Do I have to cook lentils before adding to soup?

Do you cook lentils before adding to soup? Nope ! Dried lentils cook in 35 minutes in the soup, and there's no need to soak them either!

What to eat next to lentil soup?

The best side dishes to serve with lentil soup are yellow rice, quinoa, cannellini beans, brown rice, zucchini noodles, Israeli couscous, wheat berries, naan bread, garlic bread, Greek salad, grilled cheese sandwich, sautéed spinach, roasted vegetables, and pita chips.

What happens if I don't rinse lentils?

While it seems like an unnecessary step, don't skip rinsing your lentils and sifting through them before cooking to remove any stones or debris. It is rare to find stones, but it does happen .

Which color lentils are best for soup?

Red lentils are best for soups, curries, dals, and anything that craves a creamy, thicker, more comforting touch.

Why does my stomach hurt after eating lentil soup?

Another reason that lentils are known for causing gas and bloating is because they are high in what's called raffinose . Raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFO) are known to cause stomach discomfort and bloating because the human body lacks the enzyme required to break them down within the digestive tract.

Why does lentil soup upset my stomach?

Lentils, like other legumes, contain a protein called lectin that binds to our digestive tract and can result in severe reactions, such as diarrhea and vomiting, when eaten raw or undercooked lentils . Undercooked lentils are difficult to digest. Lentils are rich in dietary fiber.

Is lentil soup good for bowels?

Lentils are rich in a type of fiber that helps your digestive system work as it should and fuels good bacteria in your gut . Fiber may also help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. “Fiber plays an important role in regulating our bowels and protecting the immune system,” says Homan.

Do I need to pre cook lentils?

Nope! Unlike lots of other dried pulses (such as some dried beans), lentils don't need to be soaked before cooking . This means they're really quick and easy to use – you can decide you want to cook lentils when you're already ready to start cooking, and they can be ready to eat not long after.

Do I need to soak lentils before cooking them?

Lentils to do not require soaking like other pulses . Rinse your lentils with fresh water before boiling to remove any dust or debris. Cook on a stovetop, using 3 cups of liquid (water, stock, etc) to 1 cup of dry lentils. Be sure to use a large enough saucepan as the lentils will double or triple in size.

What happens if you don't cook lentils all the way?

In addition, undercooked lentils stay with lectin, an ingredient that may cause stomach problems like diarrhea or even food poisoning .

Do lentils have to be fully cooked?

Honestly, the best way to tell if lentils are done are to taste them. They should be tender to the bite, with some varieties of lentils being a bit more firm and others more soft . That said, if you would like your lentils to be softer, just simmer them a few minutes longer until they reaches your desired consistency.

Lentil and Sausage Soup with Kale Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Make Ahead

by: Merrill Stubbs

March4,2013

23 Ratings

Lentil and Sausage Soup with Kale Recipe on Food52 (1)

Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 40 minutes
Serves 6

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

1 tablespoonolive oil, plus more for browning the sausages
1 tablespoonbacon fat (or add another tablespoon of olive oil)
1 cupchopped carrots
³/₄ cupchopped celery
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pinchSalt
1 ¹/₂ cupsfrench green lentils, rinsed
28 ouncescanned chopped tomatoes (I use tetra-pack)
2 sprigsthyme
1 sprigrosemary
4 chicken sausages (or substitute another kind of sausage)
1 ¹/₂ cupschopped kale

Directions

Heat the olive oil and bacon fat over medium heat in a large, heavy pot and add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Add a big pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the lentils, tomatoes and 4 cups water. Add the thyme and rosemary and a couple more pinches of salt. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until the lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes, adding more water if necessary to cover the vegetables.
Meanwhile brown the sausages in about a teaspoon of olive oil in a small pan and then slice them into quarter moons.
When the lentils are just tender, taste the soup and add more salt if necessary. Add the kale and cook for about 3 minutes, until the kale is tender but still green. Stir in the sausage, make sure everything is heated through, and serve.

Tags:

Soup
Italian
European
American
Celery
Thyme
Kale
Bean
Lentil
Bacon
Sausage
Carrot

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Jaxmccaff
Megan Guntas
Rhonda35
jklinsm
Hannah

Popular on Food52

56 Reviews

deborah L. December 31, 2022

Delicious! Made last night for the first time using French green lentils (did not soak), spicy Italian sausage out of the casing. Pre-sausage add, felt it was a little watery and need more concentration of flavors and wanted more of a stew-like texture so let it cook longer and added 1/4 c of orzo to help thicken. Ultimately added another cup of chicken broth to the over-thickened stew. Just perfect. Will make again.

See Also

Banana Bread Blondies Recipe on Food52

Rhonda35 March 6, 2018

Hi Merrill! Made this soup for the hundredth or so time - always SO good - especially inviting when it's 30 degrees with 45 mph gusts outside! This time, I switched out the lentils and used barley instead - a nice variation. Thanks for sharing your recipe. :-)

Alison January 28, 2018

This is really good and very simple to make on a cold winter afternoon. Since there wasn't a specific weight given for the sausages, I interpreted this ingredient quantity expansively (indulgently?), and used an entire package (actually 8) of chicken breakfast sausage, which was well-received by the consumers of this fine dish. Clearly, any type of sausages would work well, so I think it depends on what flavor profile you want and/or how much meat you want. I also used regular green lentils rather than french green (la puy style), since this is what I had on hand, and was perfectly happy with the result. thanks for this recipe! It will make return appearances in my home.

Alison October 13, 2017

Great base - I used almost twice as much kale, ground turkey that I seasoned lightly, and dried herbs. Delicious and filling with infinite room to adapt.

Marie F. August 30, 2017

Lentils don't have to be soaked, if they were crunchy the soup should have been simmered longer.

Tigi February 2, 2017

I make a soup similar to this, except that I use turkey Italian sausage and equal parts barley, split peas and lentils. One of my favorites.

Tracy D. January 17, 2016

I made this today in my pressure cooker, substituted spinach for the kale. I also topped it with a drizzle of olive oil and parmesan cheese, it was delicious!

Gretchen S. December 28, 2015

Delicious and hearty winter soup without being too rich or fatty. Nice to have a recipe without added stock and plenty of flavor. The lentils took quite a bit longer to cook and I ended up adding quite a bit of extra water.

jklinsm November 25, 2015

This was delicious and received rave reviews from all. Even my picky 4 year olds thought it was good. Definitely adding to the winter rotation.

Hannah November 22, 2015

I used turkey andouille sausage - incredible!

cocos C. June 29, 2015

I would say 1 out of 3-4 recipes I cook comes from Food52. Always a great inspiration to me! I recently realized that I hadn't thanked the creators of my favorite go-to dishes, of which this soup is one. It is a perfect balance of the things I want in cool weather. Thanks!

AntoniaJames November 1, 2014

Excellent soup, and so easy! I used regular flat green lentils, because we eat the French ones so often in another lentil-sausage-greens soup. Also, I added parsley right before serving and splashed on red wine vinegar, to brighten it up a bit. We needed a lot more water, as the lentils drank the broth right up. ;o)

Teri October 26, 2014

I will never make another lentil soup recipe again, because this is the best one EVER.

Debbi S. August 7, 2014

There are several varieties of chicken sausage (Italian, Polish, apple and gouda, garlic and spinach, etc.). Which did you use? Getting the ingredients tomorrow. Thanks!

annalea March 6, 2014

Made this tonight and it was incredibly perfect. So easy too!

Lentil and Sausage Soup with Kale Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Make Ahead

Ingredients

Directions

Popular on Food52

56 Reviews

FAQs

Do I have to cook lentils before adding to soup? ›

Do lentils have to be fully cooked? ›