Slow Cooker Chipotle Lentil Soup is a warm & comforting hearty soup that’s perfect for chilly Fall days! Chipotle peppers give it a bit of heat & great smoky flavor.
I just recently learned that lentils are part of the superfoods category called “pulses,” the dry, edible seeds of plants in the legume family, which also includes chickpeas, dry peas and beans. They’re naturally high in protein and fiber, but low in fat, and I’ve definitely noticed that after eating a meal containing pulses, I stay full for quite a while afterwards. That’s why I love sneaking them into my diet as part of my lunch routine.
This Slow Cooker Chipotle Lentil Soup is perfect to make ahead and then pack for lunches during the week. It’s got a smoky kick from the chipotle pepper, a nice tang from a good squeeze of lime juice, and a creamy texture due to the fact that I blend it up a bit at the end. The flavors are reminiscent of a great chili, but in my opinion, this chipotle lentil soup has a little something extra from the tanginess and creaminess. Plus, it’s totally vegetarian! I love to top my bowl with some fresh cilantro, avocado and sour cream…
If you’re looking for ways to eat healthier, sneaking pulses into your daily routine is definitely a great way to do it! Sign up for the Half-Cup Habit, and see how easy it can be to add ½ cup serving of pulses to your diet 3x per week. That’s totally doable, right?!
To get you started, here are three yummy recipes that incorporate lentils, and are perfect for make-ahead weekday lunches:
- Cheesy Southwestern Lentils & Brown Rice (made in the Instant Pot)
- Hearty Sausage, Kale & Lentil Soup
- Southwest Lentil & Brown Rice Salad
And, of course, let’s not forget the star of this post… Slow Cooker Chipotle Lentil Soup. Pile all the yummy ingredients into your crockpot in the morning and you’ll come home to this beautiful, smoky chipotle lentil soup that’s just perfect for these chilly fall evenings that we’ve been having lately. It’s warm and comforting and requires nothing from you after you come home from a long day at work… Meaning that all you have to do is pour the wine and decide which episode of Real Housewives you want to enjoy while slurping up this soup…
Slow Cooker Chipotle Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups red or brown lentils rinsed
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
- 1-2 chipotle peppers seeded & minced
- 7 cups vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tsp. adobo sauce from chipotle can
- 1/4 cup minced cilantro
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice
- Avocado for topping
- Sour Cream for topping
- Cilantro for topping
Instructions
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In a slow cooker, combine the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, lentils, cumin, oregano and chipotle peppers.
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Stir in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes and adobo sauce.
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Cook on LOW until the lentils are tender, 8 to 10 hours. Transfer 3 cups of the soup to a blender and let cool for about 15 minutes. Puree until the mixture is almost smooth. Pour the mixture back into the slow cooker. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro.
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Serve.
Wine Pairings for Smoky Chipotle Lentil Soup:
- Tempranillo, Zinfandel, and Malbec will stand up to the smoky heat in this lentil soup.
This post was sponsored by USA Pulses & Pulse Canada.
Looking for more soup recipes? Be sure to try these too:
Hungarian Mushroom Soup with Fresh Dill
Smoky Chipotle Potato Soup with Cheddar
I’m completely obsessed with soup lately! It’s just gotten cold here in upstate NY so its definitely time for lots of homemade soup = so I’ll definitely be making this! I actually just posted a Roasted Tomato Soup to my blog today in case you want to check it out!
I’m with you Christen – I’m ready for lots of yummy soup recipes this fall and winter! I’ll definitely need to check out your recipe!
Erin, this soup looks so perfect for fall! It sounds like the ideal soup to cozy up to by the fire and with a nice glass of wine. Can’t wait to make it!
I’ve got this recipe going in the slow cooker as I type! The recipe says to add Avocado to the blender, but the ingredient list doesn’t specify how much. So, how much did you use? Thanks!
Hi Nicole – Sorry about that. I’ve modified the recipe and it should be more clear now!
Okay, I just stumbled across this recipe and have all the ingredients on hand to make it! EXCEPT…a slow cooker. How can I adapt this to stove top?
Hi Nellie – I would bring everything to a boil and then let it simmer for an hour. Hope this helps!
This was very good! I like it spicy, so I added 3 chipotles with seeds! I also decided to blend all of the soup. Thanks!
So happy you liked it Robyn!
This was delicious! A really great twist on chili.
This was delicious! A really great twist on a chili-like soup.
I’m so happy you liked it Maddy!