Ingredients:

  • 1 lb brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over
  • 3 medium carrots, diced
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, with juices
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Place the rinsed lentils, diced carrots, celery, onion, and minced garlic into the slow cooker.
  2. Pour in the vegetable broth and diced tomatoes. Stir in the thyme, cumin, salt, and pepper, and nestle the bay leaf on top.
  3. Cover with the lid and set to High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours until the lentils are tender.
  4. Remove the bay leaf. Optional: Use an immersion blender to pulse the soup 3-4 times for a thicker texture.
  5. Stir in the fresh spinach and lemon juice. Let sit for 2 minutes until greens are wilted, then garnish with fresh parsley.