Slow Cooker Smoky Lentil Soup
A one-pot meal that's a hit with the entire family. Our Smoky Lentil Soup with vegetables uses green lentils which have a nice earthy flavor and sturdy texture that will hold their shape when cooked and will thicken the soup without being mushy. It's healthy, loaded with protein, and absolutely delicious. You’ll add more smoky flavor with The Olive Tap's Smoked Bacon Sea Salt and a splash of our Hickory Balsamic Vinegar before serving.
Ingredients:
- 2-4 Smoked ham hocks
- 1 Cup dried Green Lentils
- 1 ½ cups chopped, celery.
- 2 medium carrots, chopped.
- 1 medium onion, chopped.
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced.
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 32 ounces chicken broth
- 1 cup of water
- 8 teaspoons tomato sauce.
- ½ tsp The Olive Tap’s Smoked Bacon Sea Salt
Hickory BBQ Riserva Balsamic Vinegar to drizzle before serving.
Optional Sliced Green Onion or chopped parsley garnish
Directions:
This soup can be made Vegan, by simply eliminating the smoked ham hocks and substituting chicken for vegetable broth.
Combine Ham Hocks, lentils, celery, carrots, onion and garlic in a 3 ½ qt. or larger slow cooker. Add Italian seasoning, pepper and bay leaves. Stir in chicken broth, water and tomato sauce.
Cover and cook on high for 5 hours.
If using ham hocks, remove them from the slow cooker and allow to cool. Break off tender pieces of meat and add back to pot. Mix well. Discard Bay leaves.
Top each serving with a sprinkle of Smoked Bacon Sea Salt and drizzle with Hickory Riserva Balsamic to taste.
Recipe by Rick