Last Updated on August 21, 2026 by Deliciously Organic Editor
Lentil soup is a comforting and nourishing meal during the colder months of the year.
Lentils contain physic acid, so they need to soak the night before making the soup. It can sound like a difficult process, but it actually takes about 1-2 minutes of hands-on work.
You’ll also notice that I cook the chard before adding it to the soup. I do this because dark leafy greens, like chard, contain goitrogens. Goitrogens can inhibit the uptake of iodine into the thyroid, so it’s best to cook these kinds of vegetables before adding them to your soups or stews.
This soup makes enough to feed a crowd, so I like to make it when friends or family are coming over. I love serving the soup with some grain-free “white” dinner rolls – they make the perfect accompaniment!
PrintLentil Soup with Swiss Chard and Sausage
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: Serves 8-10
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 bunches Swiss chard
- 2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt
- 1/4 cup tomato paste (I prefer Eden Organic)
- 2 cups dry lentils, soaked overnight and drained (After they've soaked, you will have about 4-5 cups of lentils. Use all of these lentils in the soup.)
- 1 (24 ounce) jar crushed tomatoes (I prefer Eden Organic)
- 6 cups homemade chicken stock
- 2 pounds pastured sausage links, cut into 1/4-inch thick coins
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in onion, carrots and celery. Turn heat to low, cover pot with lid and let cook for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring another pot of water to boil. Add the Swiss chard to the boiling water and cook for 8 minutes. Drain.
- Remove the lid that contains the vegetables, stir in the sea salt and tomato paste, and increase heat to medium. Add the drained lentils. Cook the lentils, stirring frequently, until some begin to turn golden brown on the edges, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stock and sausage. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, about 8-10 minutes.
- When lentils are tender, stir in the cooked chard. Season with ground black pepper and adjust sea salt to taste. Serve.
I don’t have any favorites yet – would love to own one to try it out!!
Looks yummy!
Dear Carrie
Once again you hit it way out the ball park – love your recipes!
My Dr.recently suggested cutting out nightshades (for Hashimoto’s).
What is your take on it – as I’ve undestood it as say in the case of tomatoes here, to just use it without the skins? Am I missing something here?
Love
Liez
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! We’ve found at our practice that unless you have joint pain or arthritis, nightshades can be a part of a thyroid-healing diet.
Any types of soup, it just makes my life easier.
Looks like a delicious winter meal
My favorite crock pot recipe is my dad’s chicken soup recipe. It reminds me of home, it’s easy, and it’s SO yummy!
Love slow cookers! and this soup looks delish! got to try
Delicious – making it this week.
That soup looks delicious. I will have to make it this week. Thank you for the recipe!
My favorite slow cooked recipe is stew. It is so handy to put meat, potatoes and carrots into the slow cooker in the morning and forget about it until dinner.
There is no link but my pot roast is my favorite recipe!
That looks and sounds delish! Now I want a crock pot!
My go to crock out recipe is shredded chicken…a couple chicken breasts, a cup of salsa, a little water….good stuff!
I love making pulled pork.
Here are two favorites:
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/29/recipe-easy-slow-cooker-refried-beans/
http://weelicious.com/2012/01/11/beef-stew-in-the-crock-pot/
Slow cooker pulled pork! Recipe is from a friend:)
I was looking for a Lentil Soup recipe. This one looks good and because there’s sausage, my husband will actually eat this!
I do not have a crock pot yet;)
looks yum!!!
Love my slow cooker! It is so frequently used that two of the buttons refuse to work anymore…might be time for a new one!
This recipe is the bomb!
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/12/03/recipe-best-pulled-pork-crock-pot/
I stick a whole chicken in for 4 hours, take the meat off and then make bone broth! Because I do this so often, I really need another crockpot so that I can make OTHER stuff at the same time! 🙂
Lemon pepper crockpot chicken! Yummy!
One of my current favorite slow cooker recipes is from Real Simple magazine:
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/sausage-kale-stew-00100000110509/index.html
I’ve tried it with russet potatoes, but will likely use sweet potatoes next time to give a better flavor. It’s very similar to your recipe, and basically just replaces the lentils with potatoes.
Here’s my favorite slow cooker recipe http://recipes.prevention.com/Recipe/SpicedLentilSoup.aspx It’s delicious! I need a new slow cooker.
My favorite crockpot recipe is a Taste of Home recipe for shredded beef. You can use it for sandwiches, as the recipe indicates, or serve it with mashed potatoes, fill tortillas with it, or just eat it on its own. It’s delicious! http://www.takingonmagazines.com/shredded-beef-sandwiches-from-taste-of-homes-slow-cooker-recipe-cards-magazine-october-2013/
My favorite crock pot recipe is a bolognese sauce
I like to make a chicken and wild rice soup.
so many, whole chicken with root veggies, use my own broth, also do cut up chicken with whatever veggies are in season, do roast a lot of my veggies add any juices from them and use at end of cooking time. The occasional pork roast to shred and then offer different sauces and an array of side dishes so everyone picks their own sauce and dishes. Love crockpot usage! Off to make that lentil soup looks so so yummy!!
my reason is I only have a small one and would love to have one big enough to try different recipes, thank you~~~~~~
Slow cooker honey sesame chicken:
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/01/slow-cooker-honey-sesame-chicken-recipe.html
My favorite crock pot dish is my husband’s beef stew. It’s pretty basic – stew meat, carrots, potatoes, celery, spices, chicken stock, etc. – but I love that about it, too. We serve it with fresh biscuits or bread and it’s divine.
Sounds delicious!
I like overnight oatmeal.
Love to make overnight chicken stock in my crockpot.
Lentil and sausage soup is amazing. This version looks so tasty! I will have to try it! Pinning.. 😉
One of my favorite slow cooker soups is chicken tortilla soup. Just add a few chicken breasts, two cans of tomatoes with chilies, 4 cups of chicken broth and spices–>cumin, chili powder, paprika, and pepper. It is so good. If I have extra time I’ll add in an onion, mushrooms, and perhaps a zucchini or two 🙂 If you can eat beans Emily’s 4 bean chili from Daily Garnish is amazing in the slow cooker! Just put it in and leave it on low all day.
http://www.dailygarnish.com/recipes?recipe_id=6033109
Cooked apples. OMG they are so good. Chop apples, sprinkle with cinnamon and set on low. Near the end you can sprinkle toffee chips on top. Serve with homemade ice cream—even in the winter!!! OH yea YUM
I like to make mongolian beef!
I love my crockpot and it would be difficult to chose just one favorite recipe. My crockpot is on-duty several days per week roasting chickens, making bone broth, in addition to creating wonderful soups and other recipes for my family. My crockpot is actually getting a bit old, so I would love to win a new one!
I just made YOUR potato soup and it was GOOD!
I love making shredded chicken for sandwiches.
I can’t wait to make this soup in my “new” crock pot :o), I believe!
My favorite food to make in the crock pot is shredded beef for tacos. A chuck roast, seasoned with salt and pepper then brown on all sides and put in the crock pot with beef broth, an onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper and a bay leaf. Cook all day. The family loves it!
I love to make soups and stews in my crock pot.
My favorite crockpot meal is probably Kalua pork or, better yet, “Deconstructed Slow Cooker Lau Lau” from the Honolulu Advertiser. Brings a taste of Hawaii to my cold mainland home.
I absolutely love using my slow cooker and it doesn’t have to be winter 🙂 here are a few of my favorites that I have done a few times. I do make some adjustments as I don’t use traditional sugars, I use organic coconut palm sugar and evaporated cane juice while still sugars they aren’t as refined and chemically changed.
http://addapinch.com/cooking/2012/10/25/balsamic-roast-beef-recipe/
http://mmmisformommy.com/2011/09/easy-barbecued-ribs.html
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/pomegranate-merlot-lamb-shanks.html
I like to take advantage of crockpot meals. Thanks for the recipe AND the opportunity to win this Kitchen Aid crockpot!
I love crock pot split pea soup!
I like to make chicken stock in the crock pot.
salsa chicken
http://www.food.com/recipe/easy-crock-pot-salsa-chicken-16687
Cooking a chuck roast in the crockpot. Brown meat. Season with garlic and rosemary. Place in dry crockpot on a bed of onions. Cook on low for about 5 hours. Yummy!
I haven’t experimented very much with a crockpot. The one thing that I do successfully is a pot roast and vegies. It is nice to come home to dinner smelling so good and being ready to eat! I would really love to try perpetual broth though.
This recipe looks delicious! Can’t wait to give it a try! My typical crockpot meal is a pot roast with vegetables.
Hi Carrie-
Thank you for the many recipes, advice and inspiration! I would love a crock pot. One of my new favorite recipes is the Lisa Leake 100 days of Real Food baked beans and also the Crock Pot Chicken is super easy.
This soup looks delicious! I have worn my slow cooker insert right out from so much use, desperately need a new one! I use it for everything I can, homemade broths, taco meat, beef stroganoff, thai curries…
Pot roast in the slow cooker is my latest fav, but a bigger one would sure be nice!
Oh forgot the links, here are a few family favorites…
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2008/04/the-ultimate-beef-stroganoff.html
http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2011/03/08/slow-cooker-mexican-pulled-pork-tacos/
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/29/recipe-easy-slow-cooker-refried-beans/
I mostly use it to make bone broth. Bones, water and sometimes onion, carrot, and herbs. It’s an easy way to have good broth on hand.
Salsa Chicken
I love to make any meats along with any vegetables in my crock pot! Soups, stews, or just meats on their own – I love my crock pot! Pulled pork is probably my familiy’s favorite 🙂 Thanks for this great soup recipe – I can’t wait to try it!
I like making small roasts in my slow-cooker. If I win this size slow-cooker, I’ll have one large enough to make bone broth, which is my goal. Thanks for the contest giveaway!
My favourite crock pot recipe is my own roast beef dinner that I throw together.
We enjoyed this recipe recently (our family is eating GAPS food):
http://passionatepennypincher.com/2013/11/white-chicken-or-turkey-slow-cooker-chili/
Most of what we make is without a recipe, so I can’t link to most of them!
I love homemade chicken soup. Just vegetables and chicken, no carbs.
Taco chicken bowls has become one of our new favorites. I left out the corn and actually forgot to add the seasonings, the beans, chicken and salsa made it very flavorful still. Some people embellished it with more veges (like a salad), in a tortilla or over rice. Super easy and yummy!
http://www.budgetbytes.com/2011/07/taco-chicken-bowls/
I can vouch for this recipe! Made it is was absolutely delicious and shared it with some friends they also really enjoyed it! Sure could use a new crock pot and this one looks like great fun!
I love to do a whole chicken in a crockpot and then make broth. Yum!
I like any soup that you can make in a crock pot.
Soup looks great
I love to make all kinds of soups.
I love making stock in the crockpot and hot dips.
I don’t have any links to recipes, but I use my slow cooker to make steel cut oats for breakfast all the time, sometimes with apples and cinnamon. I use it to cook a pot of beans. Way easier than the stovetop and they always have great texture. I also love how easy it is to throw together an impromptu soup or stewby throwing in any meat or veggies I have available. This looks like an amazing slow cooker!
I like to use my crockpot for making perpetual chicken bone broth.
I love using my crockpot for a quick meal on nights where we need to eat fast.
My husband used to be in charge of picking up a honey baked ham for our holiday events. Until I found a recipe for making a delicious and easy spiral cut ham in the crockpot. (I found this recipe on a different blog so I’m hesitant to give her credit here.) But this recipe has saved us tons of money, time and from missing out on great ham. Of course, I have lots of favorite slow-cooked favorites, but for the holidays, this is the one I think of.
My husband used to be in charge of picking up a honey baked ham for our holiday events. Until I found a recipe for making a delicious and easy spiral cut ham in the crockpot. (I found this recipe on a different blog so I’m hesitant to give her credit here.) But this recipe has saved us tons of money, time and from missing out on great ham. Of course, we have lots of slow-cooked favorites, but for the holidays, this is the one I think of.
I love using a crockpot to make delicious meals that are quick and easy!
This soup looks like a wonderful contrast to all the holiday turkey and sides. Thanks for sharing!
I like to put a whole pork tenderloin in a slow cooker and let it cook all day on low. I only add salt and pepper. It always turns out fork tender. The whole family loves it!
Soups and stews, overnight steel cut oats, ghee made in the crockpot…I can’t decide which is my favorite of those!
I make mostly meat dishes in my crock pot
My favorite crockpot recipe is salsa chicken! When shredded, we put them in tortillas and make soft chicken tacos.
Good old-fashioned pot roast. =)
An Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana copy-cat recipe that uses cauliflower instead of potatoes, is our fave! Yum!
My favorite crockpot recipe is apple cinnamon oatmeal!
Homemade chili.
Whole crockpot chicken from 100 days of real food
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/02/25/recipe-the-best-whole-chicken-in-a-crock-pot/
I don’t have a crock pot. I make soups on the stove but I’m thinking a crock pot would be perfect way to have a hot meal ready when we come home from skiing!
I LOVE the crockpot!!! So easy, fast, and convenient! Merry Christmas!
Chicken curry from The Lemon Bowl. It is so yummy.
http://thelemonbowl.com/2013/05/slow-cooker-chicken-curry.html
chicken tikka masala requires some work before you put it in the crockpot, but totally worth it!
Roast, carrots and potatoes or any soup really! I would love this crockpot! Merry Christmas Carrie! 🙂
I don’t have a crockpot. I would love to win one so I could make stock. I make my stock in a pot now.
I love making pork loin in the crock pot. I mix up 1/3 cup low sodium cup soy sauce, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp dry mustard, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 Tbsp molasses & pour on a 1lb pork loin. Cook on low. I usually make a lot of sauce & cook a larger pork loin, as it makes great leftovers for sandwiches or an Asian flavored meal. The sauce is good on rice. I’ve even put this on a frozen pork loin & let it cook on low all day. Yummy!
What a beautiful soup recipe and fun giveaway! Hope you all are doing well and enjoying a sunny sandy Christmas in FL! Blessings, sweet friend, Kelly
I love to make Chicken Tikka Masala in the crockpot
‘Fake’ baked beans is one of my favourites for the crockpot!
I can’t wait to make the Lentil, Swiss Chard recipe …maybe I’ll wait until I win the crockpot! hee hee
Making chicken stock in the crock pot is easy and delicious!
I love using my crockpot! One of my favorite meals to make (which make enough for dinner, lunch the next day, and then tons more for the freezer for lazy days!) is this crockpot pulled pork from Civilized Caveman Creations!
http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/crockpot/sweet-crockpot-pulled-pork/
My favorite crockpot recipe is chili. Sometimes I follow a recipe, but most times I don’t. Makes each batch uniquely delicious! Other top items I like to use a crockpot for are whole chickens, pot roast, and apple butter. So yummy!!!
My favorite thing to cook in a slow cooker is a big pork roast til it’s falling apart.
Yum!
I love the Franks RedHot Sauce Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe in the crock pot !
My favorite crockpot recipe is just a simple crockpot oatmeal! And adding whatever mix-ins and/or toppings I am in the mood for 😉
The soup and the crock pot both look amazing!!
100 Days of Real Food has a crock pot recipe for roast chicken. I love it!
I don’t have a real recipe, but I love making bone broth in my crock pot (just bones, water, apple cider vinegar, and veggies)
We love soups and BBQ in the crock pot.
My favorite crock pot recipe (and a family favorite, as well) is short ribs in Cabernet sauce. It’s not a traditional “set it and forget it” meal, as you need to sear the meat first but the extra steps in the beginning make it totally worth it!
I love the Crockpot 365 for inspiration. She is SO creative. The recipes are Easy to modify or substitute to fit my needs.
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/06/crockpot-broccoli-and-three-cheese-soup.html?m=1
my favorite crock pot recipe is probably pot roast, but Taco soup is great too!
My favorite crockpot recipe, hands down, is roasting a whole chicken, with veggies, and then making ‘gravy’ with the stuff left in the pot. LOVE LOVE LOVE. When not doing that, best believe I’m making bone broth. It keeps me warm and happy on cold Alaska nights!
Beef roast with onions and carrots is what I make most in my crock pot. Bone broth almost as much. Merry Christmas!
Yummy white bean & chicken chili that my sister-in-law makes…
I’ll try this recipe this week! Thanks for the tip on soaking lentils.
My favorite crock pot recipe is hot turkey breast and gravy!
my favorite crockpot recipe is spaghetti sauce…..i think the longer it cooks the better it is. I never follow a recipe either but it always tastes good!
Chicken soup!
I love making a whole chicken in the crock pot!
I think the crockpot is one of the easiest ways to cook a port butt that tastes just as good as one that has been smoked!
I love to make corned beef and potatoes in the crock pot. That was the first meal I made for my husband when we were dating, and he thought I was an amazing cook!
Any bone broth.
I make slow cooker vegetarian chili using the packaged dry bean mix that has 4-5 types of beans, onions and soy based products such as Boca burger crumble and faux italian sausage. After you have soaked the beans over night, rinsed them, place them in the cooker with some additional water and diced onions. Let them cook on high for about 6 hours. Add additional water as needed and stir occasionally . Once the beans are almost done, add a can (or two) of diced tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, spices of your choice, and your faux meat (burger crumble and sausage-diced). Cook until tender. Remember that the additions will raise the level of the chili in the pot, so make sure as it cooks that it does not boil over.
My favorite crockpot recipe is my vegan pumpkin chili – absolutely delicious. I actually make it year-round – it is that good. I will have to post it on my blog in the new year.
A Garbanzo bean soup with chicken yum!
Yogurt!
We love to make a classic beef stew or pulled pork. Looking foward to trying this new lentil recipe!
I love making pulled pork for tacos. Just take a pork butt, add bottle of dark beer, and taco seasoning.
I use this recipe more or less, to make an awesome vegetarian, grain-free, summer dinner:
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/08/vegetarian-no-noodle-lasagna-crockpot.html
Baked beans in the crockpot is the best and this recipe http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/05/crockpot-bacon-bourbon-baked-beans/ from Jessica at How Sweet It Is is my Absolute Favorite crockpot recipe.
I love to make refried beans in the crock pot. Yummy!
Refried beans! Yum
My favorite crock pot recipe is Vegetarian Chili (however, my husband’s favorite recipe is Slow Roasted Beef Pot Roast).
We have a large family and often have visitors. We use a crockpot regularly for meals, salve, yogurt, and more. I like to put in a home grown chicken with home grown onions and garlic, a little Celtic sea salt and have melt in your mouth chicken for dinner. Thanks for this offer. Someone is going to receive a great blessing 🙂
I like pot roasts in the crock pot. I’ve tried oatmeal, but it had no flavor (and burned. What a mess!). I need to work on that.
a week’s worth of oatmeal is one of my favorite crock pot meals — the other is pulled pork. So delicious!
Creamy Potato Soup is a frequent request at our house. Throw in some broccoli and leftover chicken too!
I would LOVE to win this! I currently don’t have a slow cooker and it would make my life so much easier. There are so many meals that could be made in it and could save me work and time. I mainly cook from scratch and having several autoimmune conditions to contend with makes it difficult to say the least.
Crockpot Lasagna!
Tried this last night! SOOOOOO delicious!
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
One of my favorite crock pot recipes is Whole Chicken and Homemade Stock from 100 Days of Real Food! Here is the link:http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/02/25/recipe-the-best-whole-chicken-in-a-crock-pot/
I love making lentils in my crock pot! Thank you for this blog – I need all the ideas I can gather when it comes to healthy cooking for my family. I just have to keep reminding myself that transforming one’s diet is a process!
I love making soups or chili in my crockpot!
I return to this recipe every year when I get some local apples and make tons of apple chips and apple sauce:
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/09/crockpot-applesauce-recipe.html
Love this recipe!
I am confused. This is not a CP recipe. How would you make it one. What am I missing?
Can you please elaborate for me? I don’t understand what a “CP recipe” is. Thanks.
Crock Pot
I am making this on New Year’s Day, because it is a tradition to eat lentils on this day! The kitchen smells wonderfully, and the soup tastes divine. I have changed it up a bit: I used parsnips instead of carrots (out of carrots, can you believe it?!), and I used a grass-fed smoked pork shank from Asgaard Farms for the meat. I also used baby spinach–lots of it!— in place of the chard. Wow.
I like the idea of parsnips, pork shank and spinach. Yum! 🙂
Just made this recipe today and this is now one of my top favorite soup recipes. So delicious!
I have a bag of organic sprouted lentils (a combo of green, black and brown). Since they are already sprouted, I wouldn’t need to soak them overnight, correct? Would I just use 2 cups of the sprouted lentils for the soup or would I need to use 4 cups? Thanks!
Correct. You don’t need to soak them. I would use 4 cups of sprouted lentils.
Hi Carrie, when you soak lentils do you add any acid to the water? is the juice from my sauerkraut considered an acid? I want to prepare the lentils so I can make this recipe for the day after Thanksgiving. I will make broth from my BBQ Turkey on Thanksgiving day. It will add a smokey flavor to the soup, yum :o)
Yes, best to use some acid. I think sauerkraut juice wold work great!
When you soak the lentils – do they sprout? Or did you do another step to sprout them?
I’ve been making this recipe for at least two years now and my whole family loves it so much! And also every single person I’ve made it for… I love making this soup for new mamas. It freezes really well!