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This Crockpot Italian sausage and lentil soup recipe with bacon is an ultra hearty and comforting meal for cooler weather! It’s warm and nourishing and simple to make.
Try my Instant Pot Lentil Stew or Mediterranean Lentil Salad next.
Why you’ll love it
This soup brings together the rich, savory flavors of Italian sausage with the earthy taste of tender lentils in a tomato broth. Bacon makes it next-level tasty! All the flavors combine beautifully in this Crockpot lentil soup recipe for a tasty medley in every spoonful.
Let your slow cooker do most of the work in this cozy sausage soup. Once you’ve done a little sautéing, just set it and forget it. Lentils can be finicky, but slow cooking makes them effortless to get perfect. The result is a satisfying, filling, perfectly seasoned soup!
What you’ll need
- Bacon – for a smoky, savory quality
- Italian sausage – I use mild. Either crumble sausage from the casings, or use bulk meat.
- Onion, celery, and garlic – our base aromatics are sautéed right in the bacon/sausage fat for infusing flavor. My go-to is sweet (Vidalia) onion.
- Red bell pepper – for color, sweetness, and freshness
- Chicken broth – more depth of flavor
- Tomato sauce – it adds that rich, concentrated tomato flavor in the broth
- Lentils – use green or brown lentils. They’re packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins.
- Dried oregano – for a delicious herby note
- Red pepper flakes – these add a gentle warmth, not making it spicy
Fun fact
Canada, specifically Saskatchewan, grows and exports more lentils than any other country in the world. Its reputation for producing high-quality lentils has established Canada as a leader in the global lentil market, contributing to its position as a key player in the world of pulses. The more you know.
How to make sausage and lentil soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Fry the bacon until crispy, then transfer to a plate, leaving behind the bacon grease in the skillet. Brown the sausage, and then add it to the plate with the bacon. Leave some of the fat, then cook the onions, celery, and red bell peppers until softened and golden.
Stir in the garlic, and cook until fragrant. Transfer the skillet contents to your Crockpot along with the bacon and sausage. Add in the broth, tomato sauce, lentils, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook on high or low depending on preference. Season with salt & pepper.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Here is my Crockpot model.
- A pair of kitchen shears makes cutting up the bacon easy, and this garlic press is perfect for mincing garlic fast with no peeling of the cloves.
- This is the Le Creuset skillet I use, but I like this budget-friendly Lodge one as well.
Substitutions and variations
- Try swapping the red bell pepper for a chopped carrot instead.
- You can make this on your stove. Simply use a large pot or Dutch oven. Simmer the soup at a fairly low heat for about an hour, or until the lentils are done. Keep an eye on it and don’t let the liquid get too low (add more water or broth as needed).
What to serve with sausage lentil soup
- Round out this meal with a generous slice of my Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread.
- A Caesar salad with my Easy Caesar Salad Dressing or spring mix with this Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad both make great pairings.
- This dairy-free Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing is another salad dressing option.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers of this soup will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in a covered container.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat, and add more water or broth to thin it out if needed.
- You can freeze this one for up to 6 months.
If you made this lentil and sausage soup, please leave a comment and star rating below! I’m also on Instagram if you want to tag me with your S&L creations.
Sausage and Lentil Soup (Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
- 6 strips bacon cut into small pieces
- 16 ounces Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion chopped finely
- 2 sticks celery chopped finely
- 1 medium red bell pepper chopped finely
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1.5 cups dry green or brown lentils
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fry the bacon until crispy in a skillet over medium-high heat (about 10 min). Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Leave the bacon fat in the pan.
- In the same skillet, fry the sausage meat until browned (about 7-8 min), breaking it up with your spoon as you go along, and then transfer it to the same plate as the bacon.
- Leave about 1-2 tablespoons of the grease in the skillet, and then add the onion, celery, and red bell pepper, and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until softened and lightly browned.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, then transfer the skillet mixture to your slow cooker.
- Add the cooked bacon and sausage to the slow cooker, along with the chicken broth, tomato sauce, lentils, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
- Season with salt & pepper as needed. If desired, use an immersion blender to blend some of the soup.
Notes
- Buy bulk Italian sausage meat or take it out of the casings if using whole sausages.
- 6 cups chicken broth is one and a half 32 oz. cartons.
- Stovetop: do the sautéing steps in a large soup pot or Dutch oven, then simmer the soup for about an hour or until the lentils are cooked. You may need to add more liquid if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Yum, fantastic flavours in this recipe! Love the addition of some plant-based goodness with the lentils as well. Thank you!
Great to hear, Ellen! Thanks for your review.
So so good! Had my in-law’s over for dinner and served them this soup and they asked for the recipe because they loved it so much
That’s great to hear, Noemie! Thanks for letting me know!
I’ve never cooked with lentils before but this recipe sounded like a perfect fall dinner. This turned out so flavorful and hearty. My kids even really enjoyed it! Definitely need to keep extra broth on hand for leftovers because they soak up the liquid. But even still it almost turned into a tasty chili!
That’s amazing!! 😀 Thank you!
Amazing! I’m not a huge fan of bacon so I omitted it but it was still very delicious! It was a quick 30 min prep with cutting the veggies and then I left it in the crockpot to cook. Leftovers on day 2 were even better as the flavors melded over night. Highly recommend and will definitely make again!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Hannah!! Thanks so much for your review!
Could I make this with chopped meat instead of sausage?
I don’t see why not! 🙂