This slow cooker vegetarian lentil soup is made only with vegetables and is perfect for real life when your fridge drawers have to be cleaned out and you wish you could just throw everything in a crock pot and go to work. If you leave house early, you can prepare all ingredients in the evening and just plug in the slow cooker in the morning. And with this kind of lentil soup, the longer it cooks, the better it gets – potatoes and lentils get their chance to break down, making soup creamier and heartier.
I used zero salt, adding soy sauce instead for an umami flavour that meat broth based soups have. You would never guess this soup is vegan, and it’s so filling. My kids called it “the best soup ever”, and that is before I topped their bowls with tortilla chips. Soup season is here (although in my house it is year round), turn on your slow cooker (extra ideas: 9 healthy slow cooker soup recipes) and go enjoy beautiful Fall days!
Tips for Best Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
- For this soup I like to dice the vegetables instead of chopping. I also like to add corn to many soups because it adds sweetness, especially since it’s one of affordable organic vegetables sold in Costco => my healthy Costco shopping list.
- All ingredients get dumped in a slow cooker, no onions have to be sautéed.
- Instead of a vegetable broth I like to use organic vegetable bouillon cubes sold in many grocery stores – they are cheaper than cartons and I don’t have to worry about an open carton not fully used and going bad.
- To make soup hearty and creamy without cream insert an immersion blender and give a few pulses until your desired texture. Don’t forget to stir in between the pulses.
How to Turn Slow Cooker Lentil Soup Into a Freezer Meal
Add all ingredients in the order listed in the recipe minus water, spinach and garlic and freeze uncooked in a gallon size Ziploc bag. Cook from frozen with 10 or 14 cups of water for 20 minutes. Do quick release, then add spinach and garlic.
Check out my full list of healthy freezer meals. I’m obsessed!
How to Make Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
- Chop the vegetables, rinse lentils and prepare other ingredients.
- In a large slow cooker, add onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, corn, lentils, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, soy sauce, bay leaves, peppercorns and vegetable broth. No need to stir.
- Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or on High for 4-5 hours (with this soup longer is better).
- Discard bay leaves and peppercorns. Using an immersion blender, pulse a few times until desired texture – I like creamy with chunks. Garnish and serve hot.
- Garnish with whatever your soup heart is set on that day – mine changes its mind every time because I’m a girl?!:)
Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
This Slow Cooker Lentil Soup is the best set-and-forget healthy vegetarian soup with hearty texture and umami flavour. Just turn on your crockpot and walk away.
- Prep Time: 7 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 7 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 3 large celery stalks, diced
- 3 large carrots, diced
- 4 cups potatoes, diced
- 2 cups corn, frozen
- 1 1/2 cups green lentils, rinsed & drained
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (I used Bragg liquid aminos)
- 3 bay leaves
- 5 whole peppercorns
- 9 cups vegetable broth*
- Garnishes: green onion, cilantro, parsley, Greek yogurt, cheese, tortilla chips
Instructions
- In a large slow cooker, add onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, corn, lentils, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, soy sauce, bay leaves, peppercorns and vegetable broth. No need to stir.
- Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or on High for 4-5 hours (with this soup longer is better).
- Discard bay leaves and peppercorns. Using an immersion blender, pulse a few times until desired texture – I like creamy with chunks.
- Garnish with herbs and Parmesan cheese/plain yogurt/tortillas chips and serve hot.
Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
Freezer Meal: In a large Ziploc bag, add all ingredients (except broth (water) and garnishes), release out air as much as possible, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in a bowl/sink with hot water for 10 minutes, transfer to slow cooker, add water and cook as per instructions + 1 hour.
Make Ahead: In a large air tight container, Ziploc bag, bowl with a lid or slow cooker’s insert, add all ingredients (except garnishes) and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Cook as per instructions.
Notes
*Alternatively you can use 2 organic low sodium vegetable bouillon cubes (like GoBio brand sold in many grocery stores) and 9 cups of water.
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