Why you’ll love slow cooker lentil soup
And just like that, it’s cold outside. It happens every year. The summer feels like it’s taking forever, and then all of a sudden I need slippers in the morning and we can’t even have the windows open. I’m not complaining. I love this cold, but some soup definitely helps.
When we were in Kazakhstan, one of the restaurants served this amazing lentil soup. It seemed like one of the best things I’d ever tasted, especially when we were struggling to find groceries some days.
It was so savory and so flavorful, but I still haven’t nailed down what made it so great. Even this slow cooker lentil soup doesn’t compare, but, it’s amazing, in it’s own way. Plus, this soup is insanely easy to make, and it’s hearty, making it perfect for fall. I made this and we ate it for lunch all week.
If you like this recipe, you have to try this minestrone soup, and this white chicken chili and this pork and sauerkraut.
Ingredients:
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
- Lentils – You can use either green or brown dried lentils. Both of these hold their shape well while cooking and have a hearty texture that works well in soups.
- Broth – If you want to make this truly gluten-free and vegan, you should use a vegetable broth that is both certified gluten-free and vegan. If you are not concerned about those dietary restrictions you can use a chicken broth, mushroom or whatever your favorite is.
- Coconut milk – Opt for unsweetened coconut milk, this will add creaminess without any added sweetness changing the flavor.
Frequently asked questions
Searching for more vegan comfort food recipes? Red lentil soup / creamy corn pasta / hummus pasta / garden vegetable soup
Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce package dried lentils
- 1 cup diced sweet onion
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 7 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- ¾ cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Slow cook your soup. Stir everything until well combined, then cover. Cook on low for 8 – 10 hours. Alternatively, if you can also cook this dish on high for 4-6 hours. When the cook time is done, remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme stems.
- Garnish and serve. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week, this reheats great for lunches.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
If I want to add sausage and spinach, do I add it at the beginning with all ingredients?
I love this soup, and have made it several times. It’s so easy to throw everything into the slow cooker, it freezes well and make a great nutritious lunch. I’m on WW and a serving is only one point without the coconut milk (which I’ve never added). Thanks and looking forward to trying some of your other recipes.
I’ve been making this recipe since before the addition of coconut milk, but that sounds good too. I use the green lentils from Aldis and sometimes use a sweet potato instead of carrots. This is such a delicious and filling soup. The flavors are so rich! I like to serve it with grated romano, chili flakes and a little olive oil plus crusty bread. It’s great for busy days and economical. Thanks for the recipe!
After looking at your pictures and reading the recipe, it’s giving me vegan/vegetarian “beef” stew vibes. I’m gonna add some potatoes and see how it all comes out. Can’t wait to try!
That sounds great! I hope you love it!
This soup was very good. I had some left over sausage in my fridge I went ahead and threw it into the soup and it was very yummy. My lentils ended up over cooking and falling apart but I didn’t mind at all it was still very delicious.
Wow!! Absolutely delicious!! I added a little extra coconut milk, added coriander. Ty!!
Can you substitute the coconut milk?
Yes you can, but it depends on what you want to substitute. If you can do dairy, feel free to use half and half or heavy cream, but if you still want the recipe to be dairy free, you could use adiry free half-and-half like Nutpods (just make sure it’s not sweetened or flavored), or even use an unsweetened oat milk. I wouldn’t recommend almond milk because it’s not very creamy.
I don’t have fresh thyme, would it be okay to use dry thyme??
You can substitute dried thyme but you will want to reduce the amount you use. The two sprigs should be about 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme when measured, which would translate to about 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
Would it be okay if I add diced tomatoes to this soup or would that not be a good idea?
I think that would be fine! You might need to adjust the seasoning levels just a touch, but that’s the only thing I can think of.
Enjoyed! Used chicken broth and added some cooked chicken. This did not fill my six-quart slow cooker, however. 🤷♀️