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Chorizo and Red Lentil Soup

A quick, easy recipe that uses chorizo sausage, red lentils, and homemade chicken stock to make a hearty soup.
Chorizo Lentil Soup in a white bowl garnished with parmesan cheese and basil beside a blue towel
Chorizo Lentil Soup in a white bowl garnished with parmesan cheese and basil beside a blue towel
Chorizio red lentil soup in a white bowl

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.

 

Homemade chicken stock

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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
Onion beginning to sprout
TIP: you can still use onions that begin to sprout

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
Optional:
  • 2″ Parmesan cheese rind
Garnish:
  • ¼ c. fresh basil, chopped

  • 3 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Thyme in the herb garden
Fresh thyme
Fresh oregano in a herb garden
Fresh oregano
Chorizo Lentil Soup in a white bowl garnished with parmesan cheese and basil beside a blue towel

Steps

  1. 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.

Red lentils in the beginning foam in the sieve under running water
Rinsing at first
red lentils under running water and almost all foam has gone
Rinsing midway
Red lentils are clean under running water and there is no foam
Rinsing at the end

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.

Chorizio red lentil soup in a white bowl

Unique soup bowls

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Handmade ceramic bowls are a crowd-pleaser, especially when they work for pasta, salads, and soup.

Skip the dishes and chose these cute, disposable party cups whenever you have a crowd over for snacks, treats, ice cream, or soup.
Aren’t these stunning? Natural birch bark wraps around ceramic bowl and mugs, making it feel as if you’re at the cottage all year round!

You’ll find even more bowls at Etsy!

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These pretty ceramic bowls are slightly smaller which makes them good for portion control and they make festive party bowls for snacks too.

Have you ever noticed how blue and white soup bowls always look fresh and inviting on the table!

These bowls are patterned on the outside too.

If you love a lot of soup, these Japanese Raman Noodle soup bowls are both large and elegant!

Chorizo Lentil Soup in a white bowl garnished with parmesan cheese and basil beside a blue towel

Chorizo Red Lentil Soup

A quick, easy recipe that uses chorizo sausage, red lentils, and homemade chicken stock to make a hearty soup.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Light meal, Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 360 kcal

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

If you do not have Chorizo sausage, use either ground turkey or chicken and add a pinch of chilli flakes, garlic powder, dried oregano, sea salt and pepper.
You could also add 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed!

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 24gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 464mgPotassium: 913mgFiber: 19gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 2178IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 6mg
Keyword easy
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