A hearty and warming Sausage and Lentil Stew that is easy to adapt, veggie packed and makes use of store cupboard essentials. You can use meat or veggie/vegan sausages in this protein packed meal and it freezes really well. This is a delicious budget friendly meal.
Although the sausages are the star of this stew, it's the lentils that really bulk it out. Lentils are so good for that - when money is tight or when you just want pack a meal out with some veggie protein, grab a handful of lentils. This comforting meal is super easy to adapt with whatever veggies you have on hand too.
If you are looking for some other hearty stews to try, then why not try our Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole, Chipotle Black Bean Stew or Moroccan Chickpea Stew.
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Why you will love it
- Freezes well - Make a big batch of this and freeze for quick and easy meals in the week.
- Protein packed - The lentils and sausages mean that this is a filling meal.
- Easy to adapt - Use this as a base and then adapt it with your favourite sausages and vegetables.
- Lots of veggies - We love anything that you can pack out with lots of vegetables and this recipe is just that.
Ingredients needed
- Oil - Some vegetable oil to cook the vegetables in.
- Onion - Just a small brown onion. You could swap it for a couple of shallots which would give it a sweeter flavour.
- Carrot - Make sure that the carrot is very finely diced, so that it cooks at the same rate as all the other vegetables.
- Bell pepper - Any colour will work in this recipe. We like the sweeter peppers though.
- Green beans - These add some extra crunch and colour.
- Lentils - We used red lentils in this recipe, as that is what we had and they are quick cooking. However, you can use red, brown or green lentils. With these instructions, you can use red or brown lentils, as they take the same amount of time to cook. If you were to use green (puy) lentils, you would need to add an extra 10 minutes cooking time and you may need to add some extra stock.
- Herbs/spices - Some oregano, basil and paprika add lots of flavour.
- Tomatoes - Try to use the best quality tinned tomatoes you can, as you will be able to taste the difference. Cheaper tomatoes tend to be watery.
- Tomato puree - This boosts the tomato flavour and also thickens the sauce.
- Mustard - We love a little wholegrain mustard for flavour.
- Stock - To keep this vegetarian, use vegetable stock.
- Sausages - We used vegetarian sausages, but we have give tips for variations below.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step by step
One: Cook the sausages according to the packet instructions. Chop the vegetables.
Two: Heat the oil in a large pan and add the vegetables. Gently cook for 5 minutes until softened.
Three: Add the lentils.
Four: Add the stock, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, mustard, garlic, herbs, spices and seasoning. Stir well and gently simmer for 20 minutes, until the lentils are cooked. Meanwhile, cook the sausages according to package instructions.
Five: Add the cooked sausages. Mix well and serve.
Health benefits of lentils
- High in protein - 1 cup of lentils contains 18g of protein, which is more than chickpeas. That's great news for vegans, as you can use lentils in replace of meat in lots of dishes, and they will still be high in protein.
- A good source of calcium - whilst a lot of people get calcium from dairy, if you aren't consuming dairy, then lentils are a good alternative to get calcium.
- A good source of iron - one portion of lentils has around a third of your daily requirement of iron. Mix some spinach in to this stew and you have yourself an iron pack meal.
- They are full of fibre - if you want to feel fuller for longer, then meals that are high in fibre are the way to go. It's also great for digestive health. Lentils are a good source of fibre and this is a deliciously filling meal.
- High in magnesium - Lentils are high in magnesium, which is great if you are feeling stressed and having trouble sleeping.
- A good source of folic acid - If you are, or have ever been, pregnant, then you will know the importance of folic acid. But it's also important for lowering the risk of heart disease and is good for healthy hair.
Variations
The great thing about this stew is that you can use any sausages you like. Love pork and apple sausages? Love lean chicken sausages? You can use those! What to make this vegetarian or vegan? Use your favourite meat free sausage.
We used vegetarian sausages in this (actually a mixture of 2 different brands as this was a bit of a freezer and cupboard raid dinner), as it makes a great vegetarian protein packed meal. But, you can use any sausages. Just cook them according to their package instructions and they get added in at the end.
This is such a great meal to bulk out with vegetables. Stews are always really forgiving in the sense that you can swap out ingredients for whatever you have - it's a great fridge raid meal.
We used onion, carrot, green beans and bell pepper. However, you could use mushrooms, aubergine sweet potato, broccoli and cauliflower. You could even stir in some spinach and/or kale at the end for a bit of a leafy green vegetable boost.
Serving suggestions
When it comes to a comforting lentil stew like this, it has to be served with mashed potatoes. We have got a few recipes to keep you going! Why not try our Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Creamy Mashed Potatoes.
If you want potatoes, but not mashed, then we have some other recipes for you:
- Roasted New Potatoes
- Air Fryer Potato Wedges
- Easy Hasselback Potatoes
- Garlic Smashed Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Jacket Potatoes
- Cheesy Potato Bake
This is quite a heavy dish, so why not lighten it up with some vegetables on the side. These go perfectly with this stew: Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Buttered Leeks, Garlic Spring Greens or Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli.
Storage
Store: Allow the sausage and lentil stew to fully cool and then you can keep this in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freeze: This stew freezes really well, which makes it great for batch cooking. Simply wait for it to cool and then portion it out into freezable containers and then it will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Defrost: Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: Allow it to fully defrost and then you can reheat it in the microwave or a frying pan until heated through.
Frequently asked question
As long as you use gluten free sausages and make sure there is no cross contamination, then this can be a gluten free recipe.
Yes, you can use a can of cooked lentils, but you will only need to add them towards the end to heat through. If you add them any earlier then they will become mushy.
Yes, this can all be done in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7.
If you’ve tried this Sausage and Lentil Stew, or any other recipe on the blog, then let us know how you got on in the comments below - we love hearing from you!
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Recipe
Vegetarian Sausage and Lentil Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 Onion - small; diced
- 2 Carrot - small; peeled and diced
- 1 Red bell pepper - diced
- 100 g (0.75 cups) Green beans - diced
- 80 g (0.5 cups) Dried red lentils
- 2 Garlic clove - crushed
- 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon Dried basil
- 0.5 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 400 g (1.75 cups) Peeled plum tomatoes - canned
- 1 tablespoon Wholegrain mustard
- 1 tablespoon Tomato puree
- 500 ml (2 cups) Vegetable stock
- 8 Vegetarian sausages
Instructions
- Cook 8 Vegetarian sausages according to the packet instructions.
- Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a large pan and add 1 Onion, 2 Carrot, 1 Red bell pepper and 100 g Green beans. Gently cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add 80 g Dried red lentils and mix in.
- Add 500 ml Vegetable stock, 400 g Peeled plum tomatoes,1 tablespoon Tomato puree, 1 tablespoon Wholegrain mustard, 2 Garlic clove, 0.5 teaspoon Dried oregano, 0.5 teaspoon Dried basil, 0.5 teaspoon Smoked paprika and 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper.
- Stir well and gently simmer for 20 minutes, until the lentils are cooked.
- Add the cooked sausages. Mix well and serve.
Notes
- You can use any sausages in this recipe, just cook them according to the packet instructions.
- If you don't have dried lentils, you can use a can of lentils instead.
- Add a kick of heat to this by either adding some cayenne at the same time as the herbs, or a sprinkle or red chilli flakes just before serving.
- This recipe freezes well and is great for batch cooking. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- The thickness of a stew is a personal preference. This is fairly thick, however if you want it a bit more soupy, then add some extra stock.
- You could add a few shavings of Parmesan on top before serving.
- You can use red or brown lentils in this recipe, as they take the same amount of time to cook. If you were to use green (puy) lentils, you would need to add an extra 10 minutes cooking time and you may need to add some extra stock.
Suzy
We are full of lentils in the house and are always looking for new ways to use them! This is perfect! Love this kind of comfort food!
Shannon
This was super tasty! My husband doesn't usually like lentils but he loved this. Will make again.
Aimee Mars
You really can't go wrong with lentil stew because it's so good. I love your sausage version though because my husband will be happy with that addition and I'm happy with all the veggies. This is a perfect meal for now!
SHANIKA
This Sausage and Lentil Stew looks amazing! I love how easy it is to make and all that flavor in one pot!
Erika
What a great looking stew. It looks so hearty and flavorful!
Cookilicious
That looks super hearty and comforting
Charla @ That Girl Cooks Healthy
Sausage and Lentil stew is like when East meets the West. I'm a huge fan of fusion food, love it!