Boondocking RV Lentil Soup Comfort Recipe (with Grilled Sausage)
This hearty, smoky lentil soup is the ultimate comfort food for your boondocking adventure, packed with protein and topped with juicy grilled sausage that adds a delicious char. Imagine a rich, savory soup filled with tender lentils and vegetables, served alongside perfectly grilled sausages fresh off your charcoal grill or gas grill. It’s the kind of meal that warms you from the inside out after a long day exploring.
This recipe uses mostly shelf-stable ingredients, making it ideal for RV life, camping, or chilly evenings when you need something hearty. We’ll fire up the grill for the sausages while the soup simmers away in one pot. It’s beginner-friendly, budget-conscious, and packed with that irresistible smoky flavor from the grill.
Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
For the Lentil Soup:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced (or ½ cup canned diced onions)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or ½ tsp garlic powder)
- 2 carrots, diced (or 1 cup canned carrots, drained)
- 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth (or water + bouillon)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (for smoky flavor)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Grilled Sausages:
- 4 smoked sausages (kielbasa, andouille, or any fully cooked sausage)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Optional: Fresh parsley, crusty bread, or crackers for serving
Instructions
- Start the soup: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes more.
- Build the flavor: Stir in smoked paprika, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes (with juices), and broth. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30-35 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf.
- Preheat your grill: While the soup simmers, preheat your gas grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F). If using a charcoal grill, arrange coals for direct heat and let them burn until covered with white ash.
- Grill the sausages: Brush sausages with olive oil. Place on the grill grates and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until they have nice char marks and are heated through.
- Serve: Ladle the lentil soup into bowls. Slice the grilled sausages and serve alongside or on top of the soup. Garnish with fresh parsley if available. This BBQ recipe is pure comfort food!
Tips for Perfect Grilled Sausages & Lentil Soup
- Avoid dry sausages: Grill over medium heat to prevent splitting. If they brown too fast, move to a cooler part of the grill to finish heating.
- Get perfect grill marks: Place sausages diagonally on the grates. After 3-4 minutes, rotate a quarter turn for those classic crosshatch marks.
- Control heat zones: On a charcoal grill, create a two-zone fire. Sear sausages over direct heat, then move to indirect heat to finish without burning.
- Don’t overcook lentils: Check them at the 30-minute mark. They should be tender but not mushy. Add more broth if soup gets too thick.
- Pantry swaps: No fresh vegetables? Use canned carrots and onions. Add a tablespoon of dried minced onion instead of fresh.
Variations to Try
- Spicy Version: Add ½ tsp cayenne pepper or a diced canned jalapeño to the soup. Use spicy andouille sausages on the grill.
- BBQ Sauce Version: Brush the sausages with your favorite BBQ sauce during the last 2-3 minutes of grilling for a sweet, sticky glaze.
- Healthy Version: Use turkey or chicken sausages. Add extra vegetables like canned corn, green beans, or spinach to the soup.
- Smoky Version: Add ½ tsp liquid smoke to the soup. Grill sausages over hickory or mesquite wood chips on your charcoal grill for intense smoky flavor.
- Curry Version: Replace smoked paprika with curry powder and add a can of coconut milk for a creamy curry lentil soup.
Storage Instructions
Leftover lentil soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It actually tastes better the next day as the flavors meld. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
Grilled sausages can be refrigerated separately for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat or on the grill for a few minutes to bring back that fresh-off-the-grill taste.
This soup freezes beautifully! Portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a gas grill instead of charcoal?
Absolutely! A gas grill is convenient and heats up quickly. Just preheat to medium-high and follow the same grilling times. While charcoal adds more smoky flavor, gas grills still produce excellent results.
How long do I grill sausages for?
Grill sausages for 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat, turning every 2-3 minutes. They’re done when they’re nicely browned with char marks and heated through. Since they’re fully cooked, you’re just warming and adding grill flavor.
Can I make this recipe without a grill?
Yes! Cook the sausages in a cast-iron skillet on your stovetop or camp stove. Pan-fry with a little oil until browned and heated through. You can also slice them and stir them directly into the soup.
Do I need to soak lentils before cooking?
No! Unlike dried beans, lentils don’t require soaking. Just rinse them well and add them directly to the soup. They’ll cook perfectly in 30-35 minutes.
How do I get more smoky flavor without a smoker?
Add smoked paprika to the soup and a drop of liquid smoke if you have it. You can also soak wood chips and toss them on your charcoal grill while grilling the sausages for an authentic BBQ taste.
Can I use canned lentils instead of dried?
Yes! If using canned lentils, add them in the last 10 minutes of cooking, just to heat through. Reduce the broth to 4 cups since canned lentils add moisture.
