Spicy Sausage Lentil Kale (Printable)

A flavorful blend of spicy sausage, lentils, and kale simmered in a rich tomato broth.

# What you need:

→ Meats

01 - 12 oz spicy Italian sausage, casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 4 cups kale, stems removed and leaves chopped

→ Legumes

07 - 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
09 - 14 oz can diced tomatoes with juices
10 - 2 cups water

→ Spices & Seasonings

11 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1 tsp dried oregano
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Oils

17 - 1 tbsp olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, approximately 5 minutes. Remove excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, thyme, and oregano. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add lentils, diced tomatoes with juices, broth, water, and bay leaf. Stir well to combine.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until lentils are tender.
06 - Remove the bay leaf. Stir in chopped kale and simmer uncovered for another 5 to 7 minutes until kale is wilted and tender.
07 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve hot.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It fills your kitchen with the kind of aroma that makes people linger by the stove asking when it'll be ready.
  • The lentils become creamy without needing cream, and the kale wilts into something almost silky that skeptics actually enjoy.
  • You can make a huge batch and forget about weeknight cooking for days.
02 -
  • Don't skip removing the lentils from the broth before adding the kale—I learned this the hard way when my kale ended up overcooked while I was waiting for the lentils to soften, and the texture suffered.
  • If you're cooking for someone who's sensitive to heat, use half the red pepper flakes and let people add more at the table rather than making it too spicy for the whole pot.
03 -
  • Don't be shy with seasoning—taste as you go and remember that salt brings out all the other flavors, so a pinch at the end can completely transform a flat-tasting soup into something you'll crave.
  • If you accidentally overcook the lentils and they fall apart, lean into it and call it a creamy lentil soup—stir it well and top with croutons, and no one will ever know it was unintentional.
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