With the winter chills and winds and snow brings a craving for soup. Thick. Rib sticking. Soup. I wanted to try a lentil soup so I searched for a good hearty recipe and this is what I came up with. To make it vegetarian, omit the pancetta and sausage, it’s still a thick, hearty soup. You can put a dollop of non-fat Greek Yogurt on top in stead of the sausages.
French Lentil Soup with Sausage
Modified from Epicurious French Lentil Soup
Serves 6 (or 2 and put the rest in your freezer)
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons extra–virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp chopped pancetta
- 2 cups chopped vidalia or sweet onions
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 garlic cloves, minced finely
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 1/4 cups lentils, rinsed, drained
- 1 14 1/2–ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
- 2 fully cooked chicken and turkey sausages, cubed
Directions:
- Pan-fry the pancetta until crispy in the olive oil, remove but save the flavoured oil.
- Add the onions to the hot oil and sauté until translucent.
- Add celery and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to slightly brown, about 15 minutes.
- Add 4 cups broth, lentils, and tomatoes with juice and bring to a slow boil.
- Reduce heat to medium–low, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.
- Return the pancetta to the soup and purée with an immersion blender until smooth.
- Return to heat and add the cooked sausages and heat until thoroughly warm.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with a dollop of fat free Greek yogurt.
Hi Eva, I made this soup (sans bacon or sausage) this past week and it’s great! Very easy to make, and super hearty and flavourful. I’ll definitely make it again. Thanks for another wonderful vegetarian recipe!
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Hi Michela, so glad you enjoyed it, the lentils have a lovely texture particularly when puréed.
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I appreciate the recommendation for the blender. It like the fact that is also a whisk and food processor. I hope they have it here in the UK. We don’t get all the cool toys you guys have in Canada or America.
Thanks and I look forward to your next recipe!
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No problem, you should be able to get it on Amazon.
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Another great recipe Eva! I wish I had discovered your blog sooner. It’s a shame that since I moved to England I stopped eating soup. People here don’t really eat soups that much which is a shame really.
I also have some nice recipes for soups, I will post them on my blog as soon as I buy a blender.
Thanks for another awesome suggestion! Looking forward to the next one.
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Thank you for your very flattering words Tudor.
Might I suggest an immersion blender instead of a stand blender, so much more practical. I have the Cuisinart and I love it because it’s a great whisk (best one for egg whites) and a very good little food processor as well as a very good immersion blender http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B002RWJN5C. It makes the smoothest, creamiest soups without cream!
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This looks delicious. I’ve been looking for a nice lentil soup recipe, I’ll have to give this one a go.
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Thank you Corinna, let me know how you like it.
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wow, the lentil soup looks amazing and mouth-watering, it makes me really want the weather in Lyon to be colder so I can try to do it 😉
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Lucky you, you live in Lyon. JT and I were there in early September and really enjoyed it. Thank you for your lovely comment about my soup.
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Lentil soup is my husband’s favorite but this one is new to me
I look forward to giving it a go soon. We are expecting a snow storm in the next few days, so maybe then 🙂
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That’s great Sawsan, would love to hear if he liked it. It’s cold and dreary and grey in Toronto today, but it’s pretty mild. We’re roasting a chicken tonight.
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Lovely warming soup, Eva, and sausage goes so well with lentils! (I don’t know if you’ve had lentils with cooked sausage in Lyon but it’s a very popular dish in traditional restaurants, one of my husband’s favourite). I love lentils and have just bought some more in my organic shop (which strangely doesn’t sell French lentils but… organic green lentils imported from Canada!) in accordance with my New Year’s resolution: eat more legumes.
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Thanks Sissi. Now that’s interesting. Are the lentils from Alberta? Apparently the soil there is similar to that of Du Puys do the lentils should taste similar. Here, they are about 1/4 of the price of the Du Puys imported lentils.
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We are having soup weather and your thick hearty soup is so inviting, I can see myself having this with a chunk of crusty bread (I love crusty bread, could eat a whole loaf, my down fall)..
Hope you got rid of you “returned” cold.
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Mine too, Norma that’s why I usually only bake it when we have company! Thanks for your well wishes, it just won’t give up.
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Comfort food your name is lentil soup. 🙂 This looks delicious!
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How sweet, thanks Maureen. Hope you had happy holidays.
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Eva! What a good idea to puree the lentils!
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Thanks Zsuzsa, JT adores creamed soups.
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Lentils and sausage make a very tasty and filling soup and hits the spot when it’s cold outside.
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Thank you Maria, it’s particularly nice when you just can’t seem to get warm.
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I can imagine this is a great, warming soup to have during cold, wet weather. It looks hearty and delicious, Eva. xx
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Thanks Charlie, it must be difficult to look at considering the crazy sweltering temperatures you guys have had to put up with. Is it always THAT hot down there? I’m glad that the worst it usually gets in Toronto is around 30, and that’s not too often. And we’re fairly fortunate to have Lake Ontario so close by because it actually keeps us cooler in the summer and slightly warmer in the winter.
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This is such a thick and hearty looking soup.. and I love your little lidded bowls, so cheery on a winter’s day! I’d go with the sausage version for sure! xx
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Thank you kindly Barb, I may have to break out a couple of the frozen servings for dinner tonight.
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I’m having ongoing soup desires ;-). I guess it’s just the time of year but I can’t seem to get enough. I haven’t made a good lentil soup in a while so this is the perfect inspiration – your warming dish manages to look rich and creamy while being gorgeously healthy. What a great combination of ingredients too. I like the addition of sausage here.
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I know what you mean Kelly, and leaving out the sausage and the pancetta would definitely make it healthier.
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I like new (to me) ideas for lentils. This looks filling, but not too heavy. Great soup.
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That’s the nice thing about legumes, Greg, is that they are indeed filling but not too heavy.
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I make a similar dish and it is great for this time of the year. Adding the sausage does make it hearty and good.
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Thanks Karen.
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I would definitely leave the sausage in. This looks so warm and comforting. Just what is needed with these cold temps. Burrrr! 🙂
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Thanks Kristy, I have several servings in the freezer, I may have to break one out later.
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The soup looks creamy, filling and flavourful!
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Thanks Angie, filling but not heavy.
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