Italian Red Lentil Soup with Sausage (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 medium onion minced
- 2 large stalks celery chopped
- ¼ bulb fennel chopped, optional
- 1 carrot chopped fine
- 3 - 4 large cloves garlic minced or crushed
- 2 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup white wine optional
- 1 ½ cups red lentils or red mixed lentils, rinsed several times
- 3 cups chicken broth homemade or store bought, or vegetable broth, gluten free
- 4 cups water
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper gluten free
- 2 small handfuls spinach or kale, chopped
- 8 - 9 ounces mild Italian sausage (3 links) crumbled, gluten free
- 2 tablespoons fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried, gluten free
- 8 - 10 basil leaves torn or chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried basil gluten free
- 1 ½ - 2 zucchini sliced lengthwise, then into ¼” thick half rounds
- 3/8 cup brown rice uncooked
- A small chunk (1/2 inch x 3/4 inch) parmesan cheese (if you don’t need it dairy free)
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven heat the olive oil, over medium high heat, and sauté onion, carrot, celery, and optional fennel with salt for three to four minutes. The vegetables of this "soffrito" should be soft. Add the garlic and stir quickly for 20 seconds.
- Remove to a bowl or plate to add back in later. Brown the crumbled sausage in the stockpot. After it has browned, turn down the heat to medium low and add the white wine and simmer and "deglaze" the pan, stirring the bits of browned meat off the bottom.
- Add the broth, the water, tomato paste, lentils, the crushed red pepper, dried basil, half of the amounts of parsley and basil, the onion mixture, and the spinach or kale. Simmer over medium low heat for 30 minutes.
- Add the brown rice parmesan cheese chunk and stir, and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
- Stir in the zucchini slices and cook for 20-25 minutes more, until zucchini and brown rice is cooked.
- Ladle into bowls, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with cheese and fresh basil strips, and be sure to pass bowls of extra parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Notes
This is the best on a cool or chilly night! One of our family favorites. With lots of flavor, a little sausage, some veggies, and a little rice it's a great "meal" soup on a fall or winter evening. Try it with our Gluten Free Puffy Yeast Breadsticks.