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close-up of slow cooker beef and lentil soup.
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5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Beef and Lentil Soup

This beef and lentil soup is filled with veggies, beef stew meat, and pantry staple seasonings and spices.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time6 hours 30 minutes
Total Time6 hours 40 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Author: Sarah Olson

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 32 oz. low-sodium beef stock
  • 3 carrots diced
  • 1 white onion diced
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 2 lbs. beef stew meat (or a chuck roast, cubed)
  • 1 lb. dried lentils green or brown
  • 2 cloves of garlic.
  • 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme about 1 tsp. dried
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. dried
  • ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. salt

WAIT TO ADD:

  • 3 cups chopped kale stems discarded
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Add a tbsp of olive oil to the slow cooker and add the garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and meat.
  • Go through the lentils and make sure there are no tiny rocks in them.
  • Add the lentils into the slow cooker.
  • Add the beef stock, fresh thyme and rosemary, the bay leaves, salt, and chili flakes.
  • Let cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
  • Remove the thyme stems and bay leaves. Add the chopped kale to the slow cooker and mix well. Let cook for 30 min /1 hour more.

Notes

I recommend using small lentils that retain shape well (brown or green or even black, even though these last ones are a bit pricier). Do not use red lentils since they are peeled, so in the end, you’ll end up with a stew with a cream consistency.
It’s not vital to soak the lentils, but whenever I can (and remember ha!) I always try to soak them for a couple of hours in advance. Soaking them makes them more digestive and removes the gas-causing compounds.
It is very common for lentils to come with tiny rocks, so it’s best to go through them and make sure there are no rocks in your final stew for obvious reasons.
Can I freeze this stew?
Whenever I make this I always make a big batch, so I can freeze some portions for the next weeks. It can stay in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 719mg | Potassium: 1163mg | Fiber: 25g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6174IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 6mg

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