Rustic Lentil Soup 

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

 Servings: 10

With fall quickly approaching, it’s time to break out your favorite sweater and start celebrating soup season with this Rustic Lentil Soup! The lentils, slow-cooked with pancetta, veggies, and stock will warm you to the core. Give it a Tuscan twist with Italian sausage and pancetta. Make it vegetarian by omitting the pork and use vegetable stock.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 oz pancetta, cubed

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup yellow onion chopped

• 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced

• 1 cup celery, chopped

• ½ tsp fresh thyme, chopped

• ½ tsp fresh oregano, chopped

• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

• ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 cup tomato sauce

• 6 cups chicken stock, plus more if needed

• 2 fresh bay leaves

• 1½ cups lentils rinsed and drained

• 1 potato peeled and diced 

• 2 Italian sausage links, sweet or hot

INSTRUCTIONS

 1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp.

 2. Add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.

 3. Add in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

 4. Add the thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, pepper, and salt and cook, stirring frequently, for another minute.

 5. Add the tomato sauce and chicken stock. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.

 6. Reduce heat to a steady simmer. Stir in the lentils and bay leaves, partially cover the pot, and let simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

 7. Stir the soup, and if too thick, add more stock. Add the potatoes and cook for another 15 minutes, or until they are tender.

 8. Meanwhile, remove the casings from the sausage links and form small meatballs. Cook them in a medium saucepan over medium heat with a splash of olive oil until browned

 9. Add the cooked sausage to the soup. Remove the bay leaves. Serve at once.