Lentil and Pasta Stew

Total Time

Prep: 25 min. Cook: 8 hours

Makes

8 servings (2 quarts)

Updated: Jan. 30, 2023
Warm up with a big bowl of this stick-to-your-ribs stew that’s chock-full of chopped smoked sausage, hearty veggies and tender lentils. It’s terrific with oven-fresh baked bread. —Geraldine Saucier, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Lentil and Pasta Stew Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup cubed peeled potatoes
  • 3/4 cup sliced fresh carrots
  • 1 celery rib, sliced
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 5 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
  • 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup uncooked ditalini or other small pasta
  • Shredded Romano cheese

Directions

  1. Brown kielbasa in oil and butter in a large skillet. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery and onion. Cook and stir for 3 minutes over medium heat. Transfer to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Stir in the broth, lentils, tomatoes, bay leaf, pepper and salt.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until lentils are tender. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Stir pasta into slow cooker. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle servings with cheese.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 364 calories, 18g fat (6g saturated fat), 30mg cholesterol, 1021mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 9g fiber), 15g protein.