hearty & healthy. [lentil, spinach & sausage soup]

This savory and delicious soup is the perfect meal on a chilly, winter night. While very hearty, it’s also healthy, filled with vegetables and protein. The recipe makes a large pot of soup, leaving plenty of leftovers to bring for lunch at work or to eat again for dinner on a night when cooking sounds like too much effort.

I’ve definitely been taking advantage of having leftovers all week and don’t even mind eating this soup multiple days in a row. It offers a variety of textures, from the spinach to the lentils to the sausage, which all make for a fantastic and flavorful combination.

Recipe:

1-2 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion

12 cups homemade chicken broth

1 2/3 cup lentils, plus more if desired

1/2 cup brown rice

2 cans (16 oz.) tomato sauce

8 chicken sausages, sliced

2 bags fresh spinach

Directions:

Heat olive oil in medium skillet, then add diced onions. Saute onions until translucent, about 15 minutes.

Rinse and strain lentils, then add to onions in skillet, just to coat. In a separate large pot, bring chicken broth to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add onions and lentils. Cook for about 20 minutes at a simmer.

Next, add brown rice and tomato sauce to the large pot and cook for 15-20 minutes, until rice is cooked.

In a separate skillet, brown the sliced sausage, then add to pot. Add two bags of spinach. Let soup simmer at low heat, then serve hot or warm.