This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This slow cooker sausage and lentil stew is thick, hearty, and has a spicy-sweet flavor going on that makes it positively irresistible. Hot pork sausage brings the heat and a ton of savory depth, but the sweet potatoes balance it out with their natural sweetness. Simply seasoned, this Crockpot stew is so much more than the sum of its parts!
Lentil Stew with Spicy Sausage
I’ll be honest, when a friend first passed this recipe along to me, I was skeptical. I grew even more skeptical when she referred to it as the “panty/boxer dropper”. First, there’s no way a soup this simple could be that delicious. And second, there was no way I was going to call it that. But then I made it, and I genuinely could not stop eating it right out of the pot. The smell alone while it cooks is outrageous. It’s still one of my favorite slow cooker recipes I’ve ever made. I still stand by my decision to change the name, though.
To keep this sausage lentil soup thick and stewlike, I keep the broth volume intentionally lower than in my Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Squash, which does two things: it gives you a thick, hearty stew that eats like a full meal, and it shortens the cook window just enough to prevent the lentils from turning to mush. Lentils can go from perfectly tender to completely blown out pretty fast, so that shorter window actually matters a lot for texture.
Lentil Options
I always keep a bag of dried lentils on hand because they’re cheap, last forever, and add tons of protein and fiber to any meal. In a stew like this, they also add major thickening power as they cook, which is a big part of why this is so hearty and filling.
I recommend using green or brown lentils here. They hold their shape through the slow cooker cook time without going mushy. I do not recommend using red lentils for this recipe. They break down almost completely as they cook, which will give you more of a puree than a stew.
If you only have canned lentils, you can make it work–just add them in the last 30-45 minutes instead of the beginning, and reduce your stock slightly since they won’t absorb liquid the same way. The texture won’t be quite as cohesive, but it works in a pinch.
How to Make Slow Cooker Lentil and Sausage Stew
The prep here is so minimal. Brown the sausage with the onion in a skillet first (this step builds a lot of flavor, and you don’t want to skip it). Then, everything goes straight into the slow cooker. Lentils, sweet potatoes, celery, stock, and the sausage mixture all go in together and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Stir in the spinach right at the end, season with salt and pepper, and that’s it.
Serve it with Rosemary Olive Oil Bread or some Homemade Naan for dipping, and you’ve got one tasty (and easy!) meal.
Other Cooking Methods
I’m a big fan of the hands-off nature of the Crockpot, but if you’re in a hurry, these methods also work well:
- Stovetop: After browning the sausage and onion, add everything to a large pot or Dutch oven, bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook covered for about 25-30 minutes, checking the lentils for doneness starting around the 20-minute mark. The more active cook time actually works in your favor here because it’s much easier to catch the lentils at the right texture than it is in a slow cooker.
- Pressure Cooker: This recipe adapts really well to the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for about 15 minutes with a natural release. Reduce the stock by about ¼ cup since there’s less evaporation, and keep a close eye on the lentil texture–they cook fast under pressure, and you don’t want to overshoot it.
Swaps & Substitutions
- Sausage: Hot Italian sausage is the most natural swap and keeps that spicy-sweet balance intact. Mild Italian works too if you want to dial back the heat, and andouille is a great option if you want a smokier flavor profile.
- Sweet potatoes: Butternut squash works really well here and gives you a similar natural sweetness. Regular white or Yukon gold potatoes will work in a pinch, but you’ll lose some of that spicy-sweet contrast.
- Spinach: Frozen spinach works great. Just thaw it and squeeze out as much liquid as possible before stirring it in so it doesn’t make your stew soupy. Kale or Swiss chard are good fresh alternatives if you don’t have spinach on hand; just give them a few extra minutes to wilt.
- Chicken stock: Vegetable stock works as a straight swap if that’s what you have. It won’t add quite as much depth, but the sausage does most of the heavy lifting flavor-wise anyway.
Storage Instructions
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, and honestly, this is one of those stews that tastes even better on day two. The flavors deepen, and the whole thing thickens up even more overnight. I’d actually encourage you to make a full batch on the weekend and plan on eating it all week.
You can reheat the whole thing in a pot on the stove, stirring every few minutes, until warmed through, or microwave individual portions in 30-second increments, stirring between, until hot.
Slow Cooker Lentil and Spicy Sausage Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ pound (227 g) hot pork sausage
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cups (399 g) sweet potatoes, cubed
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- ½ pound (227 g) dried lentils, rinsed
- 3 ¾ cups (887 ml) chicken stock, more if needed
- 3 cups (90 g) loosely packed baby spinach leaves
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add pork sausage to a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage and break it up into pieces with your spatula or wooden spoon. Add the onion and cook until just softened (you don’t need to cook fully).1/2 pound (227 g) hot pork sausage, 1 onion
- Remove from heat and add sausage and onions to your slow cooker.
- Add the sweet potatoes, celery, lentils, and chicken stock to the slow cooker. Stir to mix.3 cups (399 g) sweet potatoes, 3 celery stalks, 1/2 pound (227 g) dried lentils, 3 3/4 cups (887 ml) chicken stock
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
- Stir in the spinach leaves and wilt them. Season with salt and pepper.3 cups (90 g) loosely packed baby spinach leaves, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- If your stew is thick and you want to thin it out, add a little more chicken stock to it until you get the desired consistency.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Photographs by Meg McKeehan Photography
Hi Julie this looks so good! Curious could I sub acorn squash cubes for the sweet potato? I Don’t know how they do in slow cookers? I have one sitting in cold storage that needs used up but have never had one that I haven’t just made into soup and I need to branch out.. ha!
Yes, you can definitely use sweet potato!
I made this stew, following the recipe exactly as written. It was FANTASTIC — I wouldn’t change a single thing! Thank you for this delicious and easy recipe, which is now one of my favorites and definitely in my regular rotation. I can’t wait to take it to a potluck — it will be a crowd pleaser!
Thanks for letting me know!
Yummy
I made this a few weeks back and forgot to comment— but it was really really delicious! I totally neglected to drain the browned sausage and it ended up a bit greasy, but still really great (perhaps even tastier because of that reason, haha, oops!). I also cooked mine longer and on low (about 7 hours). Turned out perfect!
Awesome!! Thanks for the feedback!
looks wonderful! I just made a lentil and black eyed pea stew in my crockpot.left on low for over ten hours and lentils were still crunchy…is there a trick or process to getting lentils soft? thanks!
over 10 hours and the lentils were still crunchy? wow! to be honest, i’m surprised by this because that really shouldn’t happen. when i made my lentils, by hour 4, my lentils almost couldn’t hold its own shape and about to turn to mush. i would say maybe for you, soak your lentils overnight and then cook them.
If I’m making ahead for freezer meal exchange, should I brown sausage and onion, let cool and then combine ingredients in freezer bag? I was thinking of giving each person a carton of chicken stock on the side instead of putting in freezer bag. What do you think?
Yes, I would definitely let cool and then combine in a freezer bag. What a great idea!
I noticed there’s a difference between the Pinterest site and your blog on the amount of lentils. Is it one 2-lb bag or 1/2 (0.5) lb? Thanks!
It’s 1/2 pound bag. Just for future knowledge, Pinterest is just an aggregation site and they’re usually highly inaccurate when it comes to recipes. You should always come to the original source for the right amounts in recipes! :)
So glad I asked!! Can you imagine the disaster if I dumped 2 lbs of lentils into this?!
Haha, oh gosh, that would’ve been overflowing! I’m glad you asked too :) I hope you enjoy!