ThisSpicy Lentils with Sausagedish is not your average lentil recipe—it’s flavorful, hearty, and so simple to make that you’ll love it for an easy weeknight meal!

closeup image of spicy lentils and sausage in white bowl on blue and white striped towel.

Lentils. What does that word bring to mind? Your grandma? Strange mushy soup? Food storage? I’m not sure, either. I don’t know tons about lentils, but I want to know them and love them. I haveprepared them a handful of times and always liked the results. This recipe really won me over, though.

Theheat in this recipe comes from diced tomatoes with green chiliesin them. The can indicated that the chilies were “medium” in heat. When mixed with everything, it came out with a nice little punch but nothing too hot. My kids even ate what they were given. I’ve also found a couple of other dishes to use the lentils in like thisHealthy Lentil Chiliand theseQuick and Easy Lentil Tacos. Delicious!

lentils and a tomato and spicy looking sauce in a pan.

Why You’ll Love Spicy Lentils with Sausage

Lentils are great for heart health, and they provide you with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. For how not really attractive they are, they suretaste good and do good for your health!
This soup can be made in big batches andfrozen for up to 3 months. It also lasts great in the fridge for up to 5 days!
Lentils containeven more iron than meat,in addition to other vitamins and minerals. Plus, they are fast to cook, easy to store, and easy to make!

Recipe Ingredients

Olive oil
Kielbasa sausage
Onion
Garlic cloves
Seasonings –Chili powder, thyme, paprika, salt.
Tomatoes with green chilies –canned
Bullion base –I use Better Than Bullion Organic Soup Base
Lentils

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

spicy lentils with sausage on a white plate.

How to Make Spicy Lentils with Sausage

tomatoes and onions being cooked to flavor the lentils.

Step 1:Cook the onion and seasonings in oil and stir in tomatoes.

Step 2:Add the water, bouillon, and lentils. Bring the mixture to a boil.

lentils cooking with link sausage that has been browned floating on top in a pan.

2 white bowls of spicy lentils and sausage with a spoon.

Step 3:Nestle the kielbasa into the lentils and continue to cook

Step 4:Continue to cook on low, then serve and enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

What Exactly Are Lentils?

Lentils are part of the legume family. They are third in the family when it comes to the amount of protein they have (falling behind soybeans and hemp, but who eats hemp?), and they have lots of dietary fiber. Another nice thing about lentils is they are shelf-stable. You can buy a bag to try the recipe and then put it in the cupboard until you want to make it again.

What kind of lentils should you use in this recipe?

Look for a bag labeled “lentils” in the grocery store. They should be brownish to dark green.

What Color Lentils is Best?

All lentils are good for you, but brown and green lentils still have their hulls and work best in soups and sturdier dishes (like this one or as a base in veggie burgers). Red and yellow lentils cook faster because they’re often split, so they’re better for purees.

Expert Tips

If you don’t want the heat,just use normal diced tomatoes.If you would like it hotter then look for diced tomatoes with chilies that indicate “hot” on the can!
Lentil Soup can be easily kept for5 days in the fridge, making it ideal for cooking on the weekend and serving throughout the week.
Toprevent the lentils from getting mushy,bring them to a rapid simmer and then reduce the heat to low for the rest of thecooking time.
Lentils can be used in many different recipes and store so well. Try them in thisInstant Pot Ground Turkey and Lentil Taco Filling.Its quick, easy