I’ve mind melded two lentil soup recipes for this and added a few variations to make lentil bean sausage soup. I was going to make bean and sausage soup but looked in the cupboard and found I was woefully short on beans. There just weren’t enough to make anything with. But, I did have more lentils. And, a friend was talking about the bean, sausage, and potato soup she was making.
That gave me an idea. Bean, lentil, potato, and sausage, plus a bit of manchego rind for some savor.
Manchego, parmesan, and romano cheese rinds are great, by the way, for soup or for grating cheese when there’s plenty left on the rind, but not enough to serve.
The nice thing about lentils is that unlike beans, you don’t have to soak them first to use them.
If you only have lentils, skip the beans entirely. If you only have beans, use my quick soak method to speed up the process.
Lentil Bean Sausage Soup
Lentil bean sausage and potato soup. This is versatile and easy to make.
Notes
Put the bay leaf in a tea ball so it\'s easier to retrieve. I have one that hooks over the edge of the pot.
You can vary this with all beans or all lentils or use bacon instead of sausage.
Ingredients
- 2 T olive oil
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 1 large garlic clove, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and sliced in one inch chunks
- 1 spicy sausage
- 3/4 C dried beans, soaked overnight (or use my quick soak method)
- 1/4 C lentils, rinsed
- 1 large potato, cut into chunks
- 1 ham hock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 inch slab of Manchego or parmesan rind
Instructions
- Heat oil in dutch oven or large saucepan.
- Add the vegetables and cook on medium low until they wilt and soften, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the veggies and add the sausage. Cook 8-10 minutes.
- Add the lentils and beans to the pot, with water to cover by an inch or so
- Put the veggies back in the pot.
- Add the potato, the ham hock, bay leaf, thyme, and manchego rind
- Add salt and a grinding of pepper to taste
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for two hours.
- Discard the bay leaf.
- Remove the ham hock. Let it cool for a minute or two. Separate the meat from the fat and bone and return the meat to the pot.
- Serve hot.
Ingredients and Tools for Lentil Bean Sausage Soup
2 pcs Stainless Steel Mesh Tea Ball Strainer
Tea strainers are great for tea, but they also have a second use for making soup and other recipes. Many recipes call for cheesecloth (which I’ve never seen in a store, and seems wasteful anyway). Instead, I use the tea ball for bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, and herb mixtures that have to be added (and then removed) from soup or other recipes. Because, who wants to bite down into a peppercorn?!
This cookbook was the source for part of the recipe. I have had my copy so long it’s falling apart. The soup section includes lentil, split pea, and the savory tomato soup which is the basis for my dad’s secret soup recipe.
The Silver Palate Cookbook
I’m on my third copy of this! The other half of the soup recipe comes from the bean and sausage soup in this cookbook. The peasant vegetable is also wonderful, as is the six onion soup. Actually, I’ve never had a bad recipe from this one. Plus there are suggestions and variations for many of the recipes, which I like.
More Lentil and Bean Soup Recipes
Cumin, garlic, and ginger for mellow, warm spiciness, and a bit of red pepper flakes for a kick. Warming, filling, and delicious. Quick too, since red lentils take less time to cook than the brown ones.
Take the bones from your lamb breast, make a broth, and transform that into soup. Extra meals, with not much extra cost.
An Italian classic soup, downsized for one person. Flavored with pancetta, rosemary, beans, and pasta, it’s both aromatic and delicious.
Easy Ham and Lentil Soup for One Person
Only one pot! Easy too, just a bit of chopping, and then let it simmer.