Lentil Soup Slow Cooker Style

Lentil Soup Slow Cooker Style

There's a diner about a half hour from home that serves "Bavarian lentil soup." I love this soup and order it whenever we go there. I've been trying for over a year to replicate it and finally came very, very close tonight. The ingredients seem like anything but Bavarian, but the soup is delicious and I will be making it often. I added a potato--because I had one--and thought it was a great addition, but you can leave it out.

Slow Cooker Easy Lentil Soup

Yield:  6 cups

INGREDIENTS

     4 cups (1 quart)  vegetable broth

• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 medium celery stalk, diced
• 1 small potato, diced
• 1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 
  
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 
  

INSTRUCTIONS

Place all the ingredients except the vinegar in a 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on the high setting for 4 hours. Turn setting to low and cook for 2 more hours, until lentils are tender.

1. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the red wine vinegar.