What's for Dinner? Italian Lentil Stew

It's soup season. Hip, hip, hurray. I'm so happy. I love soups and stews and make them throughout the year, but especially in fall and winter. I make so much soup that my family begs me to make something different. Hee, hee!

Jump into soup season with this Italian Lentil Stew!

This Italian Lentil Stew is my mom's recipe. It's one of my favorite soups - hearty, flavorful, and pretty in the bowl. Thanks, Mom!



Loaded with Italian spices, flavorful sausage, hearty veggies, and yummy lentils, this Italian Lentil Stew is a must-make. Protein packed soup anyone? It also goes great with crusty bread and it freezes well too. That's a fantastic soup in my book. Oh, and did I mention that it's totally easy to make.



First, brown your sausage.



Next, add in all the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. The stew cooks for 45 to 50 minutes or until the veggies are tender and the lentils are soft. So easy!



This recipe makes a nice big batch of stew. I like to freeze half of it so as not to soup out the fam. Everything in moderation - except for cupcakes. 😉

Hearty and flavorful Italian Lentil Stew is the perfect way to kick off soup season!

Italian Lentil Stew

INGREDIENTS
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage
2 cups lentils
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
3 cups diced mirepoix (celery, carrot, onions)
2 cups diced red potatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tsp salt
8 cups chicken broth

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil over medium high heat.
2. Brown sausage and drain off any excess fat.
3. Add in all of the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Taste stew to make sure lentils are cooked and veggies are tender. If stew is too thick, add a little more broth or water to get the consistency you like.