect for those colder days. It’s hearty enough to enjoy for dinner, along with some crusty bread of course! My kids and husband love it too!
Be sure to try my Cabbage Soup and Cauliflower Soup too!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: All made in one pot on the stovetop, this easy lentil soup recipe requires very little prep and is simple to make.
- Make ahead: Soups are great for meal prep an this one is no different. It’s freezer friendly too.
- Healthy & flavorful: Lentils bring great texture and flavor to this soup, and the assortment of vegetables adds a delightful freshness to every bite.
Ingredients And Substitutions
For a full ingredients list with measurements, check the recipe card below.
To make this vegetable lentil soup with sausage and potatoes, you will need the following ingredients:
- Sausage: I like to use Italian sausage in this soup, and Cajun works great too. You could also use ground turkey, or turkey sausage as an alternative.
- Oil: For cooking. I like to use olive oil, but coconut oil will work well too.
- Vegetables: Yellow onion, medium carrot, celery, potatoes, tomato, and garlic.
- Broth: You can make this soup with vegetable or chicken stock.
- Lentils: This recipe is great for french green lentils or brown lentils. They hold their shape and texture well unlike red.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt, pepper, oregano, and fresh parsley. Additionally, you could also add bay leaves and thyme.
How To Make Lentil Soup With Sausage
- Brown sausage in a large pot until cooked through. Remove sausage and set aside.
- Saute the onions, carrots, and celery in the pot.
- Add chicken broth, water, lentils, and potatoes to the pot, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
- Add peeled and diced tomato and seasonings. Cook for another 10 minutes, or until the lentils are done. Add the cooked sausage to the lentil potato soup.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips
- You can add in whatever other veggies you have to hand to make this lentil sausage soup, bell peppers or mushrooms make excellent additions.
- You can use red lentils if you prefer, they will require a shorter cooking time and will have a more mushy texture.
- If making ahead of time, let the soup cool fully before storing.
- Vegan lentil soup: Make this healthy lentil and vegetable soup vegan by omitting the sausage, or use a plant-based alternative.
- Optional add-ins: If you love spinach or kale, you can add them at the end and simmer for a couple of minutes until they soften.
- Optional garnish: You can sprinkle some red pepper flakes and grated Parmesan cheese.
How To Store Lentil Soup
This Mediterranean lentil soup makes enough for six hearty servings, so there are plenty of leftovers for lunch or dinner later in the week. Let the soup cool completely and transfer it to an air-tight container and it will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave for 2 minutes on full power to serve.
Can you freeze lentil soup?
Yes, this sausage and lentil soup freezes well and will keep well for up to 6 months. I like to freeze it in 1-cup or 2-cup portions in these souper cubes. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating. Stir in a little extra water or stock if the soup is thick after defrosting.
Recipe FAQs
You can also make this Italian lentil soup with ground beef, pork, ground pork sausage, shredded chicken breasts, ham, or turkey sausage instead of the Italian sausage if you prefer. If using chicken or turkey, you may need to season it more liberally as you won’t get the flavors from the sausage.
More Soup Recipes
If you like this lentil and sausage soup, i am sure you will also love these other comforting soup recipes:
Soups + Stews
Instant Pot Potato Soup
Soups + Stews
Hearty White Bean Soup with Sausage
Soups + Stews
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Main Dishes
Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
More from Delicious Meets Healthy
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Lentil Soup with Sausage
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Ingredients
- 16 oz of Italian sausage, or Cajun, sliced
- 2 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 stalk celery
- 8 cups chicken/vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 8 oz lentils
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1″ cubes
- 1 tomato, peeled and finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ Tablespoon salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Brown sausage over medium heat in a Dutch oven or a large pot until cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, remove sausage from pot and set aside.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat in the pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery to pot and saute until onions become translucent (about 4 – 5 minutes).
- Add chicken broth, water, lentils, and potatoes to the pot, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Add peeled and diced tomato, minced garlic, and dried oregano. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for another 15 minutes, or until the lentils are done.
- Stir in the browned sausage to the lentil soup.
- Just before serving, sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley.
Video
Notes
- You can add in whatever other veggies you have to hand to make this lentil sausage soup, bell peppers or mushrooms make excellent additions.
- You can use red lentils if you prefer, they will require a shorter cooking time and will have a more mushy texture.
- If making ahead of time, let the soup cool fully before storing.
- Vegan lentil soup: Make this healthy lentil and vegetable soup vegan by omitting the sausage, or use a plant-based alternative.
- Optional add-ins: If you love spinach or kale, you can add them at the end and simmer for a couple of minutes until they soften.
- Optional garnish: You can sprinkle some red pepper flakes and grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For accuracy, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this recipe is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice. I am not a doctor or a dietitian. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance regarding your diet or health. For more details, please read my full disclosure page.
Delicious!! I made this for company that was coming over. It was a hit
Everyone loved the soup.
So easy & delicious.
I made mine in the Instapot. Sautéed sausage and veggies per directions then added the rest and hit the soup button. Absolutely delicious. Oh, I only used half a pound of sausage to cut calories.
I made this soup last night and it was fantastic! The only thing I had to change was using canned diced tomatoes because I didn’t have fresh ones available. I’ll be making this again, thank you!
When do you add the sausage back into the soup?
You add it at the end when the soup is ready.
I don’t have fresh tomatoes. Can I use canned tomatoes instead?
yes, you can.
Hi. Can I do the Italian lentil soup in the instant pot? If so, what would I need to change in the preparation or ingredients
Absolutely delicious! I doubled the recipe and subbed diced fennel for 1/2 the celery. Thanks for sharing!
SO glad you loved it, Gina!
That sounds like an awesome idea, Gina! I’ll have to try that next time! I actually added a bag of a pre-prepared salad mix of kale and shaved Brussels sprouts and even my picky son was so throughly impressed with this soup that he went back for 2nds! We like tomatoes, so I added 2 cans of diced tomatoes instead of fresh. We also used chopped/shredded pork, for our “new year’s day good luck dinner ” ☺️ That’s why I made this in the 1st place, bcuz it’s said that the Italians see the lentils as Roman coins (old tradition).
forgot the rating!