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What Is Crock-Pot® Lentil Soup?

B. Miller
B. Miller

Crock-Pot® lentil soup refers to a method of preparing a type of hot soup using lentil beans in a slow cooker. This allows the soup to simmer and cook throughout the day, while everyone is out of the house at work, for example, and be ready to eat at the end of the day. Slow-cooker recipes like this are typically very flavorful because the ingredients have all day to soak in the spices or flavorings used. There are a number of different recipes for making Crock-Pot® lentil soup, and there are numerous vegetarian recipes as well, for those who prefer not to eat meat.

Despite this, many of the ingredients for Crock-Pot® lentil soup are similar across recipes. It is typically a vegetable based broth, which is often made by combining a few cups of vegetable broth, homemade or canned, with a few cups of water. Diced tomatoes are often added for people who want to give the soup a heartier, tomato base. The soup also includes a few cups of lentils, as well as a mixture of other vegetables such as carrots or celery. Spices such as onion, garlic, and pepper, among others, may be added to give the soup additional flavor.

Lentils are high in protein and work well in soups.
Lentils are high in protein and work well in soups.

When people choose to add meat to Crock-Pot® lentil soup, bacon, ham, or sausage are some of the most popular choices. The meat should typically be cooked ahead of time. Then, all the ingredients are simply thrown into the slow cooker, covered, and left to simmer all day. For many people, Crock-Pot® lentil soup is filling enough to just have it by itself for a meal. Some people will choose to prepare some pasta before serving the soup and mix it in to make it slightly more filling; just don't do this at the beginning of the day, or the pasta will fall apart. Topping it with a bit of grated cheese is another option to make it more filling and flavorful.

There are many different ways to customize various Crock-Pot® lentil soup recipes to taste. This is also a very healthy meal to make, and is popular with people who are dieting because it is very high in fiber and very filling, but quite low in fat. For vegetarians or vegans who do not include meat in their diet, it is also very high in protein due to the lentils. Crock-Pot® lentil soup is a hearty, satisfying meal that is delicious any time of year.

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    • Lentils are high in protein and work well in soups.
      By: gitusik
      Lentils are high in protein and work well in soups.