Description
This hearty slow cooker ham and lentil soup is thick, smoky, and packed with vegetables. It’s a budget-friendly, comforting meal perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 ½ cups diced cooked ham or 1 ham bone with extra meat attached
- 2 ½ cups dried lentils rinsed (green or brown recommended)
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 carrots peeled and diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 15 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Add lentils, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, ham, diced tomatoes, broth, thyme, smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, and pepper to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Stir everything together.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until lentils are tender and the stew has thickened.
- If using a ham bone, remove it when the stew is done, shred off any meat, and return it to the pot. Discard the bone and bay leaves.
- Stir well and adjust with salt if needed.
- If the soup is too thick, stir in ½ to 1 cup extra broth.
- Serve hot with crusty bread, cornbread, or over rice.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- For extra smokiness, add a dash of liquid smoke or use a smoked ham hock.
- To make it vegetarian, omit the ham, use vegetable broth, and add extra vegetables like mushrooms or sweet potatoes. Smoked paprika helps replicate the ham’s depth of flavor.
- To thicken the stew further, leave the lid off for the last 30 minutes of cooking or mash some lentils.
- If the stew is too thick, stir in hot broth or water. A knob of butter or a splash of cream can add silkiness.
- Always add salt at the end, as ham and broth salt levels vary.
- A splash of vinegar or lemon juice at the end brightens the dish.
- The tomato sauce is key for thickening and flavor.
- Adding cumin deepens the flavor and pairs well with the smoky ham.
- This ham lentil soup thickens as it cools. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat with broth or water if needed.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4-8 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 376 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 681 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 20 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 27 mg
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