Lentil Soup with Sausage and Kale
Serves 4
This soup is nutritious and packed with protein.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1 pound bulk turkey or pork Italian sausage, regular or hot
- 1 cup lentils
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, grated or chopped
- 1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
- 1 baking potato, peeled and diced
- 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
- 3-4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and discarded, leaves shredded
Directions
- Place a large soup pot over medium-high heat with one turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Once hot, add the sausage and sauté for 3-4 minutes, breaking it up into small pieces with the back of a spoon or a potato masher as it cooks and browns.
- While the sausage is browning, pour the lentils out onto a light-colored plate and sift through them. Discard any small stones – sometimes you find them and sometimes you don’t, but better safe than sorry.
- To the browned sausage, add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, potato, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and the tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the stock and 2 cups of water, turn the heat up to high and bring up to a bubble. Add the lentils and the kale, stir until the kale wilts in, then turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Serve.