Clean Eating Slow Cooker Lentil Soup Recipe (2024)

ByTiffany McCauley

September 29, 2017March 3, 2021

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This slow cooker lentil soup recipe is perfect for a chilly evening at home!

I’ve done several lentil soup recipes. For me, there is something very comforting about lentils. They feel homey and nurturing. Even more so when they come out of the slow cooker like this clean eating slow cooker lentil soup.

Clean Eating Slow Cooker Lentil Soup Recipe (1)

I like this recipe simply for it’s ease. You can’t get much simpler than using a slow cooker. Plus, it’s a wonderful Meatless Monday dish to come home to after your first day back at work for the week.

It makes enough to freeze some for a few future meals and freezes really well too. I like to make some for dinner and pack the rest away in the freezer for quick and easy, grab-n-go lunches. I take it straight from the freezer and by the time I get to lunch, it’s mostly thawed. And if not, a quick few moments in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop gets the job done.

Give it a try! It’s a great way to stock your freezer for the cold months!

More Healthy Lentil Recipes

Curried Lentils
Red Lentil Soup

Slow Cooker Lentil Recipe

Slow Cooker Lentil Soup

Nothing says comfort like a bowl of lentil soup. Perfect on a cold evening, this soup will warm your belly and soothe your soul.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 hours hours

Total Time: 10 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 9 cups, approximate

Calories: 193kcal

Equipment

Slow Cooker (5 ½ quarts or larger)

Ingredients

2 cups dry lentils
8 cups vegetable stock, no sugar added, low sodium is best
1 lb. bag baby carrots
1 ½ cups sliced celery
1 tbsp. onion powder
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
salt to taste after cooking

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker and cook for 8-10 hours on low, or until the lentils are fully cooked.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data below is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Clean Eating Slow Cooker Lentil Soup Recipe (4)

This recipe from the Gracious Pantry archives, originally posted 1/11/14.

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I can’t wait to try this! Just one question, what type of lentils? Brown?
Reply
1. Erin L – Yes, I used brown lentils.
  Reply
My lentil soup recipe is great, but it’s not “slow-cooker easy”. Can’t wait to try this!
Linda
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1. Linda – Fantastic! I hope you enjoy it!
  Reply
Is lentils the same as split peas? Only new to these foods.
Reply
1. Sharon – No. Split peas are different. You want to look for brown lentils. (There are different colors)
  Reply
Hi!
Bought all the ingredients tonight to make this. This is my first time working with lentils. What do I need to do to prepare the lentils if anything? Thanks!!!!
Reply
1. Jenny – Some people soak the lentils overnight, but I never bother. So nothing I can think of! I hope you enjoy it!
  Reply
Hi,
I just started the Daniel Fast last week, and i’ve been looking for meatless, breadless, dairy-less, and finally sugar-less foods lol! I bought some pre-made lentil soup last night but it had a low amount of sugar in it, and I was upset that I didnt notice that initially. I will definitely be trying this recipe out, because I love lentils, and it’s a good/filling/easy thing to eat and cook while I’m fasting.
Thanks for the recipe!
Reply
1. Clarese – My goodness! That diet sounds nearly foodless! LOL!! I hope you enjoy the soup. 😉
  Reply
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My husband doesn’t like celery, is there something else I can swap with it?? What about spinach?
Reply
1. Sharon – I would just put a few extra carrots in and omit the celery.
  Reply
My sister shared this recipe with me – I’m wondering if it freezes well?? Thanks! 🙂
Reply
1. Jessica – Sure! It’ll freeze just fine. I’d put a date on it for about 6-8 months though.
  Reply
Hi just wondering if I could use split peas instead of lentils?
Reply
1. Nicole – I’m not sure if the ratios would work out, but I do have a split pea recipe here you could try.
  Reply
I’ve got this in the slow cooker for tonight. My kitchen smells lovely! Even the “selective” (read: picky) three year old seems excited about it. *fingers crossed* 🙂
Reply
1. Christa – Let me know if the munchkin likes it!
  Reply
Lentil soup is a weekly meal on Greek tables. It is super easy and doesn’t have to be slow cooked! Throw in a pot: 1/2 bag lentils (brown, sm or lg), 1 onion-diced, 2 garlic cloves- chopped, 1 cup pureed tomato, 3 cups boiling water, 1/3cup olive oil, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper. Non-traditional options: add a celery and a carrot chopped up. Leave to simmer an hour of so (time depends on freshness of lentils). May need an extra cup of boiling water added. Enjoy with a nice baguette and feta. Greek Yiayia trick for decreasing the gasses? pre-boil the lentils for 5 mins, and the diced onions for a couple of mins, strain and go on with the recipe above.
Reply
1. Boomer – I know lentils don’t have to be slow cooked. I do have a stove top version here on my blog. But sometimes it’s nice to throw it in a slow cooker and forget about it until it’s time for dinner. Thanks for the recipe, sounds delish! 🙂
  Reply
I tried this recipe today and the taste was great but the lentils were still tough. I checked it after 9 hours on low and they were not done so I turned the crockpot on high and after 4 more hours (13 total) they were still underdone. I followed the recipe as it was stated.
Reply
1. Jennifer – Were they older lentils? How long have you had them?
  Reply
They were recently purchased. I just used a store brand that I have used in several other recipes.
Reply
1. Jennifer – That’s really odd. Did you soak them before cooking?
  Reply
How long to cook if I need to put slow cooker on high?
Reply
1. Hayley – About 4-6 hours.
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Just realised I have bought the wrong lentils. My supermarket only had red split , could I still use them?
Thanks
Reply
1. Lucy – I’ve never cooked with them but I imagine it would work about the same.
  Reply
Do you have suggestions for a side dish? I think a salad would be perfect, but my husband does not like salads!
Reply
1. Tasha – Yes, a salad would be great with this. But what kinds of things DOES he like? If you can give me an idea, I’ll have better suggestions for you.
  Reply
I made this yesterday, it was delicious! I followed everything but added some sliced mushrooms because I love them. Thank you for sharing!
Reply
1. CS – My pleasure! 🙂
  Reply
Hi. Going to try this but before I do, can I use chicken broth vs. vegetable stock? Thanks.
Reply
1. Barbara – Absolutely!
  Reply
Hi there, I have a question:
I set this up according to the directions in the crock pot last night and put it on low for 10 hours as the recipe directs. This morning, I checked on the soup expecting it to be thick like the picture shows, but it was soupy and liquidy and the lentils were still tough. I got brown lentils and didn’t soak them or anything, since I saw in the comments that you don’t soak them, so I’m confused as to why they haven’t soaked up some of the stock and thickened the soup up a bit.
I’m not eating it until tonight anyway, so I set it for another low 10 hour cycle in hopes that will help it cook through… I’m not sure what the issue is. Any ideas? 2 cups of lentils to 8 cups of stock seemed like a pretty low ratio, but I figured it would just absorb a bit and come out thick like in the picture, so I just went with it.
Please let me know what you think. Thanks!
Reply
1. Cristina – The measurements are correct. At least that’s how I make them. I would check a couple things.
  1. Be sure your lentils are not too old.
  2. Be sure your crock is cooking properly.
  I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t cook if the above two things are all in order. Was everything hot when you checked it?
  Reply
I am experiencing the same thing as the above comment. it has been in the slow cooker for 9 hours and still really soupy and the lentils are still hard.
My slow cooker is fairly new and I haven’t had any issues with it and the lentils were purchased last night.
Can I add anything to thicken it up? how much longer should I cook for?
Reply
1. Carolyn – You would need to cook it until the lentils are soft. Overnight may be an option if you have the time. I also found this online: http://www.thekitchn.com/why-are-my-lentils-always-hard-good-questions-215044
  Reply
This recipe sounds great, but mine has been cooking for 11 hours (6 on high and 5 on low), and the lentils are nowhere near cooked nor have they soaked up the broth. It’s a brand new crock pot and bag of lentils. When I realized this, it was a mad rush to find something else for dinner for the family, including a 5 year old and 16 month old. This is the second time I tried this recipe and it’s happened both times. (I used an old crockpot first time and just thought it didn’t turn out because the pot was going bad). Apparently that was not the case.
Reply
1. Kerri – I know you just bought the lentils, but sadly that doesn’t mean they are new. Here is something I found online. Not sure if it will help, but it’s worth a shot. I have never had lentils not cook before, so I can only imagine it’s the source that is supplying the lentils. http://www.thekitchn.com/why-are-my-lentils-always-hard-good-questions-215044
  Reply
Really tasty, thank you,
Reply
1. Lori – My pleasure! So happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
  Reply
Could I use already cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s?? Maybe lessen the cook time?
Reply
1. Andrea – Yes. I haven’t tried it, but here’s what I would do. Use 4 cups broth instead of 8 and try 2 hours on low. You may have to adjust the cooking time for the carrots. But if you slice them thin, 2 hours should be plenty. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
  Reply

Clean Eating Slow Cooker Lentil Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is lentil soup good for weight loss? ›

Protein also helps you feel full and satisfied, which can support weight loss and appetite control. One cup of cooked lentils provides about 18 grams of protein, which is comparable to the amount in a serving of meat.

Explore More ›

Do you have to soak lentils before using them in a soup? ›

The other good news: Lentils don't need to soak as beans do (though you do need to sort and rinse them before cooking). Different types of lentils cook in different amounts of time. Red lentils are the fastest cooking and they dissolve as they cook and make for a smooth soup.

Can you overcook lentil soup? ›

Yes, you can overcook lentils; they will become mushy. Much depends on the type of lentil you're using. Some cook quicker and hold their shape better than others. To avoid overcooking them, always follow the cooking directions in your recipe and use the type of lentils called for in the ingredient list.

Learn More Now ›

Do lentils burn belly fat? ›

Lentils and beans are rich in soluble fiber, which is the single best carbohydrate to help you burn belly fat. "Soluble fiber forms a thick gel when it binds with water in the body," Tracy said. "This gel that forms therefore slows digestion in the body, which keeps you feeling full for longer!

Get More Info ›

Is it okay to eat lentil soup everyday? ›

Eating half a cup of cooked lentils gives you lots of essential nutrients and their high fiber content makes you feel full. However, the fiber in lentils can be hard for your body to break down. Eating too many lentils can cause gas, bloating, and cramping.

Know More ›

What happens if you forget to rinse lentils before cooking? ›

While it seems like an unnecessary step, don't skip rinsing your lentils and sifting through them before cooking to remove any stones or debris. It is rare to find stones, but it does happen.

Which lentils are healthiest? ›

Urad dal or black lentil is one of the most nutritious pulses known to mankind. Low in fat and calories, Urad dal helps to improve digestion. With it being a rich source of protein and vitamin B3, it makes our bones stronger and is said to boost energy levels, enhance heart health and strengthen our nervous system.

Get More Info ›

What happens if you don't soak lentils? ›

Is Soaking Beans Necessary? Don't worry about soaking lentils, split peas, or black-eyed peas (or cowpeas). Lentils and peas are softer than dried beans. They'll cook within 5 to 20 minutes without any soaking time.

Get More Info Here ›

What makes lentils taste better? ›

Add some salt, maybe a bay leaf, and maybe a clove of garlic (peeled but left whole). Some recipes will warn you to never add salt to beans or lentils while they're cooking (they say it'll prevent them from cooking through), but it's simply not true! Salt brings out their best.

Get More Info Here ›

How do you thicken lentil soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Keep Reading ›

Why does my lentil soup taste bland? ›

Since lentils are starchy, earthy in flavor, and can be on the bland side, there are many ways to make them flavorful, including by adding them into soup. When other ingredients are introduced that complement lentils like onions, garlic, spices, and lemon, the taste is out of this world.

Learn More ›

Which soup is good to reduce belly fat? ›

5 Best Soups That Will Help To Burn Belly Fat

Vegetable soup. Lean protein from chicken combined with a variety of vegetables can make a satisfying and low-calorie soup that can help you feel full and satisfied.
Chicken and vegetable soup. ...
Black bean soup. ...
Lentil soup. ...
Tomato soup.

Nov 4, 2023

See Details ›

What are the benefits of lentil soup? ›

Lentils are rich in fibre, folate and potassium making them a great choice for the heart and for managing blood pressure and cholesterol. They are also a source of energising iron and vitamin B1 which helps maintain a steady heartbeat.

Show Me More ›

How much lentils to eat per day to lose weight? ›

Eating about 3/4 cup (130 grams) each day of these foods known as pulses led to a weight loss of 0.34 kilograms (just over half a pound), in a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available clinical trials on the effects of eating pulses.