Tuscan Sausage Kale Lentils
This post was sponsored by USA Pulses & Pulse Canada. All opinions expressed here are mine alone.
Tuscan Sausage Kale Lentils is a rustic, comforting meal that’s as nutritious as it is delicious! It’s gluten-free, packed with protein and great for meal prep!
Normally I try to keep things upbeat here, but today I’m going be real. I’m sure you’ve all heard about the Northern California fires and how it’s taken out entire neighborhoods, parts of wine country, and it continues to rage on. It’s starting to get under control, but so many people are without homes and many kids no longer have schools to attend because they’ve also burned to the ground.
Air quality has gotten better so my kids will at least resume school this week, which means we’ll try to find a sense a normalcy amidst all the destruction and tragedy around us.
I have a heavy heart, but the silver lining to all of this is the kindness that people are showing by volunteering, donating items to people in need, and taking in complete strangers that need a place to stay.
We’ll be doing our part as well, but it will never be enough. And we need comfort everywhere we can find it.
This Tuscan Sausage Kale Lentils is rustic, hearty, and most importantly comforting. This dish is like your favorite lentil soup, but it’s even heartier. It’s along the lines of a stew or chili, and it’s packed with goodness.
This dish is guaranteed to stick to your ribs and warm you heart and soul.
Many Tuscan recipes contain pasta, but not this one. Pulses are the foundation of this recipe because I love incorporating them into my recipes several times per week.
They include dry peas, chickpeas, lentils and beans if you’re not familiar with the term. Not only are they delicious, but they’re also protein-packed sustainable foods.
Pulses are extremely versatile and so nutritious. They help maintain a healthy body weight, reduce post-meal “crashes”, and help maintain heart health.
If you’re looking to eat healthier, just add pulses!
I love Tuscan food because it’s simple, rustic, and comforting. Most of the time it’s inexpensive and made in large amounts.
This lentil skillet fits that description perfectly. It’s easy to prepare with simple ingredients. Get the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and sausage cooked up, then add the tomatoes, stock, and lentils.
Simmer 35-40 minutes till the lentils are tender, and add the white beans and kale during the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
This meal will cost you around $20 and will easily feed 4-6 people.
And it’s freezer-friendly!
Lentils are something that I don’t use often enough, and frankly I wasn’t sure how my family would react when I served this for dinner. They love sausage and mushrooms, so I knew adding some familiar ingredients to the lentils would definitely help.
The end result was a happy family at dinner time. This dish was a hit, and lentils will definitely be in the regular rotation at meal time from now on.
The sausage-wild mushroom combination is one of my favorites, but you can absolutely make this dish meatless by omitting the sausage and doubling the amount of wild mushrooms, and use veggie broth instead of chicken.
If you’re not a fan of kale, substitute it for baby spinach or your favorite greens.
Whatever you do, finish this dish off with a hefty sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan and enjoy.
Tuscan Sausage, Wild Mushroom, Kale and Lentil Skillet is a simple family-friendly meal that’s as nutritious as it is delicious, and it’s a great way to get more pulses into your diet!
Tuscan Sausage Kale Lentils
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil divided (plus more as needed)
- 1 lb. turkey sausage casings removed
- 1 yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces wild mushrooms stemmed, halved and sliced (I used half cremini and half shitake)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 15 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes with juice
- 2 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup uncooked green lentils rinsed and sorted through
- 15 ounces reduced sodium white beans rinsed and drained
- 1 bunch bunch kale stemmed and chopped (about 4 cups)
- 1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the turkey sausage and saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil, onion, and garlic to the pan and cook 3 minutes or until the onion is slightly softened. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until browned and the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes more.
- Add herbs, tomatoes, and broth or water and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the sausage back to the pan along with the lentils and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook 35-40 minutes until the lentils are cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Add the white beans and kale to the pan during the last 10 minutes of cooking time and stir.
- Remove from heat and top with freshly grated parmesan and enjoy!
Notes
- There will be some excess liquid in the pot when the dish is done, but it will be absorbed as the dish stands once it’s removed from heat.
- Make this dish meatless by omitting sausage and adding an additional can of white beans if desired.
- This dish is a great make-ahead meal is freezer friendly!
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
23 Comments on “Tuscan Sausage Kale Lentils”
Marcie, this skillet looks wonderful! Just the name of this has me swooning. Anything with mushrooms is a winner in my book, and this dish is calling my name. I love that it’s freezer-friendly, too! I definitely need to try this. Comfort food at its finest!
Thanks so much Gayle! I know you’re a big mushroom fan like me so I know you’ll love these flavors!
It’s just awful how many homes and lives have been lost in these fires. It is wonderful to see people coming together to help others at this devastating time.
This skillet meal looks so easy and perfect for fall nights when you crave something healthy and comforting. Adding lentils is a great way to make this meal even heartier!
It is awful and I’m so glad that the fire is getting under control. Thanks Kristine!
My heart just breaks for everyone affected. That level of devastation is unfathomable. I’m so glad you and your family are safe though!
Have I ever mentioned that lentils are one of my favorite foods? Yep, I’m really exciting :). This needs to happen for dinner soon!
Thank you so much Kelsie and it sounds like you’ll love this dish!
I have no words for the wildfires scorching the west. The wildfire caused my teenagers near Portland, OR was devastating but at least no one’s been hurt. Sure, the fire is destroying Oregon’s immense beauty, but people’s homes haven’t gone up in flames. So for that reason, we are lucky. But in Ca? My heart aches every time I hear about another house burnt down, another life lost. Horrifying, but I’m glad to hear you’re doing OK!
On a positive note, your recipe looks and sounds so tasty. I can’t wait to try it!
Thank you so much for the kind words Christina, and I hope you get to try this soon! 🙂
My heart hurts for all of you dealing with the tragedy of the fires. Seeing the videos just doesn’t seem real. It’s like a nightmare. I’m just glad you and your family are safe. Hopefully we can figure out a way to prevent it from happening again in the future. <3
Thanks Sarah…it doesn’t seem real to me either! I certainly hope I never see something like this again.
Love this kind of easy one pan meal!!
Marcie, its a difficult situton. My thoughts are with the families of Northern California. In summer we had the same wildfire situation, it has calmed down with rain.
Thank you so much Balvinder. Those wildfires reek so much havoc and thankfully ours is almost out. Rain is on the way here and we certainly need it!
I’m very glad that you and your family are safe. A comforting meal like this one had to be just what your family needed. It sounds great.
Thank you so much Karen!
Reading your post gives me a heavy heart, Marcie! I’m so sorry for all of those affected by the fires. There have been so many terrible natural disasters this year!
This dish looks so hearty and comforting, and healthy! Definitely something I’d love serving to the fam. Pinned!
Thank you for the kind words Katherine and I think we need a break after all the disasters! 🙂
It’s so hard to wrap my mind around the extent of the devastation from the fires … it blows my mind and makes me so incredibly sad 🙁 This comforting dish is definitely needed at a time like this. And it sounds delicious!
Thanks Ashley! 🙂
Hi Joyce! Yes, that’s exactly where you’ll find lentils in the supermarket. You will find green or red lentils.
How long would i cook the lentils if i was using dried french lentils?
Hi Lisa. I don’t know if the cooking time is different for French lentils so I’d recommend following the instructions on the package.
My family totally loved this dish! I am going to make a double batch next time and put half in the freezer for another night. So delish!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Wilhelmina, and thank you for the feedback! 🙂