One of the best parts about the winter is the frequency with which I get to use my slow cooker. I’m always looking for easy and delicious recipes that don’t call for cream of whatever soup or 700 ingredients that I don’t have on hand. Enter Slow Cooker Sausage Lentil Soup!

A few years ago my mother-in-law was raving about this soup she had at a friend’s house and my husband–who hates soups and stews–was totally into it. I knew I had to try to copy the soup without ever having tasted it. So I did my usual look-up-bunch-of-recipes-and-then-make-up-my-own thing. And it worked! We invited my mother-in-law over to try and she said it was better than the one her friend had made. My husband loved it and the kids both eat it too (minus the sausage). It has definitely become one of our staples.

It’s also worth noting that I’d never had lentil soup before this. If you think you’d like lentils, try this soup and I promise you’ll change your mind. The crushed tomatoes and sausage give this an Italian flavor that is simply perfect.

Slow cooker sausage lentil soup a quick, easy, hearty winter dish that can easily be made vegetarian if you omit the sausage. If you like a little kick, add some crushed red pepper.

Slow Cooker Sausage Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 pound hot Italian sausage
• 1 Tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 (16 oz) package of dry lentils
• 2 cans of chicken broth
• 3-4 cups of water
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups chopped carrots
• salt & pepper (to taste)
• Parmesan cheese

 How to:

1. In a skillet, brown the sausage. (It doesn’t have to be cooked through–just browned.)

2. Rinse lentils.

3. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker except the last 2.

4. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or until lentils are tender.

5. Once the lentils are tender and you’re ready to serve the soup, cut up sausage into chunks and then return them to the slow cooker.  If you’re serving this soup to children (or others who don’t like it spicy) serve a few bowls BEFORE you cut up the sausage. That way the spiciness of the sausage won’t affect the soup.

6. Top each bow with Parmesan cheese and enjoy with some crusty bread!

 What’s your favorite soup recipe? Tell me in the comments!