Yield: Serves 4–6 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 4–5 hours on High or 8–10 hours on Low
This dish uses one of my favorite soup tricks. Because the soup is simmered for so long in the slow cooker, there’s no need to remove the thyme leaves from the stems. By leaving them on, you can still enjoy the flavor in the soup without spending all that time removing the leaves.
INGREDIENTS
5 cups beef broth
1 cup red wine
1 pound smoked sausage, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices
1 (16-ounce) bag dried brown lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup sliced carrots
5–6 thyme sprigs
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
6 whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
DIRECTIONS
1. In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine the broth, wine, sausage, lentils, carrots, thyme, onion, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.
2. Cover and cook on High for 4 to 5 hours, until the lentils are tender.
3. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems, ladle into bowls, and serve.