Ingredients:

  • 1 lb brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 3 celery stalks, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, unsalted
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Combine the rinsed lentils, diced onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic in the slow cooker pot.
  2. Pour in the vegetable broth and diced tomatoes including the juice. Stir in the thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  3. Cover with the lid and set the slow cooker to Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours until lentils are tender.
  4. Turn the slow cooker off. Stir in the fresh spinach and let it wilt in the residual heat for 2-3 minutes.
  5. Stir in the lemon juice. Optionally, use an immersion blender to pulse the soup 3-4 times for a creamier consistency.