Spinach Lentil Soup

I made minor adjustments to this and it was fantastic! It was a wonderful earthy yet spicy comfort food on a cold Sunday night. I used brown rice instead of white, chicken stock instead of water, and omitted carrot although it seems appropriate for this recipe. I sauteed some red bell pepper and celery instead. I chose to make this in a slow cooker. Saute the veggies and kielbasa first, add to slow cooker with dry lentils, spinach and about 4 c chicken stock/broth. Add brown rice for last hour of cooking. Next time I will try adding some cumin and topping with grated parmesan at the end. (tip from Giada).

My family really enjoyed this one. I did make one alteration though. I switched the amounts of chicken broth and water (6 cups chicken broth - 2 cups water). And for next time I think I will be adding a bit of garlic (as that should go in EVERYTHING)...and will cut the pepper flakes in half. It wasn't that spicy if you only had one bowl - the second one had our noses running away. It was wonderful with some buttered peasant bread.

Very tasty. I didn't understand the rationale behind cooking the rice separately, so I just added it with the lentils. Also, I reversed the amount of broth and water. Hearty and healthy.

Excellent -- I made several changes and additions. I used olive oil--always--rather than vegetable. I switched the amounts of broth and water as reviewers had suggested, added lots of extra red pepper (I like it spicy), and added the rice (Basmati) with the lentils (green) rather than cooking separately. I added to the onions, 4 cloves of garlic (minced); to the spices, caraway seed, 1 bay leaf, summer savory, & garam masala; to the broth, a splash of red wine; and to the spinach, a handful of sliced mushrooms.

With a few additions and substitutions this soup came out great. I added zucchini, yellow squash, and a 14 oz can of diced tomato. Additionally, I used kale instead of spinach as it holds up better in my opinion. I too flipped the water / broth using 6 cups of chicken stock (not broth) and 2 cups of water. I also added a generous helping of garlic, a dash of cumin, and two fresh bay leaves. One reviewer stated that the soup is bland, perhaps he or she did not allow the soup to really cook down thus developing flavor. Honestly, 25 minutes was not nearly enough time for the ingredients to mesh and for the flavor to develop. It took me nearly 50 minutes, and having said this next time I will wait to add the zucchini, squash, and kale until the last 15 minutes as it got a bit softer than I prefer. Moreover, do add salt and pepper to taste, not sure why it was left out on the recipe but it is surely necessary. I added uncooked rice and F renchlentils and the 50 minute cook time was perfect. This is a healthy and low calorie soup that fit my nutrition plan perfectly.

My family loved this!! I took tips from other reviewers and used 6 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water, used 8 oz of kielbasa instead of 4 oz, added 3 cloves minced garlic to onion/carrot, and threw brown rice in along with the lentils (it cooked just fine...no need to cook seperate). Will make again, and again and again! Thank you!

I made this for dinner tonight, substituting Italian veggie sausage for the kielbasa and veggie broth instead of chicken (we're vegetarians) and this turned out fantastic. It's so rare that I can find a meaty recipe and can convert it but keep it relatively the same. My husband LOVED it! Thanks!

I enjoyed this recipe. I love fresh garlic so I added that… I also used brown rice (added @ the same time as lentils) and frozen spinach. I only had one problem, but it was totally my fault. I thought I could save time and just throw everything into the crock pot… the first couple bowls were awesome, but by time I got to the end, all of the flavor from the kielbasa had leached into the broth, leaving the meat flavorless and chewy. (I just picked the pieces out). So if you use the crock pot I wouldn’t leave the soup in it for reheats.

This was very good. I did use all chicken broth instead of the water. And I used baby spinach so I was lazy and didn't tear it. Thanks for the recipe.

This is so good!!! I added fresh garlic just as the veggies were nearly ready, and I did not precook the rice. I added it with the broth and water. I use whole grain brown rice and regular kielbasa sausage. I have made this several times and it is definitely a keeper!!

Well, made the way the recipe calls for is good. BUT, the second time I made it I made a few changes which made it better: 1. DO NOT ADD SALT BEFORE THE LENTILS ARE COOKED - it toughens them, and do not overcook them. 25 min. is the max. 2. Be sure and chop the spinach so you can get it on your spoon without it dangling off. 3. Double the amount of broth to make it "soup" and maybe use just chix. broth as no water is needed. 4. Lots more Kielbasa in bigish chunks, not chopped. They are the best part. 5. Saute onions and some garlic on low heat for a while, then add sausage and veggies (in chunks again) and saute, then add everything else (including raw rice) and simmer 25 min. 6. I did use other's suggestions re adding a good amount of cumin, leeks and celery. Quartered mushrooms added at the end with the spinach. Oh, and it needs salt! 7. Finally, I took half of the soup, minus the sausage, and pureed it well in the blender and added it back to the pot to make it kinda thicker, like regular lentil or split pea soup, but because I only pureed half the soup in the blender then added it back to the "thinner" soup, it still stayed "soupy" unstead of "stewy". Yum. French bread and a fresh salad. . .

So good!! After reading the reviews, I made a few changes. First, I add the 2/3 cup of water and uncooked rice to the pot along with the lentils and the rest of the liquids. Second, I switch the quantities of broth and water, using 2 cups of water and 6 cups of broth. Third, I throw in 2-3 chopped cloves of garlic and a couple extra ounces of kielbasa. I know the thought of lentils and spinach would make a lot of people gag, but this is not an earthy, healthy tasting soup. It's packed with flavor and absolutely delicious!

Very good and satisfying soup. A 5 star with the following adjustments. If you don't want to cook rice separately, throw in with lentils; brown rice is healthier choice, but needs longer cooking time, and soup taste better when simmered longer anyway. (Remember to use enough liquid for the rice to absorb.) Double the sausage, add 1 can diced tomatoes, switch amounts of water and chicken stock, correct with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Don't forget the hot crusty bread!

After following the directions to the t (well, almost: I did use pasta stars instead of rice), I was not impressed. It was incredibly dense and the flavor was pretty bland, despite the little spiciness it did offer. It seems this recipe has great potential, but as written, it could use some work.

GREAT soup! I used chicken broth instead of water and didn't really measure it. I just add what I need as I go. I also used 1/2 tsp chipotle pepper instead of the red pepper flakes. I would have used more if our kids weren't eating it. Everyone LOVED it! (even 6, 4 and 2 year old!)

Fantastic! Like many other reviewers before me I tweaked the recipe a bit, after all soup recipes are the funnest to tweak right?! I used 4 cups of chicken stock and 4 cups of water to give it more flavor, 4 oz of all natural italian chicken sausage instead of turkey kielbasa, 1/2 the bag of spinach only because my husband is not a spinach fan, and the lentils I happened to find when shopping were in an all natural lentil soup mix that included spices (Bean Cuisine Lots of Lentil Soup) which contained 2 cups of lentils so I halved it and stored the other cup for another batch of soup. Because the chicken sausage and lentil soup mix were both seasoned I omitted the crushed red pepper flakes. Also like other reviewers before me I cooked the rice in the soup instead of by itself. Right out of the pan this had so much flavor, which of course means that tomorrow it will be even better. Thank you for a great lentil soup recipe!

There is no reason to pre-ccok the rice, and use brown rice instead. Much healthier. Just make sure if they aren't the pre-cooked kind that you allow enough time for it to cook completely. Needs salt and some other seasonings to bring the flavor level up. Use all chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of water. The flavor will be enriched. I like thick soups instead of watery, so adjust broth to how you prefer your soups.

Husband and I really liked this soup. Only four stars though because I was looking for something thicker, will probably use less water next time. I didn't have any stock on hand, just used water and it was flavorful enough from the garlic I added and the sausage seasonings. I used a lamb sausage that I had around, it was quite good. Finally, I used cabbage instead of spinach since we have an overabundance at the moment and it is REALLY good with cabbage. I just shredded it and added in the last few minutes, let it cook down a bit. So good.

I just loved this recipe. I made some tweaks and made it will all organic vegetables and NO MEAT. I used more like 2/3 cup of whole grain brown rice (which is much better for you than white rice) and added 1 cup of finely chopped celery, 1 cup finely chopped carrots and used leeks instead of an onion. Also added fresh minced garlic, a sprinkle of cumin, and a few sprinkles of basil and celery seed. I added 4 cups reduced sodium organic vegetable broth and 4 cups of filtered water. I cooked the rice with the lentils (like so many people before me recommended) It took a little longer for this kind of rice but it came out fantastic and EVERYONE (even the meat eaters) LOVED IT!!! It was a HUGE hit and I get requests to make this for friends all of the time.

Very hearty and healthy! I was concerned about the seasoning flavor but the kielbasa and broth had just the right amount of salt to flavor the whole dish. I used a whole package of kielbasa, 4 oz. was not enough. Also used brown rice and just threw that in with everything else instead of cooking it separately. Turned out fine that way. Tastes even better the next day!

Good, but I like it better with some changes I made: I used 6 c. low-sodium broth + 1.75 c. water + 1/4 c. sherry. Added 1/2 tsp. garlic powder and used brown rice instead of white. Added the raw brown rice with the lentils and pureed about 1 c. of soup to thicken before adding spinach. Also used kale in place of the spinach, because I had it on hand to use up. Awesome with crusty french bread and a salad...

I substituted olive oil for the vegetable oil. This was too spicy for us, & I only used 1/4 tsp. crushed red peper flakes. Even after adding extra chicken broth to dilute it, it still was pretty spicy. If you like your food spicy, you'll probably like this. If not & you want to give it a try, I'd suggest 1st reducing the amount of crushed red pepper & kielbasi & then adding more, if needed, according to your taste.

mmmm.... so yummy, I used brown rice instead of white,added garlic, and I browned the turkey and then just added all of the ingredients... MUCH faster that way! Next time I'm going to add mushrooms...

I just dumped all the ingredients in the crock pot and let it cook all day and it was delicious. I used opposite stock/water measurements (made broth from chicken base mix) and I added a spoonful of garlic from the jar. Watch the red pepper flakes, it was spicy!

This recipe sounded so good, but was very bland. I am sure additional salt would have livened it up, but I didn't want to turn it into a high-sodium dish. I didn't even keep the leftovers. :-(

Read the reviews on this soup and made a few changes. Used brown rice instead of white. Also used the package of turkey kielbasa. I added 3 cloves garlic and a whloe onion and 2 stalks celery to the saute. When I added the lentils and water I also added about 1/2 a bag of frozen okra, aabout a tablespoon of cumin, maybe 1/2 teaspoon fennel, and 2 bay leaves. The soup is absolutely delicious. Not at all bland with the extra spices.

This is a delicious soup, and I left out the meat! I can only imagine how good it would be with the kielbasa. I wanted a lighter lunch, packed full of veggies, so I added more carrot, onion, and diced red pepper, as well as red pepper flakes. (You can add to your own liking - mushrooms, celery, etc.) I saw no reason to cook the rice first, so I just added it in with the lentils to cook, replacing all the water with chicken broth. I halved the recipe and am so glad I have leftovers for more lunches this week.

I loved this soup. I used cooked lentils and left out a cup of water. I also added a little Parmesan cheese when I served it. I will definitely make this again.

Use 4 c water, 4 c broth, Italian chix sausage (8-10 oz), "Bean Cuisine Lots of Lentil mix", Cook the rice in w/the soup rather than seperarely, add chopped carrots, celery, garlic, and leeks adn sub kale for spinach. Use brown rice and add cumin

Really enjoyable, healthy and easy. I make my own turkey sausage with ground turkey and spices using the "Homemade Italian Turkey Sausage" recipe from this site. Also like many other reviewers, I used 6 cups broth, 2 cups water, brown rice and added the rice uncooked to the soup with the lentils. Also I used kale instead of spinach, because that's all I had on hand.

I can't see this recipe being 5 stars 'as is' but with a few alterations my family loved it. 1. Reverse the water and broth ratio or simply use nothing but lower sodium broth. 2. Add more kielbasa. I used almost a whole 16oz sausage that may be a bit much but I can see around 8oz being perfect. 3. I used about half the spinach in the recipe, any more and to me the spinach will overwhelm the soup. 4. Skip cooking the rice separate just add it with the lentils. It is not my intention to butcher the original recipe. Just that soup recipes are always flexible and I believe a few simple changes improves and simplify the fine recipe. Also, do not let the unappealing photo discourage you, it tastes much better that that photo looks.

Made this last weekend and it was a great success. Glad to have found such a great recipe using lentils and spinach. This will definately be a keeper and will become a regular at our house. I did substitute quick brown rice and added it at the end with great success.

Very good. Made a few tweaks... Used brown rice, 16 oz. of regular kielbasa, a clove of chopped garlic, 4 c. regular chicken stock, 4 c. water, 1/2 red lentils and 1/2 brown lentils, and used frozen chopped spinach. I also added about a tsp. of cumin as suggested by another rater. I topped the bowls with crumbled bacon. The boyfriend, who is pickier than a toddler with vegetables, and detests spinach, also loved this... asked me to pack him some leftovers for lunch! Will make again.

This was pretty good. No changes made.

This was extremely good. I used beef kielbasa and brown rice. For the liquids added 4 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water. Any more would have been too watery. As I made it, this soup is a keeper at our house.

Very yummy! I soaked the lentils in water for a few hours. It cut the cooking time in half! Used all broth as suggested by others. Also used basmati rice and baby spinach. This is definitely a keeper!

Hubby says "It's a keeper!" This soup was delish! I did not have the problem of it being too thick as others stated. I used all chicken broth, sauteed some celery and garlic with the onions and carrots, added a bay leaf. YUM!!

Excellent! Great base flavour and great nutrition, but it did need some serious seasoning. I used about 1.5-2tsp of salt, a bay leaf, and 1/8 tsps each of cumin and turmeric. Like the other reviews recommended, I switched the stock-water quantities. I also used an entire half link of the kielbasa to treat myself after a good workout :-)

this was pretty good! not extra special but we enjoyed it. i made exactly as recipe is stated.

Prefer 15 minutes lentil soup recipe. Rice isn't needed, like addition of turkey sausage

We really liked the soup but I did need to add a chicken bouillon for more flavor. Next time I will probably use all chicken stock and no water. Overall a keeper with the fam.

This is a very good basic recipe. I substituted kale for the spinach, used brown rice and eliminated the sausage this time as we're trying to eat more meatless dinners. It was a big hit! Thanks.

I made the soup exactly like the recipe suggested. I love it, i am a big spinach fan and this soup has plenty! It is the first time I cooked lentils, it was very easy and I like them. The only thing I might add next time is fresh garlic..saute with the carrot and onion..and maybe more turkey sausage..it tastes great with the lentils. Thanks!

At 150 calories and 2.6g fat per serving, this is a 5-star recipe. I liked that the lentils took on the flavor of the small quantity of sausage in this soup (only 4 oz.) making the broth and lentils both taste like a good savory kielbasa. I added celery and cooked my rice in the soup, and added another cup of water at the end becausse I wanted mine more soupy than stew-y. Thanks for the recipe!

Added a few things...I used chicken broth instead of water, added green pepper, garlic,cumin,basil, parsly, a bay leaf and used polish lite kielbasa X3 so I added a cup of rice bec I put more Kielbasa. Also Dont forget to put parmesam cheese on top it really brings it together!

I loved this recipe. Easy to pull together, good taste and healthy. I added just a little fresh grated parmesan cheese when serving. Have made it twice and will add it to my inventory. Thanks!

Great and very easy. I used brown basmati rice and red lentils. I didn't see the need to cook the rice separately so I added it when the soup started to boil. Let that simmer for about 20 minutes and then added the lentil, as they don't take as long to cook and didn't want them too mushy. I didn't have any turkey kielbasa, so I used sundried tomato & herb chicken sausage, I also added 1 c of celery, garlic, a few extra chicken bouillon cubes, and I left out the red pepper, as my 2 yr old doesn't care for it.

Fantastic soup! Rich in flavor and easy to make. We loved it and will be putting it in my soup rotation for sure... Thanks!

Fantastic recipe. I did like the others suggested and switched the water and broth amounts. I also added garlic. I didn't have kielbasa so I added diced hot Italian sausage and didn't add the red pepper. This is a keeper! Thanks!

This was absolutely wonderful. I did make one small change instead of water I used chicken brooth to give it a little more flavor. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe.

This soup was very good, it makes a lot! I'd guess it was around 12 cups. The only change I made was to use 14oz kielbasa (so the whole package) instead of just 4. I cut it into half moons. I don't think it was too much kielbasa, just not as healthy as it would have been with less.

This was great!! My husband had three bowls! I did not have Kielbasa so I used smoked sausage. This is a very hearty, tasty soup that goes great with warm crusty bread. I did reverse the water/stock amount and added fresh garlic. I will be making this again!

With the changes I made after reading other reviews this was a 5 star recipe. Instead of Turkey Kielbasa I used Italian Turkey Sausage. I added minced garlic when sautéing the carrots and onion, added salt and used 4 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups water. I used brown rice which I added with the lentils and cooked, covered, on low for 45 minutes. My husband and I enjoyed it for dinner with homemade French bread and ate the leftovers for lunch today. Really delicious!

Yummy, hearty, healthy, easy, and inexpensive! This is a new staple meal at our home.

Made this twice now and tweak it to fit in an oval crock pot by doubling the ingredients. Use brown rice as others have suggested, less water and more broth. (even have used boullion cubes in a pinch with water) I saute the veggies, kielbasa and add it into the crock with the rest of the ingredients, let it roll on high 2 hours or so, and then low for another 5 hours or so. I also add to the spices a whole lot--it needs salt! I used dried basil, garlic powder, rosemary/garlic/pepper blend, a greek seasoning--you name it. Have added mushrooms also, it's open to a lot of combos of veggies. The kale idea is great, will be trying that next time. Love being able to come home to dinner and this is a great healthy recipe and will use it often. Thank you for highlighting one of my favorite legumes! =)

This was good. I used the extra broth suggested by other reveiwers. Think it could have used more kielbasa and be eaten as a stew, and I would like it better.

Excellant and very adaptable. I used all chicken stock (no water). Love the spinich addition but substituted ditalini pasta for the rice. Great recipe that can be altered to suit your taste Thanks!

I made this for my boyfriend and he told me he hadn't had soup like that since his grandmother from Italy cooked for him when he was a young boy! It was so good!

I didn't have any "turkey kielbasa" kicking around so, I just tossed in some chicken breast cut into smaller chunks. I mostly used chicken broth vs all the water this calls for. I use fresh spinach, never bought frozen or canned before. Good with extra red peppers, too.

This really is SPINACH lentil soup. I love spinach and I love lentils but I found the spinach to be so overpowering that it ruined the dish. IF I decided to make this again I would use half the amount of spinach!

Yum!! I love this recipe. The turkey kielbasa is perfect and shouldn't be substituted with anything else. I did add a little celery and garlic but that was it. I added a little more chicken broth so that it was more like a soup than stew.

This soup is great!!! :) I did half chicken stock, half water, and instead of spinach I added Kale (chopped to small pieces). So nice in the winter!

Delicious! I think that next time I would add a little less liquid, but it was really good, even today as leftovers.

I didn't really like this. I used 8 cups of chicken stock and 2 cups of water because I used a little extra rice, lentils and spinach. It was more like a stew than a soup, but that wasn't my problem. Just tasted too much like spinach and that's after adding a ton of different spices and salt and pepper. Won't make again.

The soup was easy to make but ended up looking more like a 'hot dish' and not soup. I added more stock, topped each bowl with a few drops of olive oil and parm. Even with that extra punch it was a tad bland....like hot dish!

We really enjoyed this soup. I did make a few adjustments. I switched the broth and water amounts. Added some celery, a diced tomato and several cloves of crushed garlic.Seasoned it with some parsley and paprika. I didn't have any spinach on hand and took the advice of someone else and used cabbage. It was really delicious.

Wow. If I was stuck on an island, and I could only have one meal, this would be it! Everyone in our family stuffed themselves, having 2 and 3 bowls because they could not stop eating this!! I used all chicken broth, no water, and high test chicken broth, not the low sodium kind (we like salt!). I took the advice of others and added uncooked rice directly to the pot. I doubled the rice to 2/3 cup (we like rice!) and added an extra cup of chicken broth to make up for the liquid absorbed by the rice. With the exception of those changes, I kept to the recipe. This was amazing! Thank you for this recipe!

Even my boyfriend who doesn't like spinach loved it!!!!

This was delicious! I followed most of the suggestions other reviewers made-I flipped the amounts of water and chicken stock, added brown rice with the lentils, and added garlic with the veggies.

Fabulous. Used skinless turkey keilbasa, made it easier to eat, harder for teenager to turn nose up! Switched stock/water values. Will use more keilbasa next time (and double/triple!).

Very good! Didn't have any sausage on hand so it was a vegetarian recipe. I followed suggestions of switching broth (vegetable) and water. Also added 1/2 cu of pearl barley with lentils and skipped the rice altogether. Right before serving I run the immersion blender through it for some creamy texture.

I've never liked lentils but this recipe has changed my mind. The flavor is wonderful. I've already made it twice in 10 days. My husband loved it too. I did follow other reviews suggestions and decreased the crushed red pepper flakes since I don't like food to spicy. I also reversed the chicken broth and water amounts. This is a great addition to my list of low-fat, low-sodium recipes.

My husband and I enjoyed this but not so much the kids. They'll eventually learn what is good!

Absolutely delicious and quite healthy! Followed previous reviews and used 6 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water, added some minced garlic, and cooked the brown rice with the lentils. Took about 45 minutes to simmer for rice to be fully cooked. Added spinach in at the end. Careful not to add too much salt, as the kielbasa and broth is quite salty.

I did add some sour cream and thicken the soup. I like my soups a bit creamier. It was amazing!!

Oh my goodness, this is going on my regular rotation of soups. It is so delicious for being so healthful! For some reason I wrote down veggie broth when I made my grocery list for this recipe, but honest to goodness, I might make it that way in the future. It tasted great! My husband isn't a big fan of lentils so I may try to substitute something next time around, but he said that when it came to taste and "heartiness", he really enjoyed it. Great recipe!

Probably very good for you - not too tasty for you.

Very good! Made this almost exactly to the recipe, just used half chicken stock, half water, and just threw in the rice to cook with the lentils. My only issue was with the turkey kielbasa - the kind I bought tasted like hot dogs. I'll use the real thing next time.

Awesome. I did add celery, fresh garlic, and mushrooms, and used a bit less spinach. Very hearty and delicious. Thank you! :)

I thought this was just okay; a little too bland for me. I even added fresh garlic, salt, black pepper and saffron. I think it could have used more carrots and rice, too. If I make it again I will definitely add more flavor and use all vegetable or chicken stock instead of water.

It was good. Instead of turkey kielbasa I used boneless chicken breast. I just chopped the chicken in squares then cooked it till brown on all sides and til I saw no pink. Next time I will cut down on the water and will keep the 2 cups of broth the same because it was way too watery for lentil soup. I also added a little bit a sea salt and pepper.. The pepper flakes made it way too spicy.

I took the concept but added a few things and changed a few things. Cooked 1 cup of rice separately and after cooking sauted rice in garlic and olive oil. I fried Keilbasa with onion and garlic added cumin, chili powder salt and pepper then combined carrots and rice then added 1 cup of lentils and 5 cups of chicken broth (no water). Last three minutes of cooking I added the spinach. Healthy, attractive looking hearty and tasty soup, thanks for the contribution.

I haven't had lentil soup in years & after reading several receipes,this was the one I decided to try. It is great! I used red pepper powder instead of flakes as I wanted to keep it mild. I put less rice to keep soup from getting too thick, and I had an extra mushroom that I sliced up & threw in there. However, I needed to add salt or otherwise, it was like beans in water to me. I also had chopped frozen spinach, which seemed to work fine. Great health conscious soup, definitely keeping this receipe!!!

After following the recipe, I found it a little tasteless. I decided to omit the rice. I added fresh garlic, chopped red pepper, lemon thyme, bay leaves, cumin and mushrooms. It just needs to be tweaked to your individual taste.

Very good. Made a few tweaks... Used brown rice, 16 oz. of regular kielbasa, a clove of chopped garlic, 4 c. regular chicken stock, 4 c. water, 1/2 red lentils and 1/2 brown lentils, and used frozen chopped spinach. I also added about a tsp. of cumin as suggested by another rater. I topped the bowls with crumbled bacon. The boyfriend, who is pickier than a toddler with vegetables, and detests spinach, also loved this... asked me to pack him some leftovers for lunch! Will make again.

Very nice. Took reviewers suggestions and added some cumin along with chili powder, garlic salt, and pepper. I also took out roughly two cups of the water and added 1 cup butter milk and 1.5 cups heavy cream. the creamy consistency pushed this into the "comfort food". My husband said, "You need to keep this recipe."

This is delicious!! Love it! I made a double batch plus added extra broth & kielbasa. My freezer is packed!! Thank you!!

Delicious with just a little kick! I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and kale in place of the kielbasa and spinach. I also used brown rice. I cooked for 10 minutes, then added lentils the last 20. Very comforting!

Terrific! I made this for my husbands lunch and had some myself. It was terrific. I had scaled it for 4 and I am sorry I did, I wanted more and I don't eat meat! Can't wait for my husbands opinion. Thank you!

Good for being lentil soup (trying to be healthy is always tough). Added a little garlic powder. Used instant brown rice added when beans were added. I like to serve with salt, pepper, vinegar and a little parm. cheese. Will probably make again.

What got my attention about this recipe was the ability to tweak it just a little and make it a powerhouse recipe for preggos (like me). I took other reviewers' advice and swapped the water/broth amounts, added a dash of cumin and also some celery seed, and used brown rice (much healthier) instead of white. I didn't have turkey kielbasa hanging around, so I substituted some leftover peppercorn-crusted pork tenderloin and omitted the red pepper flakes, threw in some sliced mushrooms with the spinach, and topped with shredded Italian cheese blend. Came out awesome! The one thing I did wrong was try to rush the rice. I didn't give it the full 20 minutes to simmer and ended up with very firm rice and kinda mushy everything else. Any mommies-to-be or anyone who knows one, definitely keep this recipe.

This was absolutely delicious! I will definetly be making this again! I liked how it wasn't too spicy and it was just right! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

I was afraid of making bland lentil soup - this recipe is anything but that! If you want a real soup though, add more water; this came out like more of a stew/porridge for me. Also, I added celery and used healthier brown rice instead of white rice. Serve in a bowl with an over-easy egg on top for a great, protein-packed breakfast!

Great recipe! I served this to a friend who is the BEST cook I know and she asked for the recipe. You can vary the ingredient proportions to your personal taste. chicken bouillon cubes worked great and I used more of them- about one for every 1.5 cups of wather. Used brown rice- really tasty and easy AND healthy!

We added cumin and garlic per other reviewers suggestions. Also added whatever leftover fresh veggies we had in the fridge: celery, zucchini, bell peppers. Turned out great.

Like other reviewers, I used 6 cups of low sodium chicken broth and 2 cups water. I couldn't find turkey kielbasa in my grocery store, so I used an all-natural roasted garlic chicken sausage. It was SO GOOD! I ate the entire recipe in two days, alone. The only change I will make next time is to double the amount of red pepper flakes. I found the soup quite mild.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this soup! I used some leftover turkey breast & some turkey stock (along w/ low sodium chicken broth), and added some chopped celery leaves. You just can't go wrong, adding whatever you like!

This is really good soup. Used the other reviewers suggestions and added garlic, and did not cook the rice seperatly. Added brown rice when I added the lentils. Also used all of the sausage. It's a keeper. Thanks!

Eagerly added to the "Souper Sunday!" list, where I make a large pot and put in portion bags for lunches. I've had this batch in bags for eight days, still flavorful and hearty. Changes I used turkey ring bologna because I couldn't find kielbasa. I had a tough time getting it to brown/crisp, but even without that, it seems immune to the "rubbery" meat texture others had. I also added the lentils and rice at the same time, to excellent results.