No Soup for you! Just kidding!
2 lbs ground pork Italian Sausage (hot, sweet or mild)
1 large onion, diced
4 stalks celery, thinly clopped
2 bell peppers (any color), diced
1 can diced tomatoes
10 ounces of tomato paste
6 large cloves of garlic, crushed and diced
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups brown lentils, washed
2 tbsp soy sauce
8 -10 cups vegetable broth
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté Italian sausage until browned. Add diced onion, celery, bell peppers and sauté until the vegetables begin to sweat and deglaze the pot. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes, then add in garlic and stir. Stir in the tomato can and tomato paste. Add in the lentils, 8 cups of broth and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 30 to 45 minutes. Check to see if lentils are tender. At this point, you might need to add more broth if lentils are not fully cooked. The stew is meant to be thick and hearty, but you are welcome to add more broth to thin it out. Keep simmering on low heat with the pot covered until lentils are cooked. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
