Sausage and Lentil Soup

This hearty soup is a copycat recipe of Carrabba’s spicy sausage and lentil soup. Loaded with vegetables, inexpensive lentils, and Italian sausage. It’s sure to be a new family favorite!

We love soup in our home. I make a big pot every week that we enjoy for dinner and then a few lunches. I first shared this copycat recipe for Sausage Lentil Soup a decade ago. At the time it was a new favorite soup of my husbands. Every time we would go out to for a date night at Carrabba’s Italian Grill, (our favorite Italian restaurant) we had to order it. Since we were newlyweds and on a tight budget–going out to eat was definitely a luxury that we saved for 1-2 times a month. That’s when I started making sausage lentil soup at home as well as Carrabba’s Minestrone Soup!

Jump to:

• Why this Recipe Works
• Ingredients
• Directions
• FAQS
• Best Way to Freeze Soup
• Recipe Tips and Tricks
• Carrabba’s Copycat Recipes
• Sausage and Lentil Soup

Why this Recipe Works

Hearty and Satisfying Meal: Sausage and lentil soup is a wholesome and filling dish, perfect for those chilly days when you crave a comforting, hearty meal. The combination of protein-rich sausage and fiber-packed lentils makes this soup not only delicious but also satisfying.

Nutrient-Rich Ingredients: Lentils are an excellent source of protein, fiber, and essential nutrients like iron and folate. When combined with flavorful sausage, vegetables, and aromatic herbs, you create a nutrient-dense soup that not only tastes great but also provides a good balance of macronutrients.

Versatility and Easy to Customize: This recipe offers plenty of room for customization. You can adapt it to suit your taste preferences by experimenting with different types of sausages, adding more vegetables, or adjusting the seasonings. It’s a versatile dish that allows you to get creative in the kitchen.

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you will need to make this meaty lentil soup.

• Olive Oil – This is what you will need to start cooking the sausage so it doesn’t stick to your pot.
• Italian Sausage – You will need ground Italian sausage. I like to use mild because my kids eat this reicpe; however, if you like heat go with hot ground Italian sausage.
• Vegetables – This recipe requires a lot of vegetables you will need the following; garlic, onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, and canned diced tomatoes.
• Lentils – I like to use brown lentils but red could work too.
• Seasonings – Parsley, Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Salt , Black Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes.
• Chicken Stock – I like to use Low-sodium chicken stock for this recipe. This is so I can control the amount of sodium in the recipe. Chicken broth works too.
• Parmesan Cheese – You will want a little for topping the soup.

Directions

Here is the step-by-step process on how to make Carrabba’s Copy-Cat recipe for sausage lentil soup.

In a large 5-quart (or larger) sauce pot, pour the olive oil in the pot. Then place the ground Italian sausage. Cook on medium-heat breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Mix, and continue to break up for five minutes.

Next, add in the garlic and diced onion. Mix into the meat mixture and reduce the heat to medium-low. While the meat mixture is cooking, dice the celery, peel and dice the carrots, and dice the zucchini.

Place the vegetables in the soup pot. Mix well then add in the diced tomatoes, lentils, and spices. Mix well then pour in the chicken stock (mixing one last time).

Bring the soup to a boil (about 5-10 minutes), then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour or until lentils are tender. Make sure you mix every 10-15 minutes to prevent lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Once the soup is cooked, ladle the soup into bowl, and sprinkle with Parmesan if desired. Enjoy!

FAQS

Best Way to Freeze Soup

I frequently get asked how to store soup in the freezer. I typically store in 2-4 serving increments. However, sometimes I will store in individual portions. To do this you have a few different methods.

First you should know that you always need to bring your food to room temperature before placing in the freezer. If you place hot food in the freezer not only can bacteria grow, but you can actually start to thaw the frozen food around it. Always make sure your soup is room temperature before storing (this goes for the refrigerator, too).

• Label a quart size freezer bag and place 1-2 cups of the soup in the freezer bag. Store flat so that it freezes flat and is easy to store!
• Glass freezer container. I like to use at least a 3-4 cup container. I still only put in a 1-2 cup portion. But this gives adequate room for thawing and expanding.

A few other tips I have to share on the subject of freezing soup:

• Label the soup! This is so very important. Any and all items that enter the freezer should have the following information on the package: date and what the item is. Sometimes, if I’m batch cooking a casserole I will even write how to re-heat on the package in case a grandparent or babysitter is going to reheat!
• Leave out the starch when possible. For this sausage lentil soup recipe you don’t have anything to worry about. But for chicken soup, I always advise to cook the pasta separate. Do not freeze the pasta in the soup. It will absorb all the broth and leave you with nothing to enjoy (and possible soggy noodles).
• Don’t garnish before freezing. You can garnish with fresh herbs if you really want too, but I would refrain from any sort of cheese or dairy. Write on the container so you know how to garnish the soup once it’s reheated.
• Leave out the dairy. Dairy can sometimes separate, have a weird texture or even be grainy. If you can leave it out and add it in while you reheat the soup!
• Thicker Consistency – If you prefer a thicker consistency, place one cup of the soup into a blender and puree. Then add the puree back to the soup pot.
• Salt – Omit the salt if you plan to not use a low-sodium chicken broth.
• Spicy – Want this soup spicy? Use ground hot Italian sausage instead of the mild sausage.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Here are a few of my favorite recipe tips and tricks when I’m making lentil sausage soup.

• Thicker Consistency – If you prefer a thicker consistency, place one cup of the soup into a blender and puree. Then add the puree back to the soup pot.
• Salt – Omit the salt if you plan to not use a low-sodium chicken broth.
• Spicy – Want this soup spicy? Use ground hot Italian sausage instead of the mild sausage.

Carrabba’s Copycat Recipes

Here are a few other Carrabba’s Copycat Recipes that I’ve made over the years. Nothing better then “home” takeout without spending the restaurant price tag!

• Carrabba’s Minestrone Soup
• Pasta Rambo aka Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
• Slow Cooker Sicilian Chicken Soup
• Instant Pot Sausage & Rigatoni with Goat Cheese
• Penne with Fenel Sausage Pomodoro
• Cavatapi Amatriciana

If you make this sausage and lentil soup recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a ⭐ star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!

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