Sausage, Lentil and Barley Soup

I made three different attempts one day to photograph this soup. It was tough to make it look appetizing, but trust me when I say.... it's frickin' awesome. Really and truly. And it only takes a handful of ingredients to throw together. I love how Italian sausage can flavor the entire soup without having to add any other spices.

Recipe from Dinner with Julie
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Serves 4

2 mild or hot Italian sausages

2 cloves garlic, minced

Half a bunch of celery, diced (about 2 cups)

8 cups chicken stock

1/3 cup dried green lentils

1/3 cup pot or pearl barley

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Squeeze the sausage out of its casings into the pot and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink. Add the garlic and celery and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the stock, lentils, barley, and pinch of red pepper flakes. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 45 minutes until the lentils and barley are tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

*Alternatively, if you are short on time, you can skip the pot barley and dried lentils and add a can of lentils. It would only take about 10 minutes to simmer, meaning from start to finish it could be done in 15 minutes.

Click here for printable version of Sausage, Lentil and Barley Soup

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RESULTS?

My kids and I are fans of sausage and gobbled up this soup. My husband wouldn't stop raving. If I hadn't stopped us, we would have eaten the entire pot of soup in one night, but I needed one serving to photograph the next day in daylight. We've NEVER eaten a big pot of soup in one go. It's safe to say I will be making this soup often.

Meal Ideas: