Sausage Lentil Soup with Kale (Stovetop or Instant Pot!)

Name: Sausage Lentil Soup with Kale
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 lbs mild Italian sausage; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup dried brown or green lentils; 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes; 6 cups, low sodium chicken broth; 1 teaspoon thyme; 2 teaspoon oregano; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 5 cups of curly kale, chopped; salt to taste

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Two bowls of lentil soup sit on a table, there are dried lentils in a jar, a silver spoon, kale and a red napkin nearby.

This crowd-pleasing Sausage Lentil Soup with Kale is hearty, full of flavor and easy to whip up using pantry staples.

Fun fact about me: I really love lentils. With their earthy, slightly nutty flavor, they’re the perfect addition to soups and salads. I love how they soak up flavors beautifully while adding texture. Plus, they’re a fantastic source of plant-based protein and fiber, making any meal I make with lentils both hearty and satisfying.

One of my favorite ways to eat lentils is (obviously) in lentil soup. And today I am officially sharing one of my most beloved and most frequently made soups: Sausage Lentil Soup with Kale.

This soup is not only hearty and packed with flavor, but it’s also super easy to whip up, mostly using pantry staples like dried lentils, canned tomatoes and dried herbs. It comes together in about 45 minutes, and you can make it on the stovetop or, my personal favorite, in an electric pressure cooker like the Instant Pot. It’s also a great make ahead freezer meal as it freezes perfectly!

Sausage Lentil Soup with Kale is a staple meal in my family – everyone loves it. My husband, the chief taste tester here at Soup & Sammie, has even declared this his favorite soup of all time! It’s also a perfect fall soup and now that the weather is turning colder I’m making it more regularly again.

A measuring cup with dried lentils. A few lentils are scattered on the table and some kale sits nearby.

So, what makes this the best lentil soup recipe?

Lentils are delicious on their own, but you know what takes them to the next level? SAUSAGE.

Seriously, what savory dish doesn’t get better with a little sausage magic? This Sausage and Lentil Soup with Kale recipe calls for one pound of Italian sausage, and trust me, that single ingredient adds incredible depth of flavor. Even if you’re not a die-hard lentil fan, this soup will win you over!

Read on to learn exactly how to make it!

The ingredients for sausage lentil soup sit on a table. There are dried lentils, uncooked Italian sausage, onion, garlic, kale, canned tomatoes, spices, and chicken stock.

Sausage Lentil Soup Ingredients

I love that this recipe uses mostly pantry staples, complemented by a few fresh ingredients, making it easy to whip up whenever I’m craving it. Here’s what you’ll need:

Dried Lentils: Nutty and earthy, these affordable legumes absorb flavors beautifully and add a hearty texture to the soup. I always have some dried lentils on hand in my pantry.

Italian Sausage: Beyond its savory spices, sausage adds essential fat (aka major flavor) that truly elevates the dish. I use a mild Italian sausage, but hot also tastes great if you like your food to have a little kick!

Kale: I prefer curly kale for its affordability and its texture and color contrast against the lentils, but other forms of kale work well too.

Onion and Garlic: Essential for any savory dish, these aromatics cook in the rendered sausage fat, enhancing the resulting broth’s overall flavor.

Canned Diced Tomatoes: Juicy and tangy, they bring a hint of acidity and contribute to a rich, flavorful tasting soup.

Chicken Stock: The backbone of the broth, it ties all the ingredients together. I like to use high-quality stock, or even make it myself, but whatever is convenient works!

Oregano, Thyme, and Black Pepper: This blend of herbs adds warmth and brings out the Italian-inspired essence of the soup.

A blue pot with cooked sausage and onions.l

A blue pot with cooked sausage, onions and dried lentils.

How to make Sausage Lentil Soup with Kale

While this recipe offers both a stovetop and Instant Pot version, the steps to make the soup are essentially the same and it all comes together in about 45 minutes. Here’s what you do:

COOK SAUSAGE: Heat some olive oil in the pot and use a wooden spoon or spatula to break your ground sausage into small pieces.
COOK ONIONS AND GARLIC: When sausage is no longer pink add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
ADD LENTILS, LIQUIDS AND SPICES: Add the lentils, diced tomatoes and chicken broth, thyme, oregano, and black pepper to the pot and stir to combine.
COOK SOUP: On the stovetop, you’ll bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover. In the Instant Pot, you’ll cook on high pressure for 10 minutes and use a natural release method.
ADD KALE: Add the kale to the pot at the end to keep it bright and green and not over cooked.
TASTE AND SERVE!

Prefer to WATCH instead of read? Check out this VIDEO?

Is Stovetop or Instant Pot Better?

You might be wondering, “If I have an Instant Pot, which method should I use?” You’ll notice in the recipe that both versions will take about the same amount of total time.

That said, I usually prefer the Instant Pot method because it more hands-off and I don’t need to babysit the pot on the stove while it cooks. You just set it to cook on high pressure and walk away until it’s done.

In either case, I can assure you both taste delicious, and if you don’t have an Instant Pot, fear not – the stovetop version is just as and easy to make!

Two bowls of lentil soup. A glass jar with lentils sits behind them.

Ingredient Substitution FAQs

Can I use hot Italian sausage instead of mild?

Yes! Using hot Italian sausage will add an extra kick of flavor to the soup. Also if you like spicy food but don’t have hot Italian sausage, you can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the soup.

Can I use sausage links in this recipe?

Definitely! You can use uncooked sausage links; just remove the casing before cooking. This will allow the sausage to crumble and blend nicely into the soup. I don’t recommend using precooked sausages as I think it creates a different texture in the soup.

Can I use chicken or turkey sausage instead of pork?

Chicken or turkey sausage can be a great alternative, and a substitution that I have made myself many times. They may be a bit leaner, so you might need to add more olive oil at the start to avoid sticking to the pot as the sausage cooks.

Can I use red lentils instead of brown?

I wouldn’t recommend it as red lentils cook much faster and break down more than brown lentils. Brown lentils are preferred because they keep their texture better in the soup.

Can I use pre-cooked or canned lentils in this soup?

It’s not my preferred method because I love how the dried lentils absorb flavors as they cook in the broth. But if you only have canned lentils on hand, simply drain, rinse them and add them to the soup when you add in the kale.

What if I don’t like kale? Is there another green I can use?

If kale isn’t your thing, you can substitute it with spinach, Swiss chard, or even collard greens. Just add them towards the end of cooking so they stay vibrant and tender.

Can I make this soup vegetarian-friendly?

Yes! To make this lentil soup vegetarian, omit the pork sausage and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

You might also consider substituting the pork sausage for one of the readily available plant-based Italian sausages found in grocery stores today. This would ensure you get the same flavors in the dish.

If you do use a plant-based sausage, just up the olive oil a bit to ensure you still have enough fat to cook the onions and garlic in.

Related Recipes

Looking for another delicious soup recipe? Definitely check out my Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Bisque. Or maybe you want another recipe to use up some leftover kale after making this soup? I’d recommend making my Sweetgreen Kale Caesar Salad Copycat.