# Crockpot Lentil Soup

Brown lentils and vegetables cook in stock with cumin for six hours on LOW, then lemon juice and spinach go in at the end.

 

 

 ![Crockpot Lentil Soup](https://irenpins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/Crockpot_lentil_soup_in_bowl_2fbe8bf7.webp)  

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## Crockpot Lentil Soup

Recipe by Iren Pavlenko

 

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0.0 from 0 votes ** 

Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

6

hours 

10

minutes

Brown lentils and vegetables cook in stock with cumin for six hours on LOW, then lemon juice and spinach go in at the end.

### Ingredients

- 1 1/2 cups brown lentils, rinsed
- 3 carrots, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- Juice of 1 lemon

### Directions

- Put the lentils, carrots, celery and onion in a cold 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the garlic, cumin, paprika and salt.
- Pour in the tomatoes and stock.
- Stir once.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
- Check that the lentils are soft.
- Stir in the spinach and let it wilt for 10 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust the salt.
- Serve with crusty bread.

 

### Notes

 

Salt at the end if your stock is already salty. Lentil soup thickens in the fridge, so thin it with water.

 

  

## A simple lentil soup, explained

 

Brown lentils soften without falling apart over six hours, so the soup has texture. Cumin and smoked paprika bring warmth, and the spinach is added at the very end so it wilts in ten minutes and stays green. Lemon juice at the finish makes the whole pot taste brighter.

 

## Swaps that work for Crockpot Lentil Soup

 

Green lentils work equally well. Kale can replace spinach if you add it earlier. Stir a spoonful of tomato paste in for a deeper color. Skip red lentils, which dissolve into a thick puree. If your stock is salty, hold back on the salt until the end.

 

## Storing Crockpot Lentil Soup

 

This soup thickens a lot in the fridge, so add water when reheating it. It keeps 5 days and freezes well in portions.

 

The mistake many cooks make is salting too early. Salt added early can leave the lentils firm, so taste at the end and adjust.

 

Serve it with a thick slice of buttered toast and a few drops of olive oil on top.