Italian Sausages and Lentils

Italian sausages and lentils made with good hearty vegetables, rosemary and garlic. This rustic dish is all made in one pot making it easy, comforting and full of flavour!

Italian sausages and lentils is one of our go-to comfort food meals. It's all made in one pot so it's easy and it has so much good flavour.

It's the solid meal to make when you're tucked up inside when it's cold and dark out. And like a good Italian ragu these lentils taste even better the next day which means you can prep it in advance or enjoy good leftovers.

This is a traditional, rustic recipe that's eaten all over Italy but has its roots in Umbria, a region famous for lentils.

Castelluccio lentils are grown below the Sibilini mountains at a high altitude without any pesticides and are famous for their taste, texture and health benefits.

These lentils don't need any prior soaking, rinsing and have a shorter cook time than most (20-30 minutes) although we like to go slightly over that time for this recipe.

If you can't find Umbrian or Castelluccio lentils you can use puy lentils instead read the packet in case they need to be soaked first.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Castelluccio lentils – if you don't have access to Umbrian lentils you can use any dried green lentils such as French puy lentils which are relatively easy to find.
• Passata – (known as tomato puree in the US) we love to use Mutti brand.
• White wine – most Italian white wines will work well, we only use a small amount so you can leave it out if you prefer.

Visual walk-through of the recipe

Prep note

Castelluccio lentils do not need to be soaked first because they have a thin skin and a quick cook time (they do need to be rinsed though). check the packet of the lentils you are using in case they do need soaked prior to cooking.

1. Brown the sausages – We like to cut each sausage into three chunks and brown them in the pot before the veg. This adds more colour to the sausages but you don't have to do this (photo 1).
2. Saute the vegetables – finely chop the vegetables so they're roughly the same size and saute them in a little olive oil with 1 whole clove of garlic until soft (photos 2 and 3).

1. Add wine – add the sausages back to the pot and add the white wine. Let it simmer until it has reduced by half (a couple of minutes) then add the rinsed lentils (photos 4 and 5).
2. Add passata – add the tomato passata, water and herbs to the pot and bring to a simmer. Turn down low and let it simmer for 35 minutes until the liquid has reduced and the lentils are cooked (photos 6-8).

A New Year's tradition

Did you know that in Italy, lentils are traditionally eaten on New Year's Eve for good luck? Some even say it has to be exactly midnight.

The lentils symbolise little coins and are eaten to bring good fortune and wealth for the coming year. Symbolically, the more lentils you eat the wealthier you will become.

Traditionally the lentils are served with Cotecchino, a gelatinous pork sausage or Zampone, a stuffed pig's trotter. The richness of the pork is eaten to symbolise wealth and 'fattening up'.

Although we've never tried Zampone, we have eaten Cotecchino and we have to admit we're not too keen on the taste. We love to serve regular Italian sausages instead.

More comforting recipes to try

Pasta

Pasta alla Norcina (Creamy Sausage and Truffle Pasta)

Mains

Zuppa alla Valpellinese (Cheese and Cabbage Casserole)

Mains

Carbonade Valdostana (Spiced Red Wine Beef Stew)

Gnocchi

Spicy Sausage Baked Gnocchi

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 1 cup (200g) Umbrian Castelluccio lentils ((or use dried puy lentils))
• 6 Italian Sausages ((about 490g))
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large celery stick
• 1 medium onion
• 1 clove Garlic (whole, peeled)
• ¼ cup (60ml) Italian white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig Rosemary
• 1 cup (260g) Passata (tomato puree US)
• 3 cups (700ml) water
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

Method

Prep notes

1. Castelluccio lentils do not need prior soaking but you do need to rinse them until cold running water for a few seconds. If you are using other lentils make sure to check the packet instructions just in case they do need to be soaked first.

2. Finely chop the vegetables so you have roughly the same amount of each and cut roughly the same size. Peel the garlic clove but keep it whole.

To make Italian sausages and lentils

1. Cut each Italian sausage into 3 chunks. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large pot on a medium heat and brown the sausages (don't cook them all the way through). Remove them and set aside on a plate.

2. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil the the pot and saute the chopped vegetables and garlic until soft. Do this on a medium-low heat making sure the vegetables soften but don't brown.

3. Once softened, add a small pinch of salt to the vegetables then add the sausages back to the pot.

4. Add the wine and let the wine simmer until it has reduced by half then add the rinsed lentils, passata, water and the bay leaf and rosemary sprig.

5. Bring the pot to a simmer then turn it down low and let it simmer uncovered for 35 minutes. Finish with some freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Kitchen notes

• Using water instead of stock Italian sausages are usually generously seasoned with salt so we don't recommend using stock. Water is traditionally used in this dish and believe us when we say that it has so much flavour!
• Using salt We recommend adding a little salt to the vegetables once they have softened then taste the lentils at the end of cooking so see if more needs to be added. It will all depend on how salty the sausages are.
• Prep in advance you can prepare this whole dish in advance then store it in the fridge once it has cooled completely. Reheat on the stovetop until piping hot, you shouldn't need to add more liquid but you can add more as needed.
• Leftovers can also be reheated the same way.