Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup – a clean and simple soup made with onions, garlic, carrots, olive oil, squash, and LENTILS! Super healthy and easy to make.
The Best Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup
Ohhhhhh crockpot lentil soup. The love of my winter life.
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This soup is amazing! So easy to make and the flavors are very complex. Unlike anything I’ve made before. Absolutely love it!
Nicole
I see you, hungry reader whose life is crazy right now, who has a hard time finding the time to cook even though you love food, who opens the fridge to grab a quick lunch to take to work in the morning rush only to find NOTHING that seems good enough, who values the big bowl of comfort food pasta above all else, who is not asking for much other than GOOD FOOD that is made for REAL LIFE.
I see you. I know you think I’m not watching because I’m on the other side of this computer-ma-jig, but I’m watching (um, in a not-creepy and not-literal way – just felt like I should clarify. pls don’t leave.).
So since I see you and understand you because I am just like you in these feelings, today I honor you (us?) with this super cozy, big-time nutritious, easy to prepare soup.
This is called Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup, which means nothing scientifically as you’ll notice that my bowl of DETOX soup is topped with a few thick chunks of Parmesan cheese and served with that addicting crusty-warm bread. Right, about that. We did sneak a few good foods into this soup (kale, onions, garlic, carrots, and olive oil) and anyways, in my book, the best kinds of healthy foods are the ones that ACTUALLY TASTE GOOD.
And while this soup tastes good without the extras, it tastes BETTER with them. Cue the bread and cheese.
In This Post: Everything You Need To Make This Soup
- Watch How to Make Lentil Soup
- Ingredients for Lentil Soup
- How to Make Lentil Soup
- What to Serve with This Soup
- Lentil Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read?
Ingredients For Lentil Soup
This soup is jam-packed with so many wholesome, feel-good ingredients. Let’s count them up, shall we?
- butternut squash
- carrots, celery, and onion (or mirepoix)
- potatoes
- green lentils and yellow split peas (you can use more green lentils if you can’t find split peas)
- garlic
- broth
- herbs de provence
- kale and fresh parsley
- a swish of olive oil and red wine vinegar at the end
How To Make This Lentil Soup Recipe
As is my goal with most recipes I make for Pinch of Yum, this crockpot lentil soup was made for real life. Because it’s literally for my real life.
We’re starting with a solid base: onions, garlic, carrots, celery, spices, salt, and broth.
Then we’re getting awesome by adding butternut squash, which partially melts into a creamy textured miracle, lentils (always lentils), and yellow split peas because WOW color.
After all your feel-good vegetables simmer up into the best house smells and then we do the magic thing that takes it over the top: puree a portion of the soup with that olive oil to form a silky emulsion that then gets added back into the soup. YES PLZ 4EVR.
I ended mine with a splash of sherry and red wine vinegar because I’m currently having a moment with tangy foods.
What To Serve with Lentil Soup
There’s a lot going on in this soup, but if you want to round it out for a whole meal, I’d recommend a few extras:
- No Knead Bread (YES)
- No Knead Cheese Bread (DOUBLE YES)
- One-Ingredient Socca (yummy gluten-free flatbread for dipping purposes)
- A simple green salad (like this one!)
That’s it. That’s the soup. SO EASY. It requires a bit of front-end chopping to prep the veggies, but I’d guess it took me 30-45 minutes to cut everything up and get it in the crockpot, and in return I was gifted with 8 soup servings of this nutritious + cozy wonderfood. NOT A BAD DEAL.
Cheers to you and your people enjoying many glowing bowls of crockpot lentil soup for all the days to come. 👍👍👍
Lentil Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
What type of lentils should I use in this soup?
We’d recommend brown or green lentils. Red lentils are split which means they’ll soften a lot faster.
Can you make this soup in the Instant Pot?
Yes! Place the first group of ingredients below in the Instant Pot and cook on the soup setting for 30 minutes with a quick release at the end. Follow the same blending instructions and then add kale and parsley.
My lentils are still hard! How do I fix this?
Let the soup cook a little longer on the high setting to soften them up! If using the Instant Pot, you could re-pressurize to cook for another 5 minutes, or turn on the sauté mode until they soften.
How big of a crockpot or Instant Pot do I need to use?
This makes a lot of soup! We’d recommend at least a 6-qt. for both.
Can you freeze this lentil soup?
Yes! You could freeze leftovers to keep in the freezer for three months, or make it a freezer meal by following the instructions in the recipe card notes or by checking out this post.
The Best Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup
- Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup – a clean and simple soup made with onions, garlic, carrots, olive oil, squash, and LENTILS! Super healthy and easy to make.
Ingredients
Scale
For the crockpot:
- 2 cups butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
- 2 cups carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 2 cups potatoes (chopped)
- 2 cups celery (chopped)
- 1 cup green lentils
- 3/4 cup yellow split peas (or just use more lentils)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 8–10 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons herbs de provence
- 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
Add at the end:
- 2–3 cups kale (stems removed, chopped)
- 1 cup parsley (chopped)
- 1/2 cup olive oil – rosemary olive oil or other herb infused oil is delicious
- a swish of sherry, red wine vinegar, or lemon juice to add a nice tangy bite
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
- Place about 4 cups of soup in a blender with the olive oil. Pulse gently until semi-smooth and creamy-looking (the oil will form a creamy emulsion with the soup). Add back to the pot and stir to combine. Stir in the kale and parsley. Turn the heat off and just let everything chill out for a bit before serving. The taste gets better with time and so does the texture, IMO!
- Season to taste (add the sherry, vinegar, and/or lemon juice at this point) and to really go next level, serve with crusty wheat bread and a little Parmesan cheese. It’s called Detox Balance. 😉
Equipment
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Notes
Instant Pot Instructions: Place same first group of ingredients in the Instant Pot using only 6-7 cups of broth instead and cook on the soup setting for 30 mins with a quick release. Follow the same blending instructions and then add kale and parsley.
Freezer Meal Version
- Freeze together:
2 cups chopped butternut squash, fresh or frozen
2 cups mirepoix, fresh or frozen
1-2 cups chopped potatoes, fresh or frozen
1 cup uncooked brown lentils
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (or other spices you like)
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
4-5 cups vegetable or chicken broth - Instant Pot Instructions: From frozen, 15 minutes on high pressure + 10 minutes natural release.
- Slow Cooker Instructions: From frozen, 6 hours on high.
- Final Step: Blend a little of the soup with 1/4 cup olive oil, return to pot, and stir in 1-2 cups chopped kale. Finish with some lemon juice or red wine vinegar.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: lentil soup, crockpot soup, slow cooker soup, vegetarian soup, vegan soup
More Delicious Crockpot Soup Recipes:
- Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Queso Chicken Chili with Roasted Corn
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One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our collection of best healthy soups. Check it out!
Filed Under: All Recipes Carrot Dairy-Free Dinner Fall Gluten-Free Healthy Kale Legume Main Dishes Most Popular Quick and Easy Slow Cooker Soups Stovetop Sugar-Free Vegan Vegetarian
February 24, 2021
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
Did you make a recipe? Tag @pinchofyum on Instagram so we can find you!
i love that you put tons of veggies in here, and added a bit of parm at the end (detox without balance is plain sad).
Love the recipes, but would love the nutritional information. I am diabetic and it is important info.
Sorry 😁 my eyes were still asleep.
Also what is serving size for your nutritional information can be grams or ounces but 8 servings is not helpful for diabetics..
I think it could be helpful to remember that this is a free recipe and that you’re not paying for diet-specific information. Please be kind!
This was really good with such an interesting flavor! Even my inlaws enjoyed it—and they were definitely skeptical about the name of it. Delicious!
Hi. This looks delicious. Can I use frozen butternut squash chunks in lieu of fresh? If so, do I need to thaw it first? Thanks!
as I’m not the author, but have cooked a lot I’ll say no you don’t need to defrost the squash. I’m also thinking of just using frozen squash. It’s going to be much easier to handle.
When I clicked on the Lentil recipe, I wasn’t expecting to see butternut squash needed. I may try it without. I have everything but that.
Did you make it already and how was it?
Happy Cooking
Hi! Yes, we think that’d be a great shortcut! You shouldn’t need to thaw first.
Wow I cannot wait to try this detox soup. It looks yummy!!!
http://www.arugulaandrocket.com
This is one of my favourite soup recipes, I make it all the time. Do you think I could replace the kale with cabbage or would that be yucky.
I always keep a can of Amy’s Organic Lentil Stew in my pantry for days when I just can’t seem to get dinner together. Keeping some of this in the freezer looks like an even better idea!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
I suggest seeing a doctor because it sounds like you’re having severe lived problems. Your liver removes all toxins/bad stuff for you, so if you’re having to “detox” yourself, your liver is probably failing.
Wooww that’s not at all what this is talking about but okay. And hello there are plenty of toxins we expose our bodies to on a daily basis that your liver is unable to fully filter out no matter how healthy it is. Eating good healthy food does actually help with that. It boosts your liver as well as your digestive and immune system. Don’t comment on something just for the sake of being rude.
Umm, nope.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/dec/05/detox-myth-health-diet-science-ignorance
The recipe looks lovely, but it should not be described as ‘detox’.
Just love this video, lots of silly people out there fall for all the nonsense re detox don’t they realise they are only out to get your money and laugh all the way to the bank!
agree, this all detox, fat burning food is confusing and pointless.
Of course you can detox. You change what you are eating and your body purges out the bad stuff you had in it. It’s how people cute their diabetes or high cholesterol. For those who can stick with it. I have detoxed several times and had crazy amazing results that we could see in my bloodwork. I will take that any day over some article some random person wrote. Where is there real proof. I have proof. And so does my mom. All you have is there opinion. Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it and measured it.
I fully agree with your comment. You eat the right foods – you reap the benefits. I feel way better on a plant-based diet. It’s true
Haha agreed. The ‘detox’ gimmick has gone too far. On another note, I made this soup and it is divine, even without the promise of ‘inner purity’.
I think the whole “detox” thing was written as a joke and yes, to catch more readers. I don’t think any lentil soup is detoxifying, but yes, celery and kale are foods that help detoxify the body when eaten minus the soup. Lol
it’s the broth that has all the healing power! 🙂 especially if it is bone broth made from pastured chickens! there is a reason why soup is so life-giving!
I’m always looking for nice, delicious veggie en vegan recipes. Every time I read something like ‘you can use veggie or chicken sto
This is the best soup ever I tried and I am a lentil lover wow.
Christy, if you don’t like it just leave instead of being smarty pants. You are not just rude you are uneducated because if you know the nutrition value of lentils you will say something like that.
Hi! Loved this soup but I don’t have my own crockpot. Is there a way to make this without one? Thanks!
Yes, you can easily make this on the stovetop. Saute the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in olive oil. Add in the seasonings. Then add in the lentils, peas, potatoes, squash, and broth. Simmer until the veggies are tender. Then continue onto Step #2 of the recipe!
Thanks. I’m making one in a crockpot and one in a Le Creuset DouFeu. Will combine the two later. I was curious about cooking time on a stovetop.
Great question. We’ve never tested this on the stove, so it’s hard to give an exact cook time. I’d start with 30 minutes, test the tenderness of the vegetables, and add more time if needed!
Christy, you seem to be one of those people who assume a little bit of knowledge gives you full knowledge. It doesn’t. It should just make you want to learn more. If you don’t follow up and learn nothing more, you were better off not knowing anything at all.
This is one of my favourite soup recipes, I make it all the time. Do you think I could replace the kale with cabbage or would that be yucky.
I suggest you see a doctor because perhaps your brain is failing. Just because she called the soup “detox” does not mean she thinks she is detoxing her body.
You might want to learn to spell before sending a message. It “Might help so that you don’t sound like a complete fool. OR, use spell check 😉
Back on subject: soup sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try It.
You sound very unintelligent
This recipe looks delish and I have most ingredients already. Did you use dry lentils and split peas? Thx!
Very funny LOL
My comment was in regards to Christys comment!
This recipe was wonderful! ThankYou!
I find it ridiculous that the only comment you could find to make was this stupid thinking. You are so wrong in your statement you sound like an idiot
Love this soup. Do you think I could sub the yellow split peas with red lentils? Thanks.
Yes, absolutely!
“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothin’ at all…” (Bambi, 1942). Looking forward to healthy hearty lentil soup lunches this week.
er Christy….d’uhhhhh……
Can you make this in the Instant Pot?
You can! From the FAQs: Place the first group of ingredients below in the Instant Pot and cook on the soup setting for 30 minutes with a quick release at the end. Follow the same blending instructions and then add kale and parsley.
Soup soup soup! I used to hate soup because my mom would make it eve-ry single day and it tasted so méh to me… but now, I I learned to make it myself from scratch. Chopping those onions, stirring all the veggies, mixing it all and poooff adding a little parmezan. Yes! I already made soup today but I’m gonna add this one to my ‘to make’ list. Thanks Lindsay
xx B
Virtual HI FI lindsay!!
I made a similar soup but with loads and loads of garlic ! It is for sure a detox..lovey anything veggies and green’s!
This looks so cosy. I love soups with split peas in them as they’re so satisfying and filling even without the bread. But of course the bread makes everything better and the cheese is just a no-brainer! Gorgeous photos as always!
Thoughts on using sweet potatoes instead of regular? I have a few that probably need used up before I buy more potatoes.
Did you end up using sweet potatoes? I am also wondering if using them would be okay, they are my favorite.
I made using sweet potato instead of squash and it was DELICIOUS!!
That’s me sorted for tonight then!!! I was thinking about using sweet potatoes as i don’t have squash in the fridge today. thanks!
Looks great, love the bowl, where did you get it?
How was the sweet potatoes in the soup? I though of doing that as well. Making it tomorrow in crock pot cooking it all day. I love the idea of putting cups of if in the blender. I like that texure. That sounds yummy. I love soup pkease send more
I can’t wait to make this soup. It’s got everything I love to eat. I plan to pair it with a loaf of 5 minute Artisan bread and of course the cheese. Thank you for sharing.
I made the soup with rutabaga, a.low calorie, healthy substitute for white potatoes. Just discovering this alternative which held together in the soup. The soup is delicious.
I used both sweet potatoes and regular and didn’t bother peeling them as that’s where a lot of the nutrition is. It came out DELISH!
Mmmm! I made a soup really similar to this the other day, but now i’m wishing I had added split peas to it! Also I made a easy vegan parm cheese with almonds and nutritional yeast if you decide to go the full “detox” route 🙂
Can you tell me how to make that vegan parm?? Sounds delicious, and I’ve got almonds and nutritional yeast in my pantry right now!
Have all the ingredients and can’t wait to try the soup. I have some vegan parm 😉 So simple, fist full of cashews, tablsp nutritional yeast, garlic powder and some salt. Blitz. Yum on lentil spag bol.
I second the request for the vegan parm recipe! 😊
for a good recipe for vegan parmesan go to the Minimalist Baker website. I have used their recipe and it is great!
can’t wait to try
Can’t wait to try!
Love the soup bowl? Where can I get something like that?
Yes! Where are these bowls from? Please tell – I’ve been searching all over the internet for them!
Your photos are always such a pleasant thing to wake up to! Love this soup! So much.
This may be a silly question, but should dry beans or canned beans be used? I assumed dried but want to be sure before I ruin dinner for all of us! Can’t wait to try this!
I have the same question… did you receive a response?
Hi there! This recipes calls for dried beans. Enjoy! 🙂
I usually soak beans first as, well you know what they can do to your system without soaking. Did anyone soak first?
I’m wondering the same. Does the cook time change if I soak the lentils the night before? Or is that not necessary when cooking in crock pot?
Hi Linda and Megan:
Split peas and lentils do not require soaking.
While not a have-to, pretty much all grains and legumes get soaked at my house. I would soak in salted water, rinse well, and proceed with the recipe. You might want to go with the lesser cooking time, but crockpots can vary so much anyway.
I didn’t soak the lentils and split peas but I think I will next time. And yes, the soup was delicious and definitely there will be a next time! The dried legumes were still a bit crunchy after 8 hours in the crockpot so I’ll try soaking them first.
I made this soup yesterday, enough for lunches all week…healthy choices! It is delicious:) I did it in the InstaPot, took about 1.5hr in total:)
Thank you so much!
Hi Lindsay, love your blog. This soup is right up my alley and it’s on my “make soon” list. Any idea how large each serving would be?
This looks so comforting! Love crock pot recipes! 🙂
I think the only thing those photos are missing is a warm fire in the background because all that cozy and vivid color just has me curled up with a blanket! This is what my sickly (recovering) self is craving and then you added lentils and a crockpot…SOLD. <3
Looks easy enough! I’m hoping to prep this tonight for dinner tomororw, but I have sweet potatoes at home. Think they could be used instead of the regular potatoes or butternut squash?
Yes! I would use them in place of the squash so that it doesn’t get overly sweet (the squash itself is already pretty sweet). 🙂
what would be the best kind of potato to use.. I am guessing Russet but for some reason I can never remember and the ones I use turn a funny colour when I use them in soup.
Did you ever get a response for what kind of potato to use? I’m seeing this for the first time and it sounds amazing!!
This looks amazing! I have never tried a lentil soup in the crock pot. I make butter bean soup in the slow cooker which is amazing. Funny too that I just reposted it last night with new pictures. http://www.homeecathome.com/the-home-economist/slow-cooker-butter-bean-soup You would die if you saw the old picture. It was seriously bad! I will have to put this soup on my “to make” list.
Funny! but I’m sure I wouldn’t laugh – I’ve taken some bad pictures in my day, too. 🙂 Thanks for the comment Faith!
Hi! I only have a big bag of red lentils, do you think they would work in this soup? I know they get way more mushy than the green ones.
Thanks!
Hmm we’re not sure that red lentils would work well here since, like you said, they cook faster and might overcook if you cook the soup for the same amount of time. You could try cooking the lentils separately and adding them to the soup once everything is done.
Hi Lindsay! Love your recipes!! Could you tell me what kind of potatoes you used?
Thanks so much for sharing these delicious recipes!!
Luane
I cooked lentil soup by adding various veggies depending of season, but adding butternut squash for additional creaminess is something I just have to try it – asap 🙂
yes!! you will love it, Jasmin!
My obsession with lentils is strong lately so this soup is calling my name.
Same here Nicole! 🙂
Just finished this recipe at 3:30am because when I came across it on Facebook it was about 4pm and I couldn’t wait to try it because it looked so good! I mist say it came out delicious! Well worth waking up in the middle of the night! I’m also obsessed with lentil soup and split pea soup and was afraid to learn the recipe because I knew I’d be making it all the time. We’ll, I already can’t wait to make this delicious soup again!
Wow! Glad to hear it, Nicole!
I so want to try this! My problem is that with my work schedule I’m usually out of the house for at least 9 hours, sometimes more, and most things in the crockpot turn to mush by then. Any suggestions? Do you think this dish will hold up for that long?
I do, if you turn it on low. It gets mushy anyways, like the squash sort of breaks down which is why the broth is more creamy and yellow. Otherwise if you’re really nervous I would make it on a weekend – it makes so much that then you’d have it for the week. 🙂
I use a light timer to turn on and turn off crockpot so food does not get mushy or over cooked.
This is why I read the comments section. I never would have thought of using a light timer; thank you so much.
Ohhh…a light timer..that’s clever..I like that.
BRILLIANT, Pipa!!!!! Never had the thought cross my mind, This soup is so delicious so your idea makes it even easier for weekdays
Do you have a crockpot with a timer? Mine will switch to “Keep Warm” after the cooking time. I use it ALL the time!
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004P2NG0K?keywords=crock%20pot%20with%20timer&qid=1456194243&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1)
I actually had an issue with the lentils and split peas getting soft, even after 7 hours and wound up leaving it cooking all night long! I turned it down to super low (I have temperature settings, not low/high) and it was fine in the morning. We didn’t eat that night and are about to dig in tonight!
During the week I’ll make things like this overnight and then reheat for supper. It takes care of the “away a bit too long problem” during the day but most of all it give some time for the flavors to blend together.
Cue bread and cheese ALWAYS! Love that shot of the peas & lentils, so beautiful!
This is EXACTLY the sort of thing I want to come home to after a long day in the lab. Crusty bread and cheesy topping a must.
This looks amazing! Would this freeze well?
Yes definitely! 🙂
Wow. I am not really a soup guy, but my wife is. In the nearly four years we’ve been married, I have never made her soup before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. This wasn’t my first PinchOfYum.com recipe, so I knew from experience that it was likely going to be good.
Long story short, she was dealing with some cramps this morning before work and I was working from home all day so I decided to surprise her with this. I ran to the store, got all the ingredients I didn’t have and got right to work. Took me about 45 minutes to an hour to prep and then I put it in the slow cooker for about 5 1/2 hours on high. I only have a 4 qt slow cooker, so what I did was I put in 6 cups of vegetable broth and then later at the final step I transferred to a large pot and added an extra two cups after taking out the 4 cups to put in the blender with the olive oil, then just left on low heat for a bit.
I asked my wife for a rating from 1-10 and she gave it a 100, saying it’s the best lentil soup she’s ever had shy of her late grandmother’s (which is obviously irreplaceable for psychological reasons). She was in disbelief that I, a man who hardly cooks and had never made soup, was able to make such a delicacy for her. She was so excited to have soup leftovers for the week since it’s just the two of us.
I am so grateful to the people running this site. Between this and the pad thai, I think I have enough here to keep my marriage alive for decades.
We’re thrilled to hear this, Adam! So glad the recipe was a hit. Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
How long will this last in the fridge after it’s made?
Also if it’s stored in an air vaccume sealed container, thanks!
We’d say it’s best for about 5-7 days.
I have a bag of lentils burning a hole in my pantry and was going to make classic Greek lentil soup this week–change of plans!!
Thoughts on using frozen butternut squash for this? I have a bag that I’ve had for MONTHS, but I’m worried it’ll water down the soup too much. And since everything goes in at once, I’m worried I won’t be able to adjust for the extra moisture (if there is any). Thanks in advance!
since it does kind of get mushy/pureed I think you’d be just fine. 🙂
Oh, and with regards to the extra moisture, you could just cut out a cup or two of liquid and then add more if needed!
Thank you!! I made this yesterday and it is FAB. I made some adjustments:
– sweet potatoes for reg potaotes
– no squash
– a full cup of yellow peas/1.5 cups lentils/8 cups of broth (I wanted it a little less soup-y)
– skipped the blending part (to make oil-free)
– only cooked for 4ish hours on high (impatient!!)
Served with shaved parm and rye Wasa crackers. SO GOOD!! Thank you again!
Sounds yummy, Vikki!