Prize Winning Ham & Lentil Soup

This lentil soup earns its name by starting with a proper ham bone broth. A meaty ham bone simmers for a full 90 minutes, giving up all its smoky, salty flavor into the water before any other ingredients go in. That broth is the foundation, and it’s what separates a prize-winning soup from a forgettable one.

Once the bone comes out, lentils, canned tomatoes, carrots, celery, and green onions go in and simmer until everything is tender. The lentils break down partially and thicken the broth naturally into a stew-like consistency. Chopped ham pulled from the bone and cooked bulk sausage get stirred in at the very end, so you’re getting two kinds of pork in every bowl.

This is the kind of soup that feeds a crowd and tastes even better reheated the next day.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a meaty ham bone, not a bare one. The meat that clings to the bone adds body and chunks to the finished soup.
• Rinse and sort the dried lentils before adding. Tiny stones occasionally hide in the bag.
• Don’t add the sausage too early. It just needs to heat through, and extended simmering can make it greasy.
• Taste before adding salt. The ham bone and sausage already contribute a lot of sodium.

Variations

• Add diced potatoes with the lentils for an even thicker, more filling soup.
• Use smoked sausage links sliced into coins instead of bulk sausage for more texture.
• Stir in a handful of fresh spinach or kale in the last 5 minutes for extra greens.