A rustic French bowl of rice and green lentils simmered with smoked sausage, a filling countryside lunch from central France.
This dish reflects the hearty, unfussy cooking of rural central France, where lentils from Le Puy and simple grain pairings have long formed the backbone of everyday farmhouse meals. Green lentils are simmered with onion, carrot and thyme until tender but still holding their shape, while a garlicky smoked sausage, usually a saucisse de Morteau or similar, is poached alongside to infuse the pot with smoky depth. Served over rice rather than alone, this version turns the traditional lentil-and-sausage pairing into a single filling bowl, finished with a drizzle of good mustard vinaigrette for brightness against the richness of the sausage.
Serves 4
Cook the rice in water according to package timing until tender; set aside.
In a separate pot, cook onion and carrot in a little oil until softened, then add garlic, lentils, bay leaves, thyme, water and salt; simmer 25-30 minutes until tender.
Add the whole sausage to the lentil pot for the last 15 minutes of cooking to warm through and infuse the lentils with its smoky flavor.
Whisk mustard, olive oil and vinegar into a smooth dressing.
Remove the sausage and slice into rounds.
Spoon rice into bowls, top with lentils and sliced sausage, drizzle with mustard vinaigrette, and scatter with parsley.
Discard the bay leaves before serving — they're for flavor only, not eating.
Use green or Puy lentils specifically — they hold their shape through simmering, unlike red lentils which break down into mush.
Poach the sausage directly in the lentil pot rather than separately, so its smoky fat flavors the lentils as they finish cooking.
Whisk the mustard vinaigrette fresh right before serving; its brightness fades if made too far ahead.
A vegetarian version omits the sausage and adds smoked paprika to the lentils for a similar smoky note.
Swap rice for boiled potatoes for a more traditional French lentil-and-sausage pairing.
Adding a splash of white wine to the lentils while they simmer deepens the flavor further.
Refrigerate lentils, rice and sausage separately up to 4 days; reheat gently with a splash of water or stock to loosen the lentils.
Lentils, particularly the small green lentils from Le Puy in central France, have been a staple of French rural cooking for centuries, traditionally paired with smoked sausage as a filling, inexpensive winter meal.
Yes, add them in the last 10 minutes just to warm through and absorb some of the aromatics, since they're already cooked.
A good kielbasa or other smoked pork sausage works as a substitute with a similar smoky richness.
Older lentils can take longer to cook — continue simmering in 5-minute increments, adding more liquid as needed, until tender.
Per serving (400g / 14.1 oz) · 4 servings total
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