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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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.
This stew is amazing. It’s the perfect stew for fall.
Very yummy weeknight meal. I didn’t find it to be a stew consistency though even though I added extra broth. Next time I’ll add more and I think it’ll turn out well. I added some dinosaur kale before the simmer as well and that added some nice color and something green.
Wow what an incredible flavourful dish!!
Loved it!!
Thanks, Heather!
Made this last night using spicy Italian turkey sausage. It was so so good! Another winner!
Side note: thank goodness for your live happy-hour cook along! Now I know how to use fennel 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it, Colleen! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
I used hot Italian chicken sausage and made this exactly as described. Unfortunately, I found it to be very bland.
I’m sorry, Lisa. Thank you for the feedback.
My family really enjoyed this recipe. We couldn’t find fennel anywhere but we had leeks. I looked it up and read they are a suitable substitute. We will try this again, hopefully next time with fennel.
That’s for sharing that substitution, Brian! So glad it still turned out just fine.
I usually hate the taste of fennel but this recipe was delicious! I would add 1/2 tbsp of salt to combine the flavors together. I also added 1 cup of chicken broth instead. Amazing and simple recipe.
I also used lamb merguez sausage and it went beautifully with the flavor of fennel
Thanks, Hira!
Very good. I did use a small sized bulb of fennel and wouldn’t have wanted any more than that, but it was surprisingly good. I had already cooked chicken Italian sausage links, which were delicious and so easy! Will make again. Thank you, Suzy, for the recipe. I really appreciate the many delicious recipes I have found on this site.
My pleasure, Sandy! Thanks for the kind review!
Thank you, Darryl and Suzy! Lentils never tasted so good! This recipe is so amazing….simple, quick and tasty. I have never cooked with fennel bulb before, but I am so sold on the flavor. Definitely a keeper recipe!
Yay! Thanks, Kim!
Made this vegetarian tonight by adding an extra carrot, a can of rinsed navy beans, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, 1/2 c fresh chopped parsley, I added an extra cup of both to have liquid for dipping our bread. It was so delicious. Next time I will add a bit more seasoning and 1 cup of fresh parsley.
I have use many of your recipes, including making them vegetarian. We started a vegetarian diet 8 months ago due to some healths problems of my husbands. A change in diet has helped him a lot.
We love the flavors in your recipes. I have had good success making some of them vegetarian
Thank You for amazing recipes that makes great food.
My pleasure, Lene! And thank you for sharing your vegetarian adaptation of this recipe. I’m sure others will appreciate it!
I saw this recipe and ran to the grocery store to get all of the ingredients! My family LOVED this recipe! I will be adding this one to my recipe box!!
You had me at “one pan”! LOVE lentils and am always trying to find new recipes! Hubbie will LOVE the sausage added in. Thanks so much for this delicious, easy recipe!
My pleasure :). Enjoy!
Wow! This was amazing! Fennel is a new ingredient to me. So glad I gave it a try!!
Thanks, Natalie!
Sounds delicious! Would brown lentils work with this? I have some I need to use up.
Sure! Just remember that brown lentils take a bit less time to cook than green lentils, so keep an eye one them.
This looks delicious! I have some lentils I need to use up, and I think I just found what I’ll use them for!
Now I know what to make with the extra Italian sausage I have! Thank you!
Hope you enjoy it!!