I had to cook dinner in a pinch and didn’t have much on hand, but lentils. I should have used Alison’s recipe she offered me last time, but I didn’t have access to the laptop. I’m getting awfully dependent on this thing!
So, I tried one with ham since my last one had no flavor. And I will try Alison’s lentil soup when we next have lentils.
Serves 10-12. Cooks for 3 hours.
What you’ll need:
5 cups of water
1 pound dried lentils
1 large onion
1-2 diced carrots
1 to 1 and 1/2 cup cooked ham, diced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon organic beef base diluted in 1 cup of hot water
2 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
How to Cook it:
Throw it all in the crock pot for about 3 hours on high.
End Result:
I’ll be honest, this one was just “okay.” I have discovered, I simply do not like ham. And maybe lentils just don’t have much to them, in the hopes of flavor or absorbing it. The soup was flavorful, much more so than my last try–because of the ham, but I’d like to try and flavor it without ham. So, I wasn’t sold on this one. What is up with the lentils? Why can’t I make them flavorful? Augh!
Any suggestions?
How do you make lentil soup?
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Jennifer
G.I. Crockpot 
Hi!
Yeah, I saw this one coming from 9 blocks away. Replace water with decent chicken broth. Brown applicable roots and herbs in an oil/butter mixture or in good lard (just enough to make it all happy). Piece out a smoked ham hock instead of ham. Then, toss in crock pot!
If hammy ain’t doing it for you, try andouille sausage browned. Oh yeah.
xo, Biggles
Thanks for the advice. Chicken broth, what was I thinking?! Genius.
Yeah, that whole water thing is to be avoided at all costs. For anything. Water dilutes. Something that just came to mind, roast a head of garlic and use that instead of the fresh. That will really turn the flavors around.
xo, Biggles
Roast an entire head of garlic? I don’t put the whole thing in there, do I?
Roasted garlic love! Take a look on google for the exact procedure. Naw, not the whole thing, but you do roast an entire head at once. Take a head of garlic, cut off the top of the head a bit to expose the cloves. Install to a piece of aluminum foil, make a boat for it. Drizzle extra virgin over the head, close up the foil boat and install to a 350 oven for 45 minutes or so. Then add as necessary to anything and everything! Especially mashed taters. Easily stores in fridge for quite some time until you’re ready.
xo, Biggles
Wow. Roasted garlic sounds great! Especially in taters, and so easy to make. I’m going to try this one this week!
Mmm, looks like good cold weather food. It was so chilly when I got up this morning!
JoAnn
Thanks JoAnn! And there’s nothing as heart-warming as the smell of cooking food when you come in the door—-which you put on hours ago before you left and have no one to thank but your smart self! ha!
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best ever recipe …1lb lentils….6 cups water …2 chicken and 2 beef (yes) bullion cubes….1 cup white table wine….1lb cubed ham….1 small onion cut up….salt and pepper to taste…..add all to crock pot cook 3 to 4 hours…..FANTASTIC…also for meatless use 2 to 3 teaspoons ham soup base also GREAT
Thanks JW for another recipe! I am determined to get the lentils down! I’m not giving up! Can’t wait to try it with the white wine. Good call!
I have to say, what makes lentils magical is a little clove or allspice – try simmering a small, peeled onion, whole, studded with about five whole cloves in the mix – browning the veggies and chicken stock, as mentioned above are musts.
I love lentils, but I don’t think they’re appreciated enough here in the US. Another little trick, use a little dollop of yogurt or sour cream on the top of the soup. It makes it!
Oh, thank you Frugal Hausfrau! I have had a time and a half with those lentils. I’ll try this for sure! Thank you!!