Italian Sausage & Lentils

Hearty and humble, sausage and lentils is a dish that’s intensely satisfying and filling. Italian comfort food at its best, the two are a marriage made in food heaven and a sure-fire bowl of flavour and warmth.

Comfort food comes in many forms, and one of MY personal favourites is this hearty bowl of goodness. It's true to say that sausage and lentils are just made for each other - so it's no surprise that most of Europe has a dish that pairs the two together. In France we see another of my favourites, usually paired with Toulouse sausage or a smoked sausage like in the dish Salt Pork with Puy Lentils (Petite Salle Aux Lentilles).

In Italy, where the sausages are simple and meaty and the lentils world-class, the dish takes shape in a very simple way. A bed of creamy lentils is topped with sausage and that's pretty much it. Simple to prepare, it's a winner every time.

What's Ahead?

I particularly love the Italian version of this dish as I get to use their wonderful pork and fennel sausages - meaty, fennel-infused and intensely flavourful. If ever two ingredients were meant to be together it's pork and fennel. The sweet aniseed of fennel seeds is pure perfection alongside pork.

The lentils in Italy are delicious, for my recipe I used Umbrian lentils which I'd carted back from Italy across Europe this summer in a broken suitcase. I'm a sucker for buying pulses and beans when I travel, along with honey, paté and anything remotely 'artisanal'. I always resent having to lug them about, but I know that I'll appreciate them later!

This simple 'lentil and sausage casserole' of sorts is a versatile dish that allows for lots of substitutions, giving me the freedom to use whichever flavours I feel like at the time so this recipe is ever evolving - but THIS version might just be my favourite.

Why it works?

It's soul-warming - I've been cooking this dish for years, mostly in the colder months, as I know it's going to get to business and make me fool good! It's easy to make too so I'll turn to it when I'm not in the game for a lot of cooking.

Stuff You'll Need

It's a humble pantry that is required for this dish - nothing out of the ordinary. Quality of ingredients is key here, get the best you can of the two main ingredients and the dish will come together spectacularly.

• Sausage - Find a good Italian sausage and stick with it. It can be a bit hit and miss to find good ones, they should be sweet, fennel-forward and meaty. You can, of course use ANY variety of sausage you want, so don't sweat it too hard and just go with the flavour you like.
• Dried Lentils - We're using dried lentils so that we can introduce more flavour. Pre-cooked lentils are not going to bring any depth of flavour so we need to add our own layers of flavour. Any green, brown or black lentil will work, I used an Umbrian variety. Cooking times may vary, so read the packet instructions of yours for the best results.
• Onion, celery and garlic - are the backbone to the lentils and where a lot of the sweet, earthy flavours come from. Note: you can also replace the celery with 1/2 cup of finely diced fresh fennel for added fennel notes.
• Fresh Oregano - I like oregano for this but you can use other fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary and tarragon.
• Stock/Broth - To bump up the flavour, some stock/broth (low-sodium) works wonders. I'll typically use chicken, beef or vegetable.
• Vermouth - I like the dry fragrance of vermouth In cooking, but you can use dry white wine or dry marsala too.

Step by Step

There are only a few simple steps to this dish. The lentils are easy and the sausages even easier. I guess what I'm saying is that sausage and lentils pretty much make themselves.

1. Step 1 - Sautee the onion, celery and herbs for a few minutes until soft.
2. Step 2 - Add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
3. Step 3 - Add the lentils and stir around to get the pan hot again.
4. Step 4 - Pour in the vermouth/wine and let it sizzle briefly.
5. Step 5 - Add the stock/broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and bubble gently for 45 minutes or so until they're soft and creamy. There should be a little liquid still in the pan too. Remove from the heat and season with salt & pepper then set aside.
6. Step 6 - Cook your sausage the way you prefer either fried or grilled/broiled.

That's it, all you need now is to make a generous layer of lentils in a shallow bowl and then top it with a couple of sausages. A final scattering of chopped parsley finishes the dish off.

Pro Tips

• Add fennel seeds - the sausages in Italy are phenomenal! Aggressively seasoned with fennel, they pack a punch of flavour. Outside of Italy, supermarket sausages labelled 'Italian Sausages' often fall short in the fennel flavour. To account for this, I'll often add 1/2 tsp of fennel seeds to the lentils when I fry the onion. It highlights that authentic fennel flavour.
• Find your favourite sausage - This dish is versatile enough to welcome any type of sausage. I particularly love Cumberland, Polish Kiełbasa, fresh Spanish Chorizo and French Toulouse sausages all of which will bring their unique personality to the plate. Use whichever makes you happy as that's the entire point of this dish!

Storage Suggestions

Sausage and lentils is at its best served hot, but I'm also a bit partial to eating it at room temperature. The Italians are very fond of serving food at room temperature and I must say, It makes for a more relaxed way of life. But for this recipe, let's say - eat it hot!

• Fridge - The dish is good in the fridge for 5-6 days if you keep it in airtight containers. I bury the sausage in the lentils to maintain a bit of juiciness.
• Freezer - If stored in the same way, in containers, sausage & lentils freeze for 3+ months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating and cook until piping hot in the microwave or in a pan (add a little water of broth too (1/4 cup) to ensure the dish doesn't dry out).

Ready to get cooking?

So, now that you see just how EASY making sausage and lentils is, there should be no stopping you. I can't sing the praises enough! Whatever the weather, having this dish served to me ensures I'll come out in a better mood than when I began. I hope you enjoy!

More Italian recipes

If you liked my sausage and lentils recipe, Why not try more of my favourite Italian recipes.

• Nduja Risotto
• Tuscan Beans with Pancetta & Cavolo Nero
  
• Osso Buco Ravioli
• Borlotti Beans with Chard
  
• Pasta with Salami
  
• Cavatelli with Pork Ragù
  
• Italian Porchetta
  
• Vitello Tonnato (Veal with Tuna & Anchovy Sauce)
  
• Orecchiette with Sausage & Broccoli Rabe
  
• Chicken Soup with Fregola

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