slow cooker lentil vegetable soup

prep: 30 MINUTES | slow cook: 5 HOURS ON HIGH OR 7 TO 8 HOURS ON LOW total: 5½ TO 8½ HOURS | serves 8 TO 10

This is the perfect soup for when you’re feeling under the weather or just in need of a steaming bowl of nourishing soup. It’s loaded with vegetables—sweet potatoes, carrots, peppers, and greens—plus lentils, which are packed with good-for-you protein. The secret to making this a household favorite, though, is pureeing it until it’s just about smooth with a little bit of texture from the veggies. All the boys know is that they’re eating a creamy, delicious soup that they can top with handfuls of Parmesan cheese. In the colder months, I always have a batch of this soup in the freezer so I can reheat a bowl for lunch.

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)

2 small russet potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 dried bay leaves

1½ cups green lentils, rinsed

7 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon dried rosemary

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 cups stemmed, chopped kale or spinach

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

1 In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine the onion, sweet potato, russet potatoes, carrots, celery, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, lentils, broth, turmeric, coriander, thyme, rosemary, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high heat for 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.

2 Stir in the lemon juice and discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in the slow cooker with an immersion blender. (Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly, then transfer to a blender to blend.) Blend until the soup reaches your desired consistency. I like to leave mine a little chunky, but you could go for completely smooth. Stir in the kale and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired. To freeze, let the soup cool completely before pouring it into one large freezer-safe container or several single-serving-sized containers. Freeze for up to 2 months.

NOTE: You can also make this soup in an Instant Pot:

Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté and heat the olive oil. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.

Add all of the other ingredients, except for the lemon juice and kale, and select Manual/Pressure Cook to cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. With a towel or hot pad, carefully move the steam release valve to vent to release any remaining pressure. Remove the Instant Pot lid and stir in the lemon juice and kale.