Slow Cooker Curry Lentil Soup
Try Slow cooker curry lentil soup recipe for a budget friendly meal that is bursting with flavor and the best comfort food. Each bite of this soup is tasty.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 large carrots peeled and diced
- ½ onion peeled and diced
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1.5 cups uncooked green or brown lentils rinsed and picked over
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups chopped baby spinach
- 1 lemon freshly squeezed
- chopped fresh cilantro leaves for topping
Instructions
- Add everything (but the spinach, lemon, and cilantro) to the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the lentils are soft.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the lentils are soft.
- Stir in the baby spinach and the lemon juice.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Serve with fresh cliantro on top.
Notes
Variations Ideas
- Lentils - We normally use red or green lentils but you can try red lentils for a change.
- Broth - Chicken or vegetable broth can be used interchangeably depending on preference.
- Coconut milk - You can add coconut milk right before serving into the crock pot. Just make sure you do this at the end of cooking or it will curdle. Coconut milk adds a new layer of flavor and makes it creamy.
- Kale - You can substitute kale for the spinach. I would cut the ribs off the kale first though.
- Sausage - If you are not trying to make a vegetarian soup, add some cooked ground sausage to the soup. The combination is very hearty and delicious.
- Spicy - For a hint of spice add in 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
- Programmable Crock Pot - I love the programmable slow cooker for this soup that you can set for certain times. It makes busy days less hectic.
- Crock Pot Liners - I recommend using liners for the slow cooker to make clean up super easy. You can just toss and go.
- Food Processor: Use a small food chopper or food processor to quickly and easily chop the onions. Another time saving tip is to learn how to freeze onions.
- Don't Overcook the Spinach - It is important that you do not add this until right before serving.
- Lemon juice adds so much flavor to this soup - Don't even think about skipping this step. The lemon really enhances the flavor and fresh lemon is best.
- Consistency - If the soup is too thick for your preference, add more broth to thin it out. You can also do this when reheating leftovers. To thicken the soup use a immersion blender to mash the lentils.
Nutrition
Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 967mg | Potassium: 639mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4864IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 5mg
