OK, I have made and posted a lot of soup recipes over the years. And that’s because I love soup. And many of them I make over and over again. Why?  Because a) I have all the ingredients on hand, and b) the soups are very tasty and good for us.

But for whatever reason I went online the other day and found this recipe on the sipandfeast.com site. And lo and behold, I had every single ingredient either in my pantry or in my fridge. So, then, why the heck not make this soup? So, of course, that’s just what I did! (And contrary to popular belief, I ain’t no dummy! When providence presents itself, I jump on the bandwagon and just go with it.)

So, with recipe in hand, I followed this wonderful recipe I found on the sipandfeast.com site as religiously as possible. (And for me, that’s almost impossible to do!) But really, the only thing I changed was to add fresh spinach because I desperately needed to use it up before it proceeded into its last stage of life. That stage being the “melting into sludge” possibility that every fresh veggie envisions, but hopes will never happen! (Don’t we all!)

Anyway, I made this soup, and it was absolutely delicious.

So, if you too would like to serve your family and friends a nutritious and flavorful soup, I recommend you give this recipe a try.

Before I let you go, let’s talk about lentils. For a very informative article discussing all that you ever wanted or needed to know about the various types of lentils, I suggest you read “6 Types of Lentils with Their Differences and How to Use Them” on the countrylifefoods.com site. Very informative. You can even order lentils on this site. Imagin that! (And no, I do not get a kickback from mentioning this site. It’s just a site where you can order lentils in case you are in a locale like I am with grocery stores which only carry one type of lentil. And even then, you are lucky to have brown lentils available!) (I feel your pain!)   

Anyway, whichever lentil you choose, or can find either on the internet or at your local purveyor of many things edible, do make this soup. And if you don’t have every single veggie I used, not to worry. Use what veggies you have on hand. This is a versatile soup. Make it your own.

And as always, peace and love to all.           

2 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle on soup at table

1 lb. bulk mild or sweet Italian sausage

1 lg. onion, diced

2 celery ribs plus leaves, diced

2 med. carrots, diced

1 med. zucchini, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. dry white wine

1 (14-oz.) can diced tomatoes (preferably Italian)

6 c. chicken stock or broth

2 c. water

2 T. veggie base (I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base)

1½ c. green lentils (brown lentils are fine too) 

1-2 rinds Parmigiano-Reggiano, opt.

½ c. flat leaf Italian parsley, minced

¼ c. packed chopped basil leaves

2 c. chopped fresh spinach

grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to serve at table

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot and add the sausage. Cook the sausage until browned while breaking it up into small pieces. Once brown remove the sausage with a slotted spoon to a bowl and set aside.

Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Cook until the veggies are soft while stirring periodically.

Add the zucchini and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Add the wine, and cook until the wine is reduced by half, and add in ½ of the cooked sausage, chicken stock, water, chicken base, tomatoes, lentils, and the Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds. Bring to boil.

Once boiling, lower the heat and cook over a simmer until the lentils are soft, about 45-50 minutes. If the soup is too thick at this point, add a bit of water.

After the lentils are tender, remove the Parm rinds, taste, and add salt and pepper as required. Then add the parsley, basil, spinach, and remaining cooked sausage and stir. Bring back to a boil.

Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Warm crusty bread is always wonderful with this soup.