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Green Lentil “Gumbo” Soup

Green Lentil “Gumbo” Soup

Krysta
We're making green lentil "gumbo" soup with the same things we put in gumbo, except the signature roux. This delicious soup is gluten-free, dairy-free, and much lower in fat, and the lentils act as the thickener. The best part is that it has all the gumbo flavor you love.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Soup
Servings 6
Calories 374 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces andouille sausage cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 2/3 cup diced celery
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 cups no-salt or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 8 ounces chicken thighs cut into small pieces
  • 4 ounces smoked ham diced
  • 3/4 cup sliced fresh or frozen okra
  • 1 cup green lentils rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
  • 1/3 cup sliced green onions
  • 2 cups cooked white rice optional
  • 1/3 cup sliced green onions or as needed
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Add andouille to a dry soup pot and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sausage begins to brown, a few minutes.
  • Add all the olive oil, unless a lot of fat was rendered from the sausage, in which case adjust the amount of oil added.
  • Add onion, green pepper, celery, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Add paprika, cumin, black pepper, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.
  • Stir in broth, raise heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in chicken, ham, and sliced okra.
  • Cook for 10 minutes, then stir in lentils. Simmer soup, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, about 1 hour.
  • Stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, parsley, and green onions, and cook for another few minutes. Season to taste with salt. Serve with rice, more green onions, and a shake of cayenne.

Notes

Cook’s Note:

For nice tender lentils, do not use a salted broth, or add any additional salt. This can prevent the lentils from getting tender. Once lentils have softened up near the end of the cooking time, more salt can be added to taste.