Chorizo and Red Lentil Soup
Combining chorizo sausage with red lentils in a soup provides a hearty, tasty dish.
This recipe is satisfying, healthy, and easy to make.
Add the rind of Parmesan cheese for extra flavour as the soup simmers, and use your own homemade chicken stock as the base to add extra goodness.
Using a homemade chicken stock helps reduce unnecessary salt as the flavours are naturally deep.
TIP:
If you do not have chorizo sausage, try ground turkey or chicken and add a pinch of chilli flakes, pinch of sea salt and black pepper, a dash of garlic powder and, if you have them, 1/4 teaspoon of fennel seeds.
You won’t get the bite-sized pieces effect, but the substitution just as tasty.
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How to prepare
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4 – 6
Equipment
- Vegetable peeler
- Chopping board
- Chef’s 8″ knife
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Sieve
- Can opener
- Large deep saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Medium bowl
Ingredients
- 3 4oz chorizo sausages
- 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large stalk celery, lightly peeled and diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 medium brown onion, peeled and diced
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 15oz. can of diced, no added salt, tomatoes, with liquid
- 2 c. red lentils, well rinsed
- 1 tsp. dried oregano (or 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano)
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. dried thyme (or 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme)
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 6 cups homemade chicken stock
- 2″ Parmesan cheese rind
¼ c. fresh basil, chopped
3 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Steps
- Brown Chorizo sausages in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat, approximately 2-3 minutes per side.
Once browned, remove sausage from skillet, cool and cut into small bite-sized pieces.
Set aside in a bowl.
2. Add olive oil to skillet and add the peeled and chopped carrot, celery, and onion. Note: Peel away the celery strings.
Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, approximately 4-5 minutes.
3. Rinse red lentils very well. I usually wait until they stop foaming to know they are clean.
Leave in the sieve to drain.
4. Return sausage to skillet, along with the chicken stock, red lentils, diced tomatoes, oregano, garlic powder, thyme, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind, if you are using.
5. Stir to combine the ingredients and increase heat to MEDIUM-HIGH.
Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to MEDIUM-LOW.
Cover with a lid and check it is tilted, allowing steam to escape.
Simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are just tender.
6. Remove soup from heat.
Discard the bay leaves and any remaining Parmesan rind.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Stir in fresh basil and serve immediately, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garnished with a few small basil leaves on top.
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Chorizo Red Lentil Soup
Equipment
- 1 large, high-sided skillet
- Vegetable peeler
- Chef's 8" knife
- Chopping board
- Sieve
- Medium bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
Ingredients
- 3 4-oz chorizo sausage
- 1 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 large carrot peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery peeled and diced
- 1 medium onion brown
- 6 cups chicken stock homemade
- 2 cups red lentils well rinsed
- 1 15 oz canned tomatoes no added sugar or salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 whole bay leaves
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Optional:
- 2 inch Parmesan cheese rind
Garnish:
- 1/4 cup basil leaves fresh
- 3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Brown Chorizo sausage links in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat in approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Once browned, remove sausage from skillet, cool and cut into small bite-sized pieces. Set aside in a medium-sized bowl.
- Add olive oil to skillet and add the chopped carrot, celery, and onion. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and stir to combine. Cook and stir occasionally, until the vegetables soften in approximately 4-5 minutes
- Rinse red lentils under cold running water until the water runs clear. Leave in the sieve to drain.
- Return sausage to skillet, along with the chicken stock, red lentils, diced tomatoes, oregano, garlic powder, thyme, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind, if using.
- Stir to combine all ingredients and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to MEDIUM-LOW. Cover with a lid and check it is tilted, allowing steam to escape. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are just tender.
- Remove soup from heat. Discard the bay leaves and any remaining Parmesan rind. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Stir in fresh basil and serve immediately garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a few small leaves of fresh basil.
Notes
You could also add 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed!
