If you’re looking for real French comfort food, the kind French families cook at home, this is it. Petit Salé aux Lentilles is a traditional French pork and lentil stew made with salt pork, smoked sausage, French green lentils, carrots and aromatics. It’s hearty, rustic, deeply savory, and surprisingly simple to make.
If you love dishes like Cassoulet but want something easier, this is your recipe!
What is “Petit Salé”?
“Petit Salé aux Lentilles” is a traditional, rustic French stew of salt pork, smoked sausage and tender lentils. It is a classic of French country cooking, especially in colder months.
Now, in French, Petit Salé literally means “lightly salted.” It refers to the salt-cured pork used in this recipe. Historically, before refrigeration, pork was preserved in salt. That salted pork would then be slowly simmered with lentils – a cheap, filling staple across rural France.
Today, Petit Salé aux Lentilles remains a cherished French classic, a staple in many French households. The salt pork is slowly stewed for hours alongside smoked sausage, aromatic herbs, and tender carrots, resulting in rich, melt-in-your-mouth flavors. The hearty stew is served with French lentils, whose earthy taste perfectly complements the savory meats.
It is often compared to Cassoulet but is much simpler to make:
- No beans to soak overnight – this recipe is made with simple lentils.
- No duck confit – this recipe is made with readily available salt pork and sausage.
- No multi-day preparation – making Cassoulet is traditionally a 3-day process, while this recipe requires 3 hours.
Why you will love this dish
This French pork and lentil stew checks so many boxes:
- Budget-friendly
- High-protein
- Naturally gluten-free
- Cozy and hearty
- Perfect for meal prep
It’s the kind of recipe that tastes even better the next day, which makes it ideal for busy households. I love to prepare it on a Sunday, where I can take my time, and I have several lunches and dinners ready for the week!
Ingredients You’ll Need for this Pork and Lentil Stew
Here’s everything you’ll need to make a classic Petit Salé Aux Lentilles recipe. For North American cooks, I’ve included recommended ingredient substitutions.
- Salt pork: Look for a large, whole piece. In France, “Petit Salé” refers to lightly salted pork belly, shank, or hock. I recommend salt pork belly because it’s easier to slice beautifully for presentation, though a shank or hock will also work.
- Smoked sausage: Traditional French recipes use Saucisse de Morteau or Saucisse de Montbéliard, both flavorful smoked sausages from eastern France. In the U.S., good substitutes include Polish kielbasa, Andouille or smoked bratwurst. Avoid overly sweet or intensely smoked sausages: you want savory depth, not barbecue flavors.
- Green lentils: For the best results, use French green lentils (Du Puy lentils). They hold their shape, don’t turn mushy, and have a subtle peppery note. Regular green lentils are fine too, but avoid red lentils, which break down too much during cooking.
- Vegetables: Onion, garlic, and carrots are simmered with the pork and sausage. They become tender and absorb the rich flavors of the stew. For extra aroma, poke the cloves (spice) into the onion before adding it to the pot.
- Aromatics: Cloves, peppercorns, mustard seeds, bay leaves, and thyme flavor the cooking stock.
How to make this French Pork and Lentil Stew (Petit Salé aux Lentilles)?
This hearty French stew is easy to make but does require several hours and steps. No difficult techniques required here, but you should be available to pop in and out of your kitchen every hour or so, for over 3 hours of cooking. I recommend making this recipe during a slow day at home.
- Optional : Soak the lentils in water for 1 hour (this helps make them more digest). Rinse through a strainer.
- Desalt the pork by soaking it in cold water for 4 hours, changing the water halfway.
- Prep veggies. Peel garlic cloves and cut them in half, peel onion and poke with 4 cloves (spice), peel carrots and slices in large coins.
- Simmer the pork in fresh water for 1 hour, then add garlic, onion studded with cloves, carrots, peppercorns, mustard seeds, bay leaves, and thyme; cook another hour.
- Add smoked sausage and simmer 30 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, cook lentils in chicken stock until tender.
- Remove the vegetables from the pot and stir them into the lentils. Slice the pork and sausage, arrange on top of the lentils and vegetables, and serve warm.
Make-Ahead and Storage
This dish is ideal for meal prep as it is even better the next day. Once it’s completely cool, store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. It freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. You can reheat it gently over the stove stop: a splash of water can help “break apart” the lentil clumps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find Puy lentils (French Green Lentils) in the US?
In the U.S., Puy lentils (lentilles du Puy) are usually sold under a few different names. The easiest way to find them is to look for “French green lentils” or “Lentils du Puy.” The real ones come from the Le Puy region of France and sometimes carry an AOP/PDO label. You can find them at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s (sometimes pre-cooked vacuum packs), World Market, some specialty or European import stores and some natural food co-ops. You can also find some online: ie. Amazon, Walmart.
Can I cook everything in one pot?
Traditionally, the pork and lentils are cooked separately to control their textures. However, you can cook the lentils directly in the pork broth during the final hour if you prefer a more rustic one-pot stew.
Can I make this recipe in a slow cooker?
Yes. After desalting the pork, place all ingredients except the lentils in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6–7 hours. Cook the lentils separately and stir them in during the last 20–30 minutes.
Can I use canned lentils?
Yes, although the texture will be softer.
What wine pairs well with Petit Salé aux Lentilles?
This hearty dish pairs beautifully with medium-bodied French reds such as wines from Beaujolais or Côtes du Rhône. A rustic country red complements the smoky pork and earthy lentils.
What to serve with Petit Salé aux Lentilles?
In France, Petit Salé is often served simply with Dijon mustard or Grainy mustard on the side, crusty bread and a simple green salad.
I hope you’ll enjoy this French Pork and Lentil Stew as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment.
More Rustic French stews to try
- Classic French Beef Bourguignon
- French Beef Daube (Provençal Stew)
- Flemish Beef & Beer Stew (Carbonnade Flamande)
- Garbure (Smocked Ham Hock Bean Cabbage Soup)
- Sausage Rougail (Creole Sausage Stew)
- Classic French Hunter’s Chicken Stew (Chicken Chasseur)
- French Lemon Chicken Thighs in White Wine Sauce
