When you need a bowl of stick-to-your-ribs soup on a chilly evening, this sausage, lentil and barley soup ticks all the boxes.
You have your pick of cured sausage or fresh sausage meat for this soup—and you can't go wrong with either. Paired up with lentils, celery, carrots and barley, this is the heartiest soup with pops of salty, chewy and crunchy.
Ingredients for Sausage, Lentil and Barley Soup
Canola or olive oil, for cooking
4-5 celery stalks, chopped (with their leaves)
1-2 carrots, diced
1 – 1 1/2 cups chopped summer or garlic sausage, or 1-2 fresh Italian or chorizo sausages
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/3 cup dry green or brown lentils
1/3 cup pearl or pot barley
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of torn spinach (optional)
Chopped tomatoes for garnish (optional)
Directions for Sausage, Lentil and Barley Soup
- In a medium pot, heat a drizzle of oil and cook celery and carrots for 3–4 min, until soft. Add the sausage (if using fresh, squeeze out of its casing) and cook until it starts to brown. In the case of fresh sausage, break it up with a spoon and cook until it’s no longer pink.
- Add stock along with 2 cups of water and lentils and barley. Bring to a simmer and cook for 40-45 min, until lentils and barley are tender. Season with salt and pepper and, if you like, add a handful of fresh spinach, stirring until it wilts. Top with a few chopped tomatoes, if you like. Serve immediately or cool and refrigerate to reheat the next day.
Serves 6.
