Ohhhhhh crockpot lentil soup. The love of my winter life.
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This soup is amazing! So easy to make and the flavors are very complex. Unlike anything I’ve made before. Absolutely love it!
Nicole
Watch How To Make It
I Love This Cozy and Nutritious Lentil Soup.
I see you, hungry reader whose life is crazy right now, who has a hard time finding the time to cook even though you love food, who opens the fridge to grab a quick lunch to take to work in the morning rush only to find NOTHING that seems good enough, who values the big bowl of comfort food pasta above all else, who is not asking for much other than GOOD FOOD that is made for REAL LIFE.
I see you. I know you think I’m not watching because I’m on the other side of this computer-ma-jig, but I’m watching (um, in a not-creepy and not-literal way – just felt like I should clarify. pls don’t leave.).
So since I see you and understand you because I am just like you in these feelings, today I honor you (us?) with this super cozy, big-time nutritious, easy to prepare soup.
This is called Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup, which means nothing scientifically as you’ll notice that my bowl of DETOX soup is topped with a few thick chunks of Parmesan cheese and served with that addicting crusty-warm bread. Right, about that. We did sneak a few good foods into this soup (kale, onions, garlic, carrots, and olive oil) and anyways, in my book, the best kinds of healthy foods are the ones that ACTUALLY TASTE GOOD.
And while this soup tastes good without the extras, it tastes BETTER with them. Cue the bread and cheese.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This soup is jam-packed with so many wholesome, feel-good ingredients. Let’s count them up, shall we?
- butternut squash
- carrots, celery, and onion (or mirepoix)
- potatoes
- green lentils and yellow split peas (you can use more green lentils if you can’t find split peas)
- garlic
- broth
- herbs de provence
- kale and fresh parsley
- a swish of olive oil and red wine vinegar at the end
How To Make This Lentil Soup Recipe
As is my goal with most recipes I make for Pinch of Yum, this crockpot lentil soup was made for real life. Because it’s literally for my real life. This is a fall life-saver.
- Start With Flavor: We’re starting with a solid base: onions, garlic, carrots, celery, spices, salt, and broth.
- Add The Vegetables and Lentils: Then we’re getting awesome by adding butternut squash, which partially melts into a creamy textured miracle, lentils (always lentils), and yellow split peas because WOW color.
- Puree and Serve: After all your feel-good vegetables simmer up into the best house smells and then we do the magic thing that takes it over the top: puree a portion of the soup with that olive oil to form a silky emulsion that then gets added back into the soup. YES PLZ 4EVR.
I ended mine with a splash of sherry and red wine vinegar because I’m currently having a moment with tangy foods.
What To Serve with Lentil Soup
There’s a lot going on in this soup, but if you want to round it out with more in the meal, I’d recommend a few extras:
- No Knead Bread (YES)
- No Knead Cheese Bread (DOUBLE YES)
- House Favorite Garlic Bread (TRIPLE YES)
- One-Ingredient Socca (yummy gluten-free flatbread for dipping purposes)
- A simple green salad (like this one!)
That’s it. That’s the soup. SO EASY. It requires a bit of front-end chopping to prep the veggies, but I’d guess it took me 30-45 minutes to cut everything up and get it in the crockpot, and in return I was gifted with 8 soup servings of this nutritious + cozy wonderfood. NOT A BAD DEAL.
Cheers to you and your people enjoying many glowing bowls of crockpot lentil soup for all the days to come. 👍👍👍
Lentil Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
We’d recommend brown or green lentils. Red lentils are split which means they’ll soften a lot faster and would not recommend them.
Yes! Follow the directions the same, but simmer on the stovetop covered for about an hour, or until the lentils and squash soften.
Yes! Place the first group of ingredients below in the Instant Pot and cook on the soup setting for 30 minutes with a quick release at the end. Follow the same blending instructions and then add kale and parsley.
Let the soup cook a little longer on the high setting to soften them up! If using the Instant Pot, you could re-pressurize to cook for another 5 minutes, or turn on the sauté mode until they soften.
This makes a lot of soup! We’d recommend at least a 6-qt. for both.
Yes! You could freeze leftovers to keep in the freezer for three months, or make it a freezer meal by following the instructions in the recipe card notes or by checking out this post.
I could see this being really yummy with some Italian sausage! You can brown/crumble it on the stovetop, and add it at the beginning with everything else in the crockpot.
The Best Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup
- Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup – a clean and simple soup made with onions, garlic, carrots, olive oil, squash, and LENTILS! Super healthy and easy to make.
Ingredients
For the crockpot:
- 2 cups butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
- 2 cups carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 2 cups potatoes (chopped)
- 2 cups celery (chopped)
- 1 cup green lentils
- 3/4 cup yellow split peas (or just use more lentils)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 8–10 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons herbs de provence
- 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
Add at the end:
- 2–3 cups kale (stems removed, chopped)
- 1 cup parsley (chopped)
- 1/2 cup olive oil – rosemary olive oil or other herb infused oil is delicious
- a swish of sherry, red wine vinegar, or lemon juice to add a nice tangy bite
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
- Place about 4 cups of soup in a blender with the olive oil. Pulse gently until semi-smooth and creamy-looking (the oil will form a creamy emulsion with the soup). Add back to the pot and stir to combine. Stir in the kale and parsley. Turn the heat off and just let everything chill out for a bit before serving. The taste gets better with time and so does the texture, IMO!
- Season to taste (add the sherry, vinegar, and/or lemon juice at this point) and to really go next level, serve with crusty wheat bread and a little Parmesan cheese. It’s called Detox Balance. 😉
Equipment
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Buy Now → Notes
Stovetop Instructions: Place same first group of ingredients on the stovetop and simmer on low for about an hour, or until the lentils/split peas and squash have softened. Follow the same blending instructions and then add kale and parsley.
Instant Pot Instructions: Place same first group of ingredients in the Instant Pot using only 6-7 cups of broth instead and cook on the soup setting for 30 mins with a quick release. Follow the same blending instructions and then add kale and parsley.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: lentil soup, crockpot soup, slow cooker soup, vegetarian soup, vegan soup
Make It A Freezer Meal!
Freeze Together:
- 2 cups chopped butternut squash, fresh or frozen
- 2 cups mirepoix, fresh or frozen
- 1-2 cups chopped potatoes, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup uncooked brown lentils
- 3/4 cup yellow split peas (or just use more lentils)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (or other spices you like)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
- 4-5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
After Cooking:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1-2 cups kale, finely chopped
- 1 lemon
To Cook:
INSTANT POT: From frozen, 15 minutes on high pressure + 10 minutes natural release.
SLOW COOKER: From frozen, 6 hours on high.
FINAL STEP: Stir in olive oil and kale. (If you made this in the Instant Pot, some of the vegetables should break down just enough to make the soup creamy! If you made this in the slow cooker, blend a little bit of the soup with the olive oil to make a creamy base.) Finish with a splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar.
View more healthy freezer meals here!
More Delicious Crockpot Soup Recipes
- Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Queso Chicken Chili with Roasted Corn
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our collection of best healthy soups. Check it out!
It just so happened that almost all the fresh ingredients were in my CSA box this week! Made the stovetop version and omg it is sooooo good. I didn’t have anything for the swish at the end so I look forward to adding that in next time.
I didn’t love this soup. I cooked it for 5 hours in the slow cooker, but it was pulverized, soft, and mushy. It would have been better to soak the yellow split peas overnight and simmer the soup for a total of 1 hour on the stovetop.
I dont have the squash. Is there a substitute or can I leave it out? Thanks.
You could use sweet potatoes!
I am new here.
Thank you very much for dedicating your time
to this noble cause.
I have been making this for years and it is delicious every time!! This time, I made in bulk to take away on a camping trip over Easter and still had some lingering in the freezer. Thawed overnight and heated for dinner with parm cheese and lemon juice and holy moly delicious easy winter dinner! I use a mix with lentils and barley and it is delicious
I’ve made this so many times, I’ve lost count! Whenever my husband and I feel like we need a reset on our eating habits, I almost always gravitate towards this soup.
Lately, I’ve been adding a can of crushed tomatoes and some cubed ham for extra flavor and protein. Thank you for a delicious recipe! Very grateful over here!
Do you have to add that much olive oil at the end? Trying to make it with a bit less fat. Thanks!
That’s our preferred way for best flavor!
Tasty!
This soup is always in rotation in my house, whether i make it on the stove or have it freezer prepped and ready to go. So delicious, healthy and comforting. I make your chicken meatballs (or turkey) to add to it. SO GOOD!
Amazing, didn’t expect it to taste this good but I could eat this alot
For the freezer meal prep directions, would it be okay to freeze the ingredients without any broth? Then add the broth to crockpot?
That should be fine!
Can I make the soup then freeze it in portions to defrost and heat up? Leaving the kale out to add later
Yep!
Made a lot. Ok. Edible. Inexpensive.
Wonderful flavor that is very unique – it’s not boring like most lentil soups can be.
I have been making this for years now and it is one of my favorites. It feels so nourishing and healthy but is still delicious. It makes a ton and freezes really well. Bonus—my 8 month old loved it!
Hi,
I know this post is old, and you are very busy, but what size slow cooker did you use? I am sure it was bigger than a 4 qt, and I would like to be able to appropriately adjust the recipe to fit my slow cooker.
Thank you so much!
We use a 6 quart!
This took far longer than 5-6 hours on high. At the 6 hour mark, I took it out of the crockpot and cooked on the stove so it would be ready by dinner time. Next time, I’ll soak the lentils/split peas first. I also think the seasoning could use something earthy, like a dash of cumin or turmeric.
Is there a substitute if I cant find green lentils?
Brown lentils work great!
SO GOOD. I def made this my own though lol. I oven roasted the butternut squash and carrots in the oven with olive oil, cumin, paprika, black pepper, chili powder and a pinch of nutmeg/cinnamon. Then I sautéed onions in a white wine, then threw all the ingredients together in a dutch oven, cooked on low for like two hours (on the stove). I also seasoned the soup with the seasonings mentioned above for a more mediterranean vibe. 10/10 delicious. I threw in some sliced chicken sausage that was sautéed but the soup is good without it. Will def be making again.
I can’t eat butternut squash. Do you think it would still be good without it?
You could substitute sweet potatoes!
Delish!
I didnt have squash so used sweet potato in place of squash and regular potatoes.
Where did the bowl come from that you’re serving the best detox crock pot lentil soup in? It’s a rustic looking piece love them !
Thank you
Made a number lentil as well as split pea soups- but never a combined recipe- really nice flavour! I made a few changes based on what I had on hand: sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash and did not add white potatoes; some frozen spinach instead of kale. Small piece of left over pork also added. So good and makes a lot! Thanks
What kind of potatoes do you use? I think all I have on hand are red ones?
Omnivores… How about some diced, Portuguese sausage?! Panfried first for the caramelization!