With sweet fennel and fragrant Italian sausage, this skillet meal is a quick and simple dinner that packs loads of nutrition and flavor!
This simple sausage and lentils recipe comes from one of our readers Darryl Patrick Lombard, who makes it often on busy weeknights. I’m so glad he shared it with me! If you thought lentils were bland, wait until you try Darryl’s recipe. Loads of flavor with such little effort!
This simple 30-minute recipe is also very customizable. Like our green lentil soup and stew, black lentils work perfectly as a substitute. You can use pork or chicken sausage, and feel free to swap the fennel with celery.
That said, just know that the licorice-y taste you get from a fresh fennel salad mellows quite a bit once cooked. The result is a slightly sweet flavor that is well balanced with the saltiness of the sausage. With a splash of red wine vinegar and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil, all the flavors come to bright attention!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Italians have been doing the sausage and lentils combo for many years, and it is a darn delicious one to try! Plus, the combination of protein-packed lentils and a little bit of chicken sausage makes for a satisfying meal to feed a little crowd.
- Lentils: I used green lentils because I like their nutty flavor, and think they go will with the slightly sweet fennel. Black lentils also work. Don’t use red lentils, as they will get mushy.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Good extra virgin olive oil is the perfect way to add richness and flavor.
- Italian sausage: Darryl’s original recipe called for pork sausage, but I opted for chicken which is a bit lighter. Use whichever one you like best.
- Fennel bulb: I also like using fennel fronds to finish the dish for an added pop of color, but this is optional. Celery is the best substitute.
- Fresh garlic and onion build on the sweet-savory flavor.
- Carrot: Adds a hint of sweetness and color
- Fennel seeds: Fennel seeds are also an ingredient in Italian sausage, so they play the flavor up well in this recipe.
- Broth: I used chicken broth, but chicken stock or vegetable broth would work as well
- Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or even a squeeze of fresh lemon juice will work.
How to Make Sausage and Lentils
This easy recipe comes together in 30 minutes or less! Here’s how to make it:
- Soften the lentils. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup green lentils (or black lentils) with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cover part-way to simmer for 10 minutes. The lentils should be cooked just part-way through, and there should be some liquid in the pan still.
- Meanwhile, cook the sausage. In a large skillet, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high. Add 8 ounces chicken or pork sausage (remove the casings) and cook, tossing regularly and breaking the sausage up with a wooden spoon, until fully cooked and browned.
- Saute the veggies. Push the sausage to one side of the skillet and add the 1 thinly sliced fennel bulb, 1 to 2 grated garlic cloves, 1 finely chopped yellow onion, 1 grated carrot, 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for 8 or so minutes to soften.
- Simmer the soup. Add 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and the par-boiled lentils with their cooking water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer, partially covered, for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar. Ladle into serving bowls. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and, optionally, a sprinkle of fennel fronds.
Mix it Up
Here are a few ways to make this sausage and lentil recipe your own:
- Add heat: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the salt and pepper. I tried this and it added just the right amount of kick to complement the sweetness of the fennel.
- Sneak in more veggies: Mushrooms and peas would be good additions. Or, for a vegetarian version with a similar spirit, try our Italian Lentil Soup.
What to Serve with Sausage and Lentils
This sausage and lentils with fennel is a hearty meal in itself, but I love to start the meal with a big easy Italian salad. Some good bread for dipping, like freshly baked focaccia or garlic bread, is always a welcome treat!
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Italian Sausage and Lentils
Ingredients
- 1 cup green lentils or black lentils
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces chicken or pork sausage, casings removed (about 2 to 3 sausages)
- 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced, plus fennel fronds for garnish (optional)
- 1 to 2 large garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Soften the lentils. In a saucepan, combine the lentils with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cover part-way to simmer for 10 minutes. The lentils should be cooked just part-way through, and there should be some liquid in the pan still.
- Meanwhile, cook the sausage. In a large skillet, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high. Add the sausage and cook, tossing regularly and breaking the sausage up with a wooden spoon, until fully cooked and browned.
- Saute the veggies. Push the sausage to one side of the skillet and add the fennel, garlic, onion, carrots, fennel seed, and salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 8 or so minutes to soften.
- Simmer the soup. Add the broth, red wine vinegar, and the par-boiled lentils with their cooking water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer, partially covered, for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar. Ladle into serving bowls. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and, optionally, a sprinkle of fennel fronds.
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Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil used in this recipe.
- Recipe Substitutions: If you prefer to use mild Italian pork sausage or a spicy sausage instead, feel free to swap the chicken sausage out for your favorite option. Just be sure to remove the sausage casings. You can add red pepper flakes for more heat, if you like.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftover cooked sausage and lentils in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat (you may need to add a little more broth).
Nutrition
Ingredient Spotlight: French Green Lentils
Protein-packed, nutrient-rich powerhouse of a legume! Requiring no soaking, they’re a great vegan protein for soups, rice, salads, and more!
*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
Ought I accidentally bought red lentils. Is that okay?
Hi, Annie. Technically you can use red lentils her, but the dish will turn out differently. Red lentils cook much faster and break down into a softer, creamier texture instead of holding their shape like brown or green lentils. To make it work, add them later in the cooking process and keep an eye on the consistency, since they’ll thicken the stew more. The result will be a heartier, creamier stew that’s still delicious, just less chunky than the original recipe.
Very easy and delicious. I had to substitute cumin seed for fennel seed the second time I made this, poor planning, and it was just as tasty.
I m not fond of liquorice. I ve never had fennel for that reason. Does that have a liquorice taste?
Hi, Suzanne. Yes, fennel does have a licorice taste. You can omit it in this recipe, though, and it will still be delish!
So sorry – this just didn’t work out for us, even though I followed the recipe exactly, and added more seasoning at the end. It definitely needed more salt, but it’s sadly not a repeat for us. I certainly appreciate the winners we’ve made from your website. Thank you.
This was excellent! Everything complemented each other and the whole thing came together perfectly. At the finish, I added a bit of fresh squeezed lemon juice, some chopped fennel fronds and aleppo pepper. My only criticism was the printed recipe left out information that was only in the on-line version.
Thanks for the feedback, Bill! We’ll take a look at that!
This is, by far, the Best.Stew.Ever. We’ve made it a couple times and every time I see the fennel bulbs in the store I know to get my pork sausage on the same trip. Thanks for your delightful recipe.
You are very welcome! Thanks for the amazing review :).
This was absolutely delicious. I didn’t have fennel, so I subbed in celery, but used the fennel seeds. Fast and easy. Served it over brown rice, and my husband could not stop eating it.
I would leave a 10 star review if I could. Holy cow! This came together quick and easy. And the flavor? Yu-um! I’m already thinking ahead to when I’m going to make it again.
Yay! Thanks so much, Emily!
d
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recette délicieuse, j’ai utilisé des saucisses italiennes
Au fenouil au porc.
J’ai mis de la semence de fenouil sauvage et
a refaire très bientôt, repas sain.
Delicious and very easy to make. Only suggestion would be to add bay leaf and/or thyme during the simmer, and then sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan at the finish.
If I use the multiplier function to 2x, should I double the lentil water and oil that is specified in the instructions? Those quantities do not multiply.
Also, unclear whether to add lentil water (after parboil) to stew or to drain it and discard.
Hello! Yes, you would need to double those ingredients, as well. Unfortunately, increasing the recipe by doubling (2x) or quadrupling (4x) using that feature on our recipe cards only increases the ingredients in the ingredient list, not in the instructions. I’m so sorry about that. It’s a glitch we can’t seem to correct. Also, there’s no need to drain the lentil water after the parboil.
My husband made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. I love the flavours in all your meals. We did need to add salt prior to eating it. We used mild Italian pork sausage. I’ll definitely be making this stew again.