How to Make Slow Cooker Lentil Soup with Vegetables

Slow Cooker Lentil Soup with Vegetables is a delicious option when you want something warm in the winter, but also healthy.  This soup is loaded with protein, fiber, and nutrients that give you energy, but is also satisfying.  And once you prepare and chop all the ingredients, then the slow cooker takes care of the rest!

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Lentil Soup with Vegetables

• Lentils – dried green lentils work best for this slow cooker recipe. But you can also use red lentils which cook faster because they are split.
• Chicken broth – you can also use vegetable broth if you prefer to make this recipe vegetarian or low sodium broth to lower the sodium content.
• Potatoes – Using both russet and sweet potatoes provide additional flavor, nutrients, and color to the soup.
• Lemon juice – This brightens and adds great flavor.  You can also use sherry, white vinegar, or red wine vinegar in place of lemon juice.
• Parmesan cheese – Adding this right before serving the soup rounds out the flavor.
• Crusty bread – Bread, croutons, or crackers is optional, but it makes this soup into a meal!

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How to Make Slow Cooker Lentil Soup with Vegetables

First, chop and prep all the vegetables.  Then add the potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and garlic to the 5-to-6-quart slow cooker.

Second, rinse the lentils in a colander, then add to the slow cooker. Then add broth, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.  Stir all the ingredients together.

Then, cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours, until the vegetables and lentils are tender.  Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Add the olive oil to the soup and stir.  If you prefer to make the soup have a smoother texture, then place 4 cups of the soup in a blender, blending until smooth.  Then return the pureed soup back to the slow cooker. 

Stir in the lemon juice.  Then ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.  Serve with crusty bread, crackers, or croutons.

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Nutritional Benefits of Slow Cooker Lentil Soup with Vegetables

Lentils are packed with protein and are a high fiber, low carb food! And lentils are an excellent source of fiber with 7.5 grams in a half-cup and 20 grams of carbohydrates.  They are also an excellent source of folate, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese.

I love that this recipe includes sweet potatoes and russet potatoes.  Potatoes are a nutrient-dense food!  They are an excellent source of vitamin C, B6, and a good source of niacin, and folate.  And, there is a variety of minerals such as potassium, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus.  Specifically sweet potatoes contain 368% of RDA for vitamin A!

Garlic is another nutrient-dense food. It is an excellent source of vitamin B6.  Additionally, garlic provides a good source of manganese, selenium, and vitamin C.

The fiber content in this soup makes it a great option if you are watching your weight, want to improve your digestion, or just want to add more fiber to your diet. There are 11 grams of fiber in each serving of this soup!

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Tips

• Adding lemon juice or vinegar really brightens up the soup and increases the flavor.  Do not miss this step!  It is a great way to add flavor reducing the need to add more salt.
• If the lentils are still crunchy or hard, then cook the soup longer on high to help them soften.
• If you have a lot of soup leftover that you will not be able to finish in a few days, then you can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.

Recipe adapted from Eating Well

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