Italian Sausage and Lentils is a hearty and rustic recipe that comes together quickly. Simple yet elegant, this Italian recipe is a great one-pot meal that will fill you up without weighing you down.

Italian Sausage and Lentils on a white serving platter.

If you are looking for a simple, inexpensive, and healthy recipe, then this is it!

Italian Sausage and Lentils is tasty and fast recipe to make with only a couple minutes of prep time. Also, you can chop the veggies ahead and see how quickly this dish comes together.

Italian Sausage and Lentils on a white serving platter with bread.

I like to serve this dish with a loaf of crusty bread and a simple side salad. If you love simple and healthy Italian recipes, be sure to try Turkey Spinach Manicotti, or my lightened-up Italian Turkey Lasagna. And for a true classic Italian pasta, don't miss my Anchovy Breadcrumb Pasta or my Sausage Kale Pasta!

What Lentils work best?

There are many varieties of lentils out there which are all distinguishable by their color: red, green, black, and many shades in between.

Lentils are a nutritious plant protein that are low in fat and high in protein, calcium, fiber, and other nutrients. They are great to cook with because they add bulk to dishes without extra fat.

For this recipe, I recommend using either black or brown lentils. Black lentils tend to be the most flavorful, however they are not easy to find. Brown lentils are the most commonly available lentil and you can always find them in the grocery store.

Brown lentils will hold their shape without getting mushy. Save the red or yellow lentils for Indian dishes; they tend to work better there.

Italian Sausage and Lentils Recipe

This simple recipe is easy to put together and it a great one-pot dinner! That means less mess and you can serve right out of your dutch oven.

Firstly, heat some olive oil and brown the sausages. Browning the sausages gives them great texture and adds so much flavor to the pan. Here, you are not cooking them through, but instead just getting some color on them.

Sausages browned in a dutch oven skillet.

Then, remove the sausages from pot and add in the onions, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook just to soften the vegetables; about 5 minutes.

Then, add in the lentils and stir for about a minute in the vegetable mixture. Pour in the red wine, canned diced tomatoes, and broth, and sprinkle on the seasonings. I like to use vegetable broth for this recipe, but chicken broth works fine too.

Bring the mixture to a low boil and reduce to simmer. Add the sausages back to the pot and press to cover with the broth. Place a lid on the pot and simmer on low for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are al dente.

Cooked lentils and sausage in a blue dutch oven pot.

Lastly, remove the sausages from the pot and add in the chopped parsley.

To serve, spoon the lentils on to a large platter and place the sausages on top. Or, you can slice the sausages and mix them into the lentils.

overhead photo of a platter of lentils with Italian sausage on top.

I like to serve this dish with a side of crust Italian bread. Moreover, is a recipe that makes great leftovers and heats up great the next day. It's ideal if you are looking for something that's filling without being heavy.

More Easy Italian Meals

If you love simple Italian food, be sure to check out these quick and delicious recipes:

Italian Polenta Skillet

Pasta e Fagioli

Easy Eggplant Parmesan

Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce

Tortellini Primavera

Cheese and Beef Stuffed Shells

Hope you love all of these recipes. Be sure to comment if you try them. Enjoy!

Print Recipe

5 from 9 votes

Italian Sausage and Lentils

Traditional Italian comfort food that's protein-packed and easy to make. No need to soak the lentils ahead of time. Use mild or spicy Italian sausage.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Italian Lentils, Italian sausage

Servings: servings

Calories: 489kcal

Author: Angela Allison

Cost: 7-9

Equipment

Dutch oven or large soup pot

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
5 links Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups lentils (brown or green lentils)
¼ cup red wine
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cups broth (vegetable or chicken broth)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup chopped parsley

Instructions

Heat olive oil in dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add in sausages and cook just until browned (they will not be cooked through at this point.) Remove sausages from pot and set aside.
To the pot, add chopped onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils and red wine, and cook for a minute. Pour in the canned tomatoes, broth, oregano, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Add back in the sausages, pressing into the lentils. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally until lentils are al dente, about 30 minutes.
Remove cooked sausages from pot. Stir in parsley. Serve lentils in a bowl with a link of sausage on top.

Video

Notes

This hearty dish makes great leftovers. The lentils hold up well and don't get mushy. You can cut up the sausages and mix them in with the lentils if desired.

Nutrition