This spicy lentils with sausage dish is not your average lentils recipe -- it's flavorful, hearty, and so simple to make that you'll love it for an easy weeknight meal!
1poundkielbasa sausagecut into 8 equal pieces and split down the middle
1onionminced
2garlic clovesminced
1teaspoonchili powder
1/2teaspoonthyme
1/2teaspoonpaprika
1/2teaspoonsalt
1candiced tomatoes with green chiliesmedium heat
3cupswater
2teaspoonsBetter Than Bullion Organic Soup Base(or bullion of your choice, or use just 1.5 cups water with 1.5 cups of broth)
1cuplentilsrinsed
Salt and pepperto taste
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully add the sausage, cut side down, and cook until browned. This should take 2 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the sausage to a plate and leave the fat in the pan. Over medium-high heat, cook the onion in the fat until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, chili powder, thyme, and paprika and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
Stir in the tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the water, bouillon, and lentils. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Cover and reduce the heat to low and cook until the lentils are tender but have a little crunch to them, around 35 minutes.
Nestle the kielbasa into the lentils and continue to cook, covered, over low heat until the lentils are completely tender, about 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Look for a bag labeled "lentils" in the grocery store. They should be brownish to dark green. There are lots of types of lentils and you want brown or dark green ones. Lentils that are red or yellow cook to mush and are used in things like curry and other sauces. We don't want mush here, so don't get red or yellow lentils.