Okay, you’re really going to have to try not to judge a book by it’s cover here. I know this Lentil & Sausage Stew isn’t the prettiest thing to look at but, OMG, it will knock the socks right off your taste buds! No joke. We’re talking insanely delicious here… like “at the end of the week I’ll be sad that there isn’t any left” delicious. But worry not, it makes a huge batch so you can always stash a few servings in the freezer for later.
The recipe posted below is adapted from this Lentil Sausage Soup over on dlynz.com. I still have half of a huge bag of lentils to use up and I’m trying to fiber pack my diet so this Lentil & Sausage Stew really fit the bill. And, as always, I made some changes to the recipe to accommodate what was available to me at a good price.
Can I Use Fresh Spinach?
Yes, fresh spinach works great in this recipe. Simply add about 8 oz. fresh baby spinach to the pot after everything is done cooking and stir until the spinach wilts into the broth.
Freeze Some for Later
The recipe makes a ton but luckily it freezes well. Of course, you could always cut it in half if you prefer. Sausage usually doesn’t come in smaller quantities than one pound, but luckily sausage also freezes well, so you can use half for this recipe and save half for later.
Lentil and Sausage Stew
Servings 8 about 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 1/2 lb. Italian sausage ($1.75)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 3 carrots ($0.30)
- 4 ribs celery ($0.74)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 2 cups brown lentils ($1.27)
- 6 cups chicken broth* ($0.78)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne ($0.05)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika ($0.10)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.10)
- 1 tsp dried oregano ($0.10)
- 10 oz. frozen spinach ($1.00)
Instructions
- Brown the sausage in a large pot over medium heat, breaking it up into pieces as it cooks.
- While the sausage is cooking, prepare your vegetables: wash, peel and slice the carrots, slice the celery, dice the onion, and mince the garlic. Once the sausage is cooked, add the vegetables to the pot and continue to sauté until the onions are soft and transparent (about 5 min).
- Add the lentils to the pot along with the cayenne, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and chicken broth.
- Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow it to come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Add more water if it gets too dry.
- Stir in the frozen spinach and cook for about 15 minutes more. Serve with a thick slice of crusty bread!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Lentil and Sausage Stew – Step By Step Photos
Brown 1/2 lb. Italian sausage in a large pot over medium heat, breaking it up into pieces as it cooks. Depending on the fat content of your sausage, you may need to add a splash of oil to the pot to get it going in the beginning and you may want to drain off the excess fat if there is a lot (mine did not need to be drained).
While the sausage is cooking, Peel and slice three carrots, slice 4 stalks celery, dice one onion, and mince two cloves of garlic. Add them to the pot once the sausage has browned and continue to sauté until the onions are soft and transparent.
Add 2 cups brown lentils to the pot along with 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, and 1 tsp smoked paprika.
Add 6 cups of chicken broth to the pot. Place a lid on top, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow it to come to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Add more water if it gets too dry.
Once the lentils are tender, you can add the spinach. Spinach is a delicate green so I add it at the end to prevent over cooking and total disintegration.
Stir in 10 oz. frozen spinach and cook for another 15 minutes or until heated through.
And then the Lentil & Sausage Stew is done and ready to eat!
It’s hard to tell but it is BURSTING with flavor, I swear. You’re going to LOVE this one.
Good recipe. I used spicy sausage so probably did not need the full 1/2 tsp. of cayenne. I also added a can of tomatoes and salt. I used fresh baby spinach. Next time I might substitute the smoked paprika for regular.
Can you use green lentils instead of brown lentil? I saw another comment that red lentils break down too fast/thicken up too much.
Jeremiah, you can use any kind you want! However, green lentils tend to hold their shape and take longer to cook than brown, which are creamier and break down faster. I would check your bag of lentils for a recommended cook time and potentially adjust accordingly. — Marion :)
Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen? If so how much would you recommend?
Yep! Check the paragraph above the recipe titled, “Can I Use Fresh Spinach” for my recommendation. :)
Do you soak the lentils before cooking?
Nope. Beth uses lentils that cook quickly, like red or brown. She’s all about efficiency! xoxo -Monti
This is my favorite meal! I decided I needed to eat better and turned to Budget Bytes, especially the soups because I needed to eat more vegetables. I’ve loved everything so far but there is something about this stew that I can’t get enough of it!
I absolutely love this recipe! I made it a couple of months ago and froze the leftovers for easy “I don’t feel like cooking tonight” meals. Delicious every time, even after a couple months in the freezer.
Can you substitute red lentils?
Red lentils break down really quickly when cooked so it will result in a super thick texture to the stew, kind of like split pea soup. Red lentils also have a lighter, less earthy flavor, so the flavor of the soup will change slightly.
Great recipe I loved it and so does daughter which is awesome. Didn’t have any oregano so made it without it.
I am going to make this with kale and kielbasa as suggested in the source recipe, but as always, Beth, I appreciate so much the way you break down the steps and the ingredients with in process pictures to make it easier on us. My brain does not do well with the uncertainty of exactly how much meat i should use or how wet/dry/colorful the dish should look at various points before it’s done so you’re really a lifesaver with your clear explanations, especially compared to a lot of recipes available elsewhere. So thanks a million for making it possible for this ADHD brain to cook, with minimal stress.
This is delicious! We really enjoyed the spice from the crushed red peppers. Very healthy but everyone gobbled it up. Thanks for sharing!!
This recipe really checks all the boxes for me: healthy meal, quick, easy, I have all the seasonings on hand, one pot meal, freezes well, and most importantly, delicious. I did double the spices, including the cayenne, which I will leave the same next time. Great stew that works up quickly.
I’ve made lots of your recipes and this is one of my favorites. Of course I doubled the Italian sausage when I made it. : )
Hi! Can I use canned lentils or are these dried?
These are dried lentils :)
Hi Beth, long time reader. Thanks for what you do! I just wanted to say that I’ve been combining this recipe with your recipe for chunky lentil and vegetable soup and it comes out awesome, like an “everything lentil soup”.
Nice!! They’re both so tasty, how could it go wrong, right? :D
My husband and I just made this recipe and it was fabulous. We used kielbasa and a ham bone And added an extra clove of garlic. Next time we think we will bump the spices and garlic up just a little bit more. Really simple prep work and Easy cooking time. Served it with crusty garlic bread and side salad. It was perfect. Thank you for the recipe