When I was four years old, my preschool organized an ethnic night, and I recall enjoying a fantastic lentil stew. Despite being a skilled cook, my mother refused to make lentils even though I loved them. This was the outcome of my first attempt to experiment with them thirty years later. It has a rich flavor and is a hearty dinner for a chilly night.
| Prep Time: | 10 mins |
| Cook Time: | 50 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- ½ pound hot Italian turkey sausage links
- 2 cups dry lentils
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can tomato sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup hot water, or as needed
Instructions
- Combine 2 cups broth, onion, and celery in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
- At the same time, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry sausage links in the hot skillet. Pierce casings with a fork to allow juices to run out and cook in the bottom of the pan. Cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a plate to cool. Slice into thin slices.
- Deglaze the skillet with about 1/4 cup chicken broth. Add the pan drippings to the saucepan, along with any remaining chicken broth, lentils, tomato sauce, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. If more liquid is needed, add water in small increments.
- Add sliced sausage, heat through, and serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 229 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 31 g |
| Cholesterol | 19 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 15 g |
| Protein | 19 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Sodium | 300 mg |
| Sugars | 2 g |
| Fat | 3 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |