Carrabba’s Sausage Lentil Soup

Carrabba’s Sausage Lentil Soup is a delicious and hearty soup perfect for a cold day. One bite and you will fall in love with this simple soup.

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Lentil Soup with Sausage

Sometimes, all you need for an incredible meal is hot soup and a hunk of crusty bread. Carrabba’s Sausage Lentil Soup is simple to make, easy-to-store, inexpensive, and oh, so delicious.

It’s the perfect lunch to take with you to work or enjoy as a light supper at home during those colder months.

Why This is the Best Recipe For Sausage Lentil Soup

This dish proves you don’t need to have a pantry full of exotic spices, spend a lot of money, or be a great cook to make soul-satisfying food. It’s also an ideal recipe for anyone who wants to save time by prepping meals in advance.

Not only does lentil sausage soup get better over time in the fridge, but it freezes amazingly well. So, make a double or even triple batch, and you can eat well all winter long.

Recipe Ingredients

The ingredients for this sausage and lentil soup are:

• White onion
• Carrot
• Celery
• Garlic
• Salt
• Butter or olive oil
• Italian sausage
• Chicken broth
• Italian seasoning
• Canned diced tomatoes
• Brown lentils

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

If you prefer, you can use bouillon cubes or Better Than Buillion instead of the chicken broth.

You can use bulk or sausage in the casing. If you go with sausage in the casing, cut into quarter-inch cubes before cooking. The type with a thick fennel flavor is the best one to get. Or you can make your own Italian sausage.

For a lighter version, try using Italian-style turkey sausage instead.

Vegetarians can substitute a vegetable broth and swap out the pork sausage for a plant-based alternative, like, Vejje’s Meat-Free Italian Sausage or Field Roast’s Vegetarian Grain Meat Sausages.

How to Make Lentil Soup With Sausage

Here are the recipe steps for making Carrabba’s Sausage Lentil Soup:

1. Heat a heavy-bottom soup pot or large saucepan on the stove over medium heat.
2. While the pot warms up, cut the onions, carrots, and celery into small dice.
3. Put the butter or vegetable oil into the pot and add the diced vegetables.

4. Cook the vegetables, occasionally stirring until the onions turn transparent.
5. Dice the sausage into small pieces and add it to the pot.
6. Saute the sausage until browned.

7. Dump out any excess grease before stirring in the diced tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Let the tomatoes caramelize slightly.
8. While the tomatoes are cooking, rinse off the brown lentils and let them drain in a colander in the sink.
9. Pour in the chicken stock and allow the soup to come to a boil.
10. Stir in the brown lentils and reduce the heat. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for about an hour. Stir the soup from time to time and add water as needed.
11. Turn off the heat and let the soup sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Variations

Who doesn’t like to come home to a nice bowl of warm soup? You can easily convert this lentil sausage soup recipe from the stovetop to a slow cooker with a few changes.

• Sauté the sausage in a pan on the stove in oil.
• Transfer the cooked sausage to the slow cooker.
• Add all of the remaining ingredients.
• Cook on the low setting for 6 to 8 hours or until the lentils are tender.

Want to have a creamy, thick soup? Here’s what you can do:

Try pureeing some or all of the soup for a thicker consistency. Use an immersion blender if you have one. Remember, never fill the top of a blender more than a third full when blending hot ingredients and be careful of splattering.

How to Serve Sausage and Lentil Soup

Serve in a small cup for the starter or a big bowl for the main course.

What Goes Well With This Dish?

This soup goes perfectly with a slice of good bread or breadsticks, a little grated parmesan cheese, and some lightly sauteed spinach or Swiss chard as a garnish.

How to Store Carrabba’s Sausage Lentil Soup

Cool the soup thoroughly before storing it in the fridge or freezer. Try to cool the soup as quickly as possible by removing it from the pot and putting it in a metal mixing bowl. Float the mixing bowl in a larger bowl half full of ice water. Stir constantly.

Once cool, transfer the soup to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days,

Can I Freeze Lentil Soup With Sausage?

Yes. You can freeze in a freezer-safe container or bag for 3 to 4 months.

How Can I Reheat Lentil Soup?

It is best to reheat the soup on the stovetop, but you can reheat it in the microwave, as well.

To reheat on the stove:

1. Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge or use the quick defrost option in the microwave.
2. Pour the thawed soup into a pan and stir in some water or chicken stock if the soup is thick.
3. Slowly warm the soup on medium-low heat.

To reheat in the microwave:

1. Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge or use the quick defrost option in the microwave.
2. Pour the thawed soup into a microwave-safe bowl and stir in water or chicken stock if necessary.
3. Cover and microwave for a minute. Give the soup a stir and heat for another 30 seconds. Check the temperature of the soup and continue heating in 30-second increments until hot.

Love restaurant-style soups? Try these recipes!

• 4B’s Tomato Soup
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup Panera Bread Recipe
• Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Chili’s Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Creamy Onion Soup
• Minestrone Soup Olive Garden
• Olive Garden Tuscan Soup
• Panera Squash Soup
• Southwest Chicken Soup Recipe
• Pasta e Fagioli Soup Olive Garden

More Italian Restaurant Copycat Recipes

• Sausage Rigatoni Olive Garden
• Olive Garden Alfredo Recipe
• Pasta with Capers and Artichokes

And there’s more! Take a look at my easy soup recipes and the best homemade Italian food.