Skip to main content

Curried Lentil and Sausage Soup with Toasted Almonds

This image may contain Bowl Food Dish Meal Soup Bowl Plant and Soup

Unlike most legumes, dried lentils cook quickly, which means this satisfying soup is fast enough for a weeknight supper. Make a double batch and pack up individual servings for lunches.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4–6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1-2 large carrots, peeled and small diced
1-2 stalks celery, small diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 can white beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound precooked chicken sausage, diced
1/3 - 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Silvered almonds, toasted, for garnish
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a 4 or 5 quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, curry powder, salt and pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften, stirring often.

    Add the broth and lentils. Bring to a low simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender (but not mushy).

    Step 2

    Stir in the sausage and beans and heat through. Stir in the heavy cream, if using. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. The soup will thicken slightly upon standing.

    Serve warm with slivered almonds and cilantro.

Read More
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
This grandma-inspired soup is equal parts cozy and bright.
An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.
All the cozy vibes of the classic gooey-cheesy dish, made into a 20-minute meal.
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
Berbere is a spicy chile blend that has floral and sweet notes from coriander and cardamom, and when it’s paired with a honey glaze, it sets these wings apart from anything else you’ve ever had.
Salmoriglio is a Mediterranean sauce with herbs, garlic, and olive oil. In this version, kelp is used as the base of the sauce.
This dish is not only a quick meal option but also a practical way to use leftover phở noodles when you’re out of broth.