Description
Brown lentils simmer all day in the slow cooker with carrots, celery, tomatoes, and warm spices until they break down into a thick, stew-like vegetarian soup. Baby spinach and lemon juice go in at the end, with olive oil drizzled over each bowl.
Ingredients
Units
- 2 cups brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Combine the lentils, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, vegetable broth, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, salt, pepper, and bay leaves in a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the lentils are completely tender.
- Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the baby spinach and lemon juice. The spinach will wilt in the hot soup within a couple of minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
Notes
- Brown and green lentils hold their shape best in the slow cooker. Red lentils dissolve completely, which gives a smoother, more puréed soup.
- Add the lemon juice at the end, after the spinach. Long-cooked lentil soup tastes flat without acid.
- The soup thickens as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when you reheat it.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 420 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 760
- Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 14
- Protein: 20