French Lentilles du Puy with Smoked Sausage

About This Recipe

Lentilles du Puy, small green lentils grown in the volcanic soil around Le Puy-en-Velay in central France, hold their shape far better than most other lentils and have a distinctive peppery flavor that's become a fixture of French bistro cooking. They're most classically paired with sausage — often a smoked Morteau or Montbéliard sausage — simmered together until the lentils are tender but still intact, having absorbed the sausage's smoky flavor throughout the pot.\n\nThe technique that matters here is starting the lentils in cold liquid rather than boiling water, which helps them cook evenly without splitting their skins, and adding a bouquet of thyme and bay leaf early so the herbs have time to fully infuse the broth. The sausage is browned first for color and flavor, then simmered whole in the pot with the lentils so its fat renders slowly into the dish.\n\nServe in wide bowls with the sausage sliced on top and a drizzle of good olive oil or a pat of butter stirred in at the end — this is rustic, deeply satisfying French home cooking, not restaurant fuss.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 cupsFrench green lentils (lentilles du Puy)(rinsed)
• 2smoked sausages(such as Montbéliard or kielbasa)
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1onion(diced)
• 2carrots(diced)
• 1 stalkcelery(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1bay leaf
• 3 sprigsfresh thyme
• 4.5 cupschicken stock
• 1 tbspDijon mustard
• 2 tbspfresh parsley(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the sausage

   Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add whole sausages and brown on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. 2

   Build the base

   Add onion, carrots and celery to the same pot. Cook 7-8 minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

3. 3

   Add lentils and liquid

   Add lentils, bay leaf, thyme and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

   Starting the lentils in cold or room-temperature liquid rather than dropping them into an already-boiling pot helps them cook evenly without splitting their skins.

4. 4

   Simmer with the sausage

   Return the sausages to the pot. Simmer uncovered 30-35 minutes until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, stirring occasionally.

5. 5

   Finish

   Remove the sausages, slice, and set aside. Discard bay leaf and thyme stems, stir Dijon mustard into the lentils, and taste for seasoning.

6. 6

   Serve

   Divide lentils among bowls, top with sliced sausage, and scatter with parsley.

Variations

• •

  Add a splash of red wine vinegar at the end for extra brightness, a common bistro finishing touch.

• •

  Make it vegetarian by skipping the sausage and adding a splash of smoked paprika or a bit of liquid smoke for a similar depth.

• •

  Stir in a handful of baby spinach at the end for extra greens and color.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days; the flavor deepens overnight. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions