After making two deep dish Chicago style pizzas and one French style sheet pizza, we still had two cups of crumbled sausage left over, as well as half a can of peeled tomatoes (because one person at the dinner table turns out wasn’t crazy about tomatoes). Those bulk sausage crumbles, the half a can of juicy tomatoes, even the tired celery and herbs (still quite green) in the fridge were ideal for making this hearty cold weather soup that freezes and defrosts in a snap. Enjoy Lentil Sausage Soup with a dollop of sour cream and some toasty garlic bread on the side.  

 

1 16oz. bag dried lentils

½ cup peeled canned tomatoes, crushed

2 yellow onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp. past peak fresh sage, chopped

1/3 cup past peak fresh parsley, chopped

1 Tbsp. past peak fresh rosemary, chopped

1 cup past peak celery, chopped

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 cups once cooked Jimmy Dean bulk sausage, cooked, drained and crumbled

½ cup dry white wine

32 fl. oz. (6-8 cups) chicken or beef broth

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp. dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

 

1.       Fill a large stock pot with lentils, with water to cover and soak for 2 hours.

2.       Place all vegetables and herbs into food processor and finely chop. Set aside.

3.       Heat olive oil in soup pot over medium heat. Add sausage and when cooked nearly to doneness, add chopped vegetables and sauté until opaque.

4.       Increase heat to medium high, and add white wine. Once bubbling, add stock and beef broth and bring to a boil; then turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

5.       Strain lentils. Add lentils to soup pot, stir and cover for another 30-45 minutes or until lentils are tender to your liking.