Slow Cooker Lentil Soup with vegetables, a delicious meat-free soup that goes down a treat on a cold day. Suitable for a vegetarian or vegan diet, but filling enough that even meat lovers will appreciate it. Gluten free, low carb, low calorie, high vegetable protein.
Brown lentils have a high protein and fibre content, improve digestion and maintain a healthy heart, amongst other proven benefits.
They also keep one full for longer. And if you combine this superfood with other vegetables like carrots, peppers or spinach, you get the perfect recipe for a great meal.
I strongly believe that there is no such a thing as right or wrong in cooking, it is all up to one's taste. I don't usually have a recipe in mind when l go shopping, l usually buy whatever takes my fancy and decide at home what l could cook based on the ingredients l have.
Most of my dishes are made up, as some vegetables just go so well together. If l have fresh spinach in the fridge, l tend to throw a bit in pretty much everything l cook.
No harm can be done, it just adds extra goodness to any dish. You can replace spinach with kale or cavolo nero, they should not change the texture very much. Use more vegetable stock (broth) if you don't want a thick stew-like consistency.
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How to make lentil soup in the slow cooker
For this soup I used 3 cups of vegetable broth, but if you don't like a thick soup, use 4 cups.
I never soak the lentils before cooking, not sure if that changes the cooking time in any way, l wouldn't think so, although l might be wrong.
- Peel and chop the onion, garlic, carrots and parsnip, and add them to the slow cooker together with the frozen chopped mixed peppers and lentils.
- Add the vegetable stock, and leave to cook on low for 5 hours, or 3 hours on high. If you like your soup thinner, add one more cup of vegetable stock.
- Once the lentils and veggies are cooked, add the spinach, tomato paste, thyme and parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook on high for 10-15 minutes so that the spinach can wilt.
- Serve hot!
Tips and tricks
Unlike the split red lentils, which cook really quickly, the brown ones need a bit longer to cook through. This soup was ready in about 5 hours on slow, so on high it should be ready in about 3 hours or less.
Now, I hardly ever use strong spices when I make lentil soup, as I prefer the more "natural" taste of the lentils and vegetables. So salt and pepper are usually on my list, but you can safely use a pinch of cumin, coriander seeds, turmeric, and chilli.
Healthy food is actually a lot easier to make than people think, and these very simple ingredients make the best dishes.
Other lentil recipes
Green Lentil Stew with Chorizo
Red Lentil Dahl with Coconut Milk
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Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown lentils
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- 1 cup frozen mixed peppers ( or fresh ones)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1 parsnip
- salt and pepper
- parsley to garnish
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Peel and chop the onion, garlic, carrots and parsnip, and add them to the slow cooker together with the frozen chopped mixed peppers and lentils.
- Add the vegetable stock, and leave to cook on low for 5 hours, or 3 hours on high. If you like your soup thinner, add one more cup of vegetable stock.
- Once the lentils and veggies are cooked, add the spinach, tomato paste, thyme and parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook on high for 10-15 minutes so that the spinach can wilt.
- Serve hot!
Notes
- Unlike the split red lentils, which cook really quickly, the brown ones need a bit longer to cook through. This soup was ready in about 5 hours on slow, so on high it should be ready in about 3 hours or less.
- Now, I hardly ever use strong spices when I make lentil soup, as I prefer the more "natural" taste of the lentils and vegetables. So salt and pepper are usually on my list, but you can safely use a pinch of cumin, coriander seeds, turmeric, and chilli.
Nutrition
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Stephanie
Absolutely stunnng! Thanks for a great recipe!
Daniela Anderson
I am glad you like it!