Cooking Lentils In Crock Pot How Long

Published May 17, 2021. By

photo collage of crockpot lentil soup, ingredients to make it and step by step photo of adding swiss chard

Dozens and dozens of reviews from readers just like you. This crockpot lentil soup is so easy – set it, forget it, and Enjoy! Vegan and gluten-free

bowl of cooked lentil soup with brown wood spoon

Crockpots are a busy mom's best friend. No Joke. If you don't have kids, you may or may not appreciate what a relief a great crockpot recipe can be. But, when you have little ones, especially if you work, sometimes throwing dinner together is just such a hassle (like every single day lol).

The aroma of a delicious dinner already prepared, a glass of wine, and ten quiet minutes alone are rare and coveted treats for many of us.

Here I am giving you one of them, a nutritious and easy crockpot recipe.

Only you have to promise to take ten minutes alone and have a glass of vino (if you partake) while it's cooking. 😉

ingredients to make crockpot lentil soup organized on a baking sheet

Crockpot Lentil Soup Ingredients:

Carrots
Celery
Yellow Onion
Garlic
Shallot
Brown Lentils
Vegetable Stock
Canned Diced Tomatoes
Dried Spices (Bay Leaf, Dried Thyme, Salt, Pepper, Ground Cumin)
Swiss Chard
Red Wine Vinegar

chopped onion, carrot, celery, shallot and swiss chard on a cutting board

Lentil soup is one of those things that is such a great staple; it is simultaneously hearty, nutritious, and relatively easy to make. I think my mom taught me how to make simple lentil soup when I was in High School. I have made countless variations of her recipe since and finally re-worked it to be crockpot aka slow cooker friendly.

adding ingredients to slow cooker for lentil soup

This version is vegan, gluten-free, and freezes great. It's ridiculously easy.

A little bit of chopping (you can totally bust out your food processor to save time!) and then you add the majority of the ingredients to the slow cooker. About 15 minutes before the cook time is up, add the chopped swiss chard, a few more dried spices, and red wine vinegar for a little acid and balance. That's it — then, just serve and Enjoy!

adding chopped swiss chard to soup in a slow cooker

Recipe Tips:

A note about Vegetable Stock – every brand has a unique flavor. For instance, Trader Joe's Organic Low Sodium (which is what I used here) is on the sweeter side and very "carroty". My absolute favorite is Pacific Natural Foods Organic Vegetable Broth but I was out of it and keep the Trader Joe's on hand for sauteing. When it comes to sauteing and you are just using a splash here or there, its' not as big of a deal. There are many options out there and I recommend taste-testing a few brands before picking one to use when you are using it as a base for soup.
I used Green Swiss Chard (stems and leaves) but you could easily substitute Spinach, Kale (without stems), or even Escarole.
I used a 6.5 Quart Slow Cooker for this soup. I think a 5.5 or 6 would also work but I wouldn't go much smaller. Or you could halve the recipe.
If you prefer for this lentil soup to cook all day while you are at work, you can set your Crockpot to LOW with a cook time of 8 Hours. Alternately, if you want the soup done quicker, Crockpot to HIGH with a cook time of 4 Hours (what I usually do).
If you are not Vegan or Vegetarian, many readers (in the comments) have added ground turkey, chicken, or beef with great success. I recommend sauteeing separately and adding in after draining the excess fat.
This lentil soup stores great. Allow to cool completely and freeze in an air-tight container(s). I recommend defrosting the night before you plan on serving and reheating in a saucepan over low heat until warmed through.

overhead shot of cooked lentil soup with salt and pepper shakers and wood serving spoon

Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!

15 mins

4 hrs

4 hrs 15 mins

Dozens and dozens of reviews from readers just like you. This crockpot lentil soup is so easy - set it, forget it, and Enjoy! Vegan and gluten-free

Course: Soups

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crockpot lentil soup recipe, How to make lentil soup, slow cooker lentil soup recipe, the best lentil soup, vegan lentil soup

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 222 kcal

close up of lentil soup in a bowl with a wood spoon

3 medium carrots chopped (or 4 small or 2 large)
2 medium celery stalks chopped
1 large yellow onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 large shallot chopped
2 cups dry brown lentils rinsed
8 cups vegetable stock
14 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 dried bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Add in 15 Minutes Before Cooking Time Ends:

1 medium bunch Swiss Chard cleaned and cut into bite-size pieces
1.5 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin

To save time, I used the food processor for chopping. Most of the veggies only need a couple of pulses. Toss in carrots, then celery, onion, garlic and finally shallot. Do not over process the vegetables or they will become watery. Alternately, you can chop everything by hand.
Place chopped carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and shallot into crockpot along with lentils, vegetable stock, canned tomatoes, bay leaf and dried thyme.
Cover with lid and set cooking time (4 Hours on HIGH OR 8 Hours on LOW).
Next, prep your swiss chard into bite-size pieces (I usually cut it both lengthwise and crosswise to achieve this), put in a covered bowl and place in refrigerator for later.
When the cooking time is up, add in swiss chard, red wine vinegar, Kosher salt, black pepper, and ground cumin.
Place the lid back on and let sit covered for fifteen additional minutes before serving. This freezes great and makes 8 huge (1.5 cup) servings. Excellent served with a crusty bread and side salad. Enjoy!

A note about Vegetable Stock - every brand has a unique flavor. For instance, Trader Joe's Organic Low Sodium (which is what I used here) is on the sweeter side and very "carroty". My absolute favorite is Pacific Natural Foods Organic Vegetable Broth but I was out of it and keep the Trader Joe's on hand for sauteing. When it comes to sauteing and you are just using a splash here or there, its' not as big of a deal. There are many options out there and I recommend taste-testing a few brands before picking one to use when you are using it as a base for soup.
I used Green Swiss Chard (stems and leaves) but you could easily substitute Spinach, Kale (without stems), or even Escarole.
I used a 6.5 Quart Slow Cooker for this soup. I think a 5.5 or 6 would also work but I wouldn't go much smaller. Or you could halve the recipe.
If you prefer for this lentil soup to cook all day while you are at work, you can set your Crockpot to LOW with a cook time of 8 Hours. Alternately, if you want the soup done quicker, Crockpot to HIGH with a cook time of 4 Hours (what I usually do).
If you are not Vegan or Vegetarian, many readers (in the comments) have added ground turkey, chicken, or beef with great success. I recommend sauteeing separately and adding in after draining the excess fat.
This lentil soup stores great. Allow to cool completely and freeze in an air-tight container(s). I recommend defrosting the night before you plan on serving and reheating in a saucepan over low heat until warmed through.

Nutrition Facts

Crockpot Lentil Soup

Amount Per Serving (1.5 Cups)

Calories 222 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g 2%

Saturated Fat 1g 6%

Sodium 1701mg 74%

Potassium 840mg 24%

Carbohydrates 41g 14%

Fiber 17g 71%

Sugar 7g 8%

Protein 14g 28%

Vitamin A 6745IU 135%

Vitamin C 22mg 27%

Calcium 84mg 8%

Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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