Italian Lentil Soup

You can eat this plain or over rice, with mashed potatoes, serve with fresh bread or wheat muffins, or however you like to eat soup. Everyone in the family ate it, and ate the leftovers the next day, and that is rarely the case around here for soups. I adapted and altered the recipe from a much larger recipe.

Italian Lentil Soup

1 lb. bulk spicy Italian sausage

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1-1/2 cups lentils, rinsed (red or green or mixture)

1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (or substitute plain)

3–4 cups chicken broth, plus additional broth or water as necessary

1/4 cup Kalamata or green olives, diced

2 teaspoons dried basil

Handful of baby spinach leaves, if desired

Freshly ground pepper

Heat a large pot. Add olive oil to the pot, then add the sausage and break it into small pieces as it cooks. When it’s mostly cooked, add the onion and celery. When the onion is soft, add the carrot and garlic. Add the rinsed lentils to the pot and sauté briefly. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, and diced olives. Cook 20–30 minutes, or until the lentils are done. You may need to add additional broth as it cooks. When it’s done, stir in the basil and spinach leaves, if desired. Serve with parmesan cheese.

For the Instant Pot: Sauté the sausage, vegetables, and lentils as directed. Add the tomatoes and broth and olives and close the lid and the valve release. Cook for 15 minutes at high pressure. When it’s done release the pressure when you’re ready to eat and stir in the basil and spinach leaves. 

Serves six to eight.