I’m kickin’ into full fall mode. The shift from summer food to fall food was an easy one for me, partly due to the fact that I love the heck out of every soup known to man.
So to start out the season right (even though it’s still 83 degrees outside), today I’m sharing with you one of my favorite soup recipes. It’s really easy to make because all you have to do is toss a bunch of ingredients in a slow cooker and walk away. Does this scream “best dinner in the world” to anyone else?
If you like chili, you will love this black bean and lentil soup. It tastes almost exactly like traditional chili, but it’s 100% meat free and is a great way to sneak in veggies to the picky eaters in your house.
You may or may not know this, but I despise cooked tomatoes. With a passion. Just, ew. But since this soup is cooked in a slow cooker for several hours, the tomatoes start to fall apart and become one with the soup. Which makes this soup great for tomato haters.
I have a 6-Quart Crock Pot and I love love love it! I use it for every slow cooker recipe and love how great it works.
At first, I was a little hesitant to try this soup because I wasn’t sure if me or my family would like it. But, guys, my hands have been so full the past few weeks, with school starting up and what not, and getting dinner on the table on time has been a challenge. A BIG challenge. I don’t want to make eating dinner at 8 p.m. a habit.
So I knew I had to give this black bean and lentil soup a shot. And I’m so glad I did. It’s cheap, easy to make, and the best part…you don’t have to stand around in the kitchen for an hour. I can start it at the same time I start lunch (we homeschool), and it’ll be done by 5 p.m.
This recipe does make 8 servings (or 12 cups), and this might seem like too much for your family to eat in one sitting. But this black bean and lentil soup makes great leftovers and freezes very well, so you can whip it out whenever you need a quick meal.
Here’s the recipe:
- ½ lb. bag dry lentils
- ¼ lb. dry black beans
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 1 can organic diced tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 5 cups hot water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Rinse lentils and black beans. Discard any small pebbles or bad beans. Pour them into the slow cooker. Add the onions, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, chili powder, parsley, and hot water to your slow cooker.
- Place your lid on top, and cook on HIGH for 6 hours. Try not to open your slow cooker or stir the soup.
- Remove the lid, and add the salt and pepper to taste. Mash the soup into a thicker mixture if desired. Serve hot. The soup will be very thick, almost like chili. Garnish with sour cream, fresh parsley, or cheddar cheese.
Pin it:
Great soup recipe for a breezy Fall or cold Winter’s day. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Shared on twitter & pinned.
This recipe is right up my alley – I am a soup addict and I think the slow cooker is the only appliance in the kitchen. I will certainly be trying this recipe. Thank you for sharing at Share It One More Time. Cathy
Visiting you from the Flour Me with Love Party! This looks delicious! I have pinned it and I can’t wait to try it!
What a hearty soup for Fall…I am adding this to my menu plan next week.
Thanks so much Tracy! This soup is super delicious and I’m actually making it again tonight for dinner!
Yumm! Looks delicious! Pinning to my healthy food board. Thanks for linking it up at Monday Funday!
This is the perfect recipe for the cooler days of Fall we’re starting to see. And I love that it’s cooked in a crock pot, my favorite fall/winter cookware.Thank you so much for sharing at the Friday Frenzy party, hope to see you again soon!
We will just love your Black Bean and Lentil Soup. Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with Full Plate Thursday. Have a great week and come back soon!
Miz Helen
This looks delicious! Thanks for joining HSH!
This looks delish! I love soups, and my crock pot–so this is perfect! I’m also loving how fiber packed this soup is with the beans and lentils! Pinned. Thank you for sharing at the Merry Monday Link Party!
I adore soups, as well! Warm, comforting, filling, frugal, and healthy. My kids don’t like cooked tomatoes either, so I appreciate recipes that make them disappear. Thanks so much for this one. Pinning it now. I can’t believe I’ve never made black bean soup before. No more excuses!
This looks like a simple, frugal, meal that will warm the belly. I will have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing at Simple Meals Friday. I shared it on my FB page and will be pinning it.
I just threw this into the slow cooker…it already smells wonderful! Thank you for the recipe.
What size can of diced tomatoes? I just threw this together this afternoon, I used a 14.5 oz. can but wanted to see which size you typically use. Thank you so much! I am really enjoying your blog.
I’m wondering the same thing. What size can of diced tomatoes??
A 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes is what I usually use!
I’ll have to replace black beans with adzuki, but I cracked and special ordered lentils this week! So good for you, and this looks very comforting right now! Thanks for linking up at Foodie Fridays!
If you want to find calories per serving you can copy and paste the recipe here. http://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
It comes out to be about 176 calories per serving, I believe.
Love this recipe!
Thanks Emily!