Cotechino with lentils is a traditional Italian dish, especially popular on New Year’s Eve as a symbol of good luck and prosperity.
Cotechino is a seasoned pork sausage made with meat, rind, and spices, stuffed into a casing and boiled before serving. Its texture is tender and slightly gelatinous, with a rich, savory flavor.
You can choose between fresh cotechino, which requires a few hours of cooking, or a pre-cooked version that’s ready in about 30 minutes—ideal if you're short on time. Homemade, preservative-free options are especially prized for their authentic taste.
Originally part of Italy’s cucina povera, cotechino was once a humble farmers’ dish made with leftover cuts of pork and served with legumes. Today, it's a festive favorite, often prepared in gourmet versions across the country, especially in Emilia-Romagna, where it originated.
Ready to celebrate like an Italian? Follow our step-by-step cotechino with lentils recipe and bring this delicious tradition to your New Year’s table!
Ingredients
NOTE: Preparation time does NOT include soaking time for lentils, which is not always necessary (read the FAQ section below).
Prep Time: 30 Min | Cook Time: 50 Min (If using fresh cotechino, add 2 hours to the cooking time.) | Servings: 6
- 1 Cotechino (about 600 g-1.3 pound if fresh 500 g-1.1 pound if precooked)
- 380 g (2 cups) of dried lentils
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 medium celery stalk
- 1-2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3-4 cherry tomatoes or ½ tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
Instructions
To make the recipe for cotechino with lentils, you need to cook the two ingredients separately and then combine them in the serving dish.
Cooking Fresh Cotechino
Cooking fresh cotechino takes much longer than pre-cooked cotechino (see below), but if the cotechino is of excellent quality, it's definitely worth it.
Step 1) - Wrap the cotechino in aluminum foil and seal it like a candy. Then prick it in several places with a fork or toothpick.
This will prevent the cotechino from cracking during cooking. It also helps to drain off excess fat.
Step 2) - Place it in the bottom of a pot large enough to hold it. Cover the cotechino with cold water and simmer gently for at least 2 hours from the time it begins to boil.
When cooked, remove it from the pot and discard the aluminum foil.
Step 3) - Place it on a cutting board. Remove the skin and slice. Do not make slices too thin as they will break due to the soft texture of the sausage.
With Pressure Cooker
Cooking fresh cotechino in a pressure cooker greatly reduces cooking time.
- Wrap the cotechino in aluminum foil and poke holes in it. Cover the cotechino with water.
- Close the lid and place on high heat. When it starts to whistle, reduce the heat to low and cook for 40 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow the steam to release completely. Then open the pot and remove the cotechino.
How to Cook Pre-cooked Cotechino
If you are using pre-cooked cotechino, you will find all the detailed instructions on the package. Anyway, here are the few steps:
- You will need to soak it in cold water without removing it from the aluminum package.
- From the time it starts to boil, cook for about 20-30 minutes, the time varies from brand to brand.
- When it's cooked, cut off one corner of the bag, let all the cooking liquid out and then open the bag completely. Place the cotechino on a cutting board to remove the skin and cut into slices.
How to Make Lentils
Step 4) - Rinse the lentils to remove any impurities. If they were soaked, drain and rinse them under running water.
Peel and chop the carrots. Do the same with the celery and onion.
In a saucepan, sauté in oil the chopped vegetables for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5) - Next, add the lentils. Cover with hot water. Season with salt and pepper and add 2 bay leaves. Cook for 20-30 minutes or more, depending on the consistency you want, more or less thick.
Step 6) - If necessary, add a little hot water during cooking. To add some color add half a tablespoon of tomato paste or a few chopped cherry tomatoes. When cooked, remove the bay leaves and keep the cooked lentils warm.
Serving Cotechino with Lentils
Step 7) - Arrange the sliced cotechino and lentils in a serving dish and serve piping hot.
YOU MUST ALSO TRY:
- Italian Lentil Soup Recipe | Zuppa di Lenticchie
- Lentil Bolognese Recipe | Ragù di Lenticchie
Storage
Refrigeration
If you have leftover cotechino with lentils, allow it to cool to room temperature before storing. Then place the cooled lentil cotechino in an airtight container. If you have a large quantity, consider dividing it into smaller portions for easier reheating. Store in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 3-4 days.
Freezing
If you want to store it for a longer period of time, cotechino with lentils can be frozen. Again, use airtight containers. Properly stored, it can last up to 1 month in the freezer. Label the container with the date so you can keep track of how long it's been stored. Freeze only when you have used fresh ingredients!
Reheating
When you're ready to eat, reheat the cotechino with lentils until it's steaming hot. If you've frozen it, you can thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or use the microwave's defrost setting.
Variations
Each variation I'm going to show you highlights the versatility of cotechino, pairing it with different textures and flavors to create a range of delicious dishes.
- With lentils in glasses as an appetizer: Cook the lentils according to my recipe above. Crumble the cotechino and layer it with the lentils in a few glasses or small glass bowls. This makes a sophisticated and flavorful appetizer.
- With potato puree: Prepare a creamy mashed potato dish seasoned with butter, milk and a pinch of nutmeg. Serve thick slices of cotechino on top of the mashed potatoes, allowing the flavors to meld for a comforting and hearty dish.
- With polenta: Cook the polenta until smooth and creamy. Serve the cotechino sliced or diced over the polenta. This combination provides a wonderful contrast of textures.
- With buttered spinach: Sauté fresh spinach in butter until wilted and season with salt and pepper. Serve the cotechino with the spinach, allowing the rich flavors of the sausage to complement the buttery spinach.
No, not all types of lentils need to be soaked before cooking.
Dried lentils are the most commonly used in many Italian recipes. Instructions on how best to cook them can usually be found on the package.
Unlike other legumes, lentils do not always need to be soaked in water before cooking. Soaking means placing them in water for several hours to soften and rehydrate them.
Larger lentils are usually soaked overnight (about 6-8 hours). Small lentils (such as the Castelluccio di Norcia lentils used in our recipe) do not need to be soaked. However, soaking them in water for at least 1 hour improves their digestibility and reduces cooking time.
Dried lentils, whether sold loose or unopened in their packaging, are still a product of the earth. For this reason, even if you choose not to soak them, you should rinse them thoroughly before use. They may still contain some pebbles or soil residue.
Cotechino with lentils is a New Year’s Eve tradition in Italy, especially in the north.
The custom dates back to ancient Rome, when lentils were eaten after midnight as a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Their coin-like shape was believed to bring financial luck. It was also common to gift lentils in small bags to wish others a prosperous year.
Cotechino likely joined the dish in the early 1500s, during a siege in Mirandola, when locals preserved pork with spices inside natural casing. This method made the meat ready just in time for New Year's, starting a tradition that spread across northern Italy.
Today, Cotechino di Modena holds PGI status and is served with lentils in homes and restaurants alike as a festive symbol of abundance.
Recipe Card
Cothechino with Lentils Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Cotechino about 600 g-1.3 pound if fresh 500 g-1.1 pound if precooked
- 380 g lentils 2 cups, dried
- 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 onion medium size
- 1 carrot medium size
- 1 celery stalk medium size
- 1-2 bay leaves
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 3-4 cherry tomatoes or ½ tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
Instructions
Cooking Fresh Cotechino
- Wrap the cotechino in aluminum foil and seal it like a candy. Then prick it in several places with a fork or toothpick.
- Place it in the bottom of a pot large enough to hold it. Cover the cotechino with cold water and simmer gently for at least 2 hours from the time it begins to boil.
- When cooked, remove it from the pot and discard the aluminum foil. Place it on a cutting board. Remove the skin and slice. Do not make slices too thin as they will break due to the soft texture of the sausage.
With Pressure Cooker
- Wrap the cotechino in aluminum foil and poke holes in it. Cover the cotechino with water.
- Close the lid and place on high heat. When it starts to whistle, reduce the heat to low and cook for 40 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow the steam to release completely. Then open the pot and remove the cotechino.
How to Cook Pre-cooked Cotechino
- You will need to soak it in cold water without removing it from the aluminum package.
- From the time it starts to boil, cook for about 20-30 minutes, the time varies from brand to brand.
- When it's cooked, cut off one corner of the bag, let all the cooking liquid out and then open the bag completely. Place the cotechino on a cutting board to remove the skin and cut into slices.
How to Make Lentils
- Rinse the lentils to remove any impurities. If they were soaked, drain and rinse them under running water.
- Peel and chop the carrots. Do the same with the celery and onion.
- In a saucepan, sauté in oil the chopped vegetables for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Next, add the lentils. Cover with hot water. Season with salt and pepper and add 2 bay leaves. Cook for 20-30 minutes or more, depending on the consistency you want, more or less thick.
- If necessary, add a little hot water during cooking. To add some color add half a tablespoon of tomato paste or a few chopped cherry tomatoes. When cooked, remove the bay leaves and keep the cooked lentils warm.
- Arrange the sliced cotechino and lentils in a serving dish and serve piping hot.
Nutrition
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