Slow Cooker Lentil and Ham Soup

This was delicious! The only thing I did different was I added a can of stewed tomatoes instead of the tomato sauce. Very, very good. If you like it spicy you could add some hot sauce or a little chili powder. I've turned the AC down so I can pretend it's cold outside. This soup is perfect for that...and healthy too. PS. I cooked it on the stove for 45 minutes instead of using the crock pot. I was hungry.

Great recipe. I added hamhocks, and added extra water from the start. I also added a half cup extra lentils and used stewed tomatoes. Whole family loved it including kids 5 and 7.

This soup was thick and hearty. I really enjoyed the flavor. You may need to add a little more water, as mine turned out a little too thick. A really enjoyable meal on a cold day with warm corn bread.

This is a recipe worth keeping, but the cooking time seemed long to me. Lentils using take 20 to 30 minutes to cook in boiling water, so 11 hours seemed way off. And, so it is. After 11 hours the top of my stew was very dark and moisture in the slow cooker was almost nil. I added 2 cups of chicken broth to bring the stew back. It was eatable, but next time I am limiting cooking time to 3 to 4 hours on low. Fully cooked ham, veggies and lentils don't need half a day to cook. I would have rated the recipe 5 stars if not for the cooking time shown.

I have made this several times because my family enjoys it so much - even my son who is not a soup guy! To make it easier and faster - I use the frozen chopped onions and the individual ham steak which I chop the night before. I use 16 oz of lentils and add 2 more cups of water and 3-4 chicken boullion cubes. Coming home from work to this dinner is so great on a cild winter night. I serve it with fresh Italian bread and some sliced fresh mozzarella.

I used A LOT of lentils, which was not a bad thing, but it was really, really thick and needless to say, I had to add more broth. No matter, it was fabulous! I had a ham bone in the freezer from a couple of months ago which was just waiting for this meal occasion. It gave the soup an incredible flavor. I bought a small turkey ham and chopped it up to add to the mix. I grew up always adding vinegar to my soup bowl, so I threw that in too. Man was this ever good on this very cold N.J. March evening. Thanks so much "Queendiva1"; we loved it!

Really good. It takes eleven hours so instead of starting it in the morning, I started it the night before and let it cook all night. Then I just reheated it later that night to eat. I did add a little salt.

Mmmmm, this soup is so simple and satisfying. I originally tried this recipe to get rid of left-over ham, but now I am making it all the time! It is so healthy, extremely inexpensive to make, and the leftovers are very good.

This is probably my favorite recipe for soup on this site. No changes except for cooking time. I cook on high for about 4 hrs. and it always comes out perfect.

This soup was excellent. We used the leftover Ham from Christmas Dinner and made Soup for New Year's Dinner. I increased the water by approx 1 cup and probably could have added more but it wasn't absolutely necessary.

Great recipe for my leftover Christmas ham! It cooked in my crockpot on low for 11 hours and boy did the house smell heavenly when I came home from work! I used closer to 2 cups of ham (wanted to use it up) and an extra cup of water. Also used an entire 8 ounce can of tomato sauce (hated to throw the whole can for only 8 teaspoons as the recipe called for). I don't have a food processor so it was alot of chopping, but it was worth it. This recipe is a keeper.

One of the top ten soup recipes I've found on the site! I used stewed tomatoes with diced green chiles in lieu of the sauce and it gave the soup a nice little kick. I also added another cup each of lentils and water. Perfect and thank you queendiva1!

Well all I can say is that I appreciated all the reviews and don't understand ANY of the negative reviews. I had a lot of ham leftover from Christmas so I doubled this recipe and used a 7 quart crock pot. I added about 4 1/2 cups ham (with the ham bone), 2 cups or 1 bag (16 oz) of lentils, 1 frozen block of spinach, a can of tomato sauce, 2 cans of diced tomatoes, tobasco sauce, no extra water, chicken bouillon instead of broth, and went by the recipe the rest of the way. I had a honey baked ham that wasn't salty to begin with and did not have any problem with salty flavor. This soup is delicious! For sure saving and using for leftover ham again!! Like many others I changed my cooking time as well. I cooked on high for 7 hours and low for 2. No vegetable turned to mush and the lentils were cooked perfectly.

Love this recipe. I made two changes, I didn't have time to use my slow cooker, so it was made on my stove top and when I found that my husband had used up all of my tomato sauce I substituted a large can of crushed tomatoes and left out the extra water. Because I used the stove top method I fried off my vegetables first and then added the rest of the ingredients. I will certainly make this again and thank you for sharing it.

excellent flavors - kids ate it up. My wife let it go a little long so it was thicker than it should have been so she served it over rice. Thanks - it's a keeper

I use a 14.5 oz. can of tomato sauce instead of 8 teaspoons and two cans of broth instead of 32 ounces. It's perfect, neither too watery nor too thick. Our soup is ready to eat in 9-10 hours, so just keep an eye on yours. While the taste won't change, you don't want your lentils to overcook to the point of disintegrating.

This was a good start to lentil soup recipe, but needs something much more. My husband loves soups but didn't even get 25% ate. He pushed it aside and said it lacked flavor. Kids didn't eat much either. I will be back on the hunt for a new lentil soup recipe

After the comments about not having enough water, I decided to make this as stated in the recipe (no extra liquid), but to check on it every couple hours to make sure it would not burn. I was very glad I did NOT add extra water since it ended up being the perfect consistency. I have to add though, that I cooked it on medium and 4 hours less cooking time, so that might effect the liquid level somehow. Anyway, flavor-wise this was ok, but we prefer a different recipe for lentil soup so will probably not make this again. It's always good to try new things once in a while though!

We added dried wild mushrooms, specifically porcini/boletes, and it was outstanding. We were surprised how flavorful this soup was with just another combination of such common ingredients.

I didn't have 11 hours, so I cooked it on high for 4 hours and then turned it to low until dinner time (2-3 more hours), and it worked great.

Very tasty. I didn't have slow-cooker time allowance so I did a quick 1 hour stovetop version. Used all ingredients minus the 1 cup of water. Used 1 tablespoon of olive oil to cook the veggies for ~10 minutes. Added lentils, broth, herbs, brought to a boil and reduced to a simmer for ~ 1 hour. Served with fresh baked bread and cheese. Yummy.

Might be better than my mother's, and that's saying something. I used several links of hot italian sausage that were left over from a pasta meal (cooked, in sauce), which I sliced into 1/2 inch pieces, instead of ham. And I used diced tomatoes instead of tomato sauce because it's what I had. There were wrinkled noses in my family when I said I was making lentils, but everyone had seconds. Was even better the next day. I'm making it for my dad when he's here over Thanksgiving weekend, that will be the real test! Thank you for an excellent recipe queendiva1.

This was a good recipe for a hearty soup meal. The good assortment of different-colored vegetables plus those heart-friendly lentils really pack a healthy punch! I served it sprinkled with shredded lite cheese, and a nice crusty whole-wheat bread on the side. All I did differently was to add a little more ham to it (I used 2 cups, cubed a little larger than specified, and I used a 14oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained). The larger chunks of ham really turned it into a meal rather than just soup; the diced tomatoes added texture; and the juice from the can of tomatoes compensated for the additional water that most here recommended, only with added flavor. My family members really enjoyed this recipe, and asked me to make it again and again. I sure will, too!

This was quite good, although I would call it more of a stew than a soup, as there was very little liquid left at the end of the cooking time. I didn't have any ham, so I used two smoked ham hocks instead and they gave the soup a really nice flavor. I did need to add a little salt at the end, but otherwise this did not need any additional seasoning. Like other reviewers, I used a whole 8-ounce can of tomato sauce instead of just 8 teaspoons because I didn't want to waste the rest of the can. Next time I think I'll omit the tomato sauce and add a can of diced tomatoes instead. I served this over steamed white rice, which was great. It would be just as delicious with couscous, brown rice, or quinoa.

I made this on the stove instead of the slow cooker since I didn't have all day, just 2 hours. I added a link of chorizo since it needed to be used up and a bit of red pepper flakes for a kick. I used a can of diced tomatoes instead of sauce, and I simmered for an hour, then added the lentils and simmered another hour. DH ate his bowl very quickly, and normally he's not a bit soup eater. I will have to try this again in the slow cooker too.

This is amazing! I'm going to be one of those annoying people and list all my tweaks. I swapped celery for corn and the tomato sauce for diced tomatoes added at the very end and swapped the ham for bacon. I also find it much quicker to grate the carrots rather than chop them. I think that's one of the great strengths of recipes like this, they're very open to small changes.

My whole family LOVED this soup! The only change I made was added about a cup of water. I just used the ham bone with some ham on it. Great recipe and it will be added to my favorites!

super good!

I turned it into a vegan soup (I was making it for a friend who is vegetarian for religious reasons) by using vegetable broth, and omitting the ham. I added more lentils, more water, and more oregano, thyme, and basil due to the other comments. It turned out AMAZING. He ate several bowls and asked me for the recipe! Easy soup for vegans/vegetarians.

Left out celery and used a small can of tomato paste instead of sauce. Used 16oz of lentils. My family loved this.

This was my first slow cooker recipe, and I opted to try for the 4-hour version a few other reviewers reported, but it did not work for me. (Maybe others used already cooked lentils?) I used dried green lentils. In addition, I vegetarianized this (omited ham, used vegetable stock.) It was okay. I will not use this recipe again, but will continue searching for another lentil soup recipe for the slow cooker.

Made it almost exactly, but used more lentils and water as the reviews suggested. I also used leftover pork loin from last night's dinner instead of ham. Sausage would be great, too. Thank you, this was delicious! :)

I had some ham to use up but didn't have 11 hours, so I made this on the stovetop. I didn't alter any ingredients, but did sautee the veggies in a bit of olive oil first. Delicious...and the kitchen was so fragrant!

Delicious, but don't try to do this one in a hurry. It really is better if you slow cook it for the 11 hours. :)

Delish and even better the next day...I used all broth and added about 1 cup more and it was still a fairly thick soup. I doubled this and used 16oz tomato sauce.

I threw the ingredients for this hearty soup into the crockpot last night and it was ready to pack for a healthy and filling lunch today. I prefer thick soups, so the consistency was perfect for my taste. The spices added a nice flavor, though I did add a half teaspoon of salt. This recipe could be easily adapted for ingredients on hand.

Great soup. I altered it based on ingredients on hand. Instead of chicken stock, I used juice from my boiled ham dinner; I also used some cooked veggies from the dinner as well (cabbage, carrots & turnip); all other ingredients were used but I used a whole can of diced tomatoes. Will definitely make this again.

This is a super good soup! Very filling and I found the spices spot on. This also had a great consistency, not too thin or too thick. The only thing different that I noticed for me was the cook time, it only took about 8 hours in my crockpot. Although, that's probably has to do with mine being a newer model. Will definitely make this again!

This is great! I think this is the same recipe my mom uses- it tastes just like hers! This is a really good, flavorful and hearty soup. The ham can make it really salty, so I used low-sodium broth and no salt added tomato sauce. I had extra ham to use, so I added an extra 1/2 cup of water to compensate. Didn't have any celery, but I didn't miss it. If I made it again I'd make sure I had it, though. This is a very easy recipe to make, and it's great for fall.

My family enjoyed this recipe. I would recommend dicing the ham more on the thick side.

I've made this twice now and have used tomato sauce in one and tomato paste in the other and like the sauce better. I'm going to make it one more time using diced tomatoes but either way, I really love this recipe and the consistency (thicker than a soup). I have added about 1/4C of barley as well and it turns out fine as I like it a little thicker. I have printed this recipe out and will use it a lot this winter - thanks!

Good. Added more water, lentils, and can of diced tomato.

Followed recipe, didn't have tomato sauce, subbed tomato paste. Smelled wonderful all day, tasted just as good! Thank you

Yummo! Ok, so I used navy beans instead of lentils and a huge can of tomato sauce instead of 8oz. But your could put anything in this pot so long as you let it simmer, and simmer. I cooked mine like for 4 hours, then served it the next day. It was awesome!

Very good Lentil soup recipe. Added a chopped potato and used one small can of diced tomatoes instead of the sauce.

I thought the recipe was good, however i discovered I'm not fan of lentils.

Not usually a soup maker, but thought this sounded yummy - and wow - is it ever! You can speed up the cooking by cooking on high rather than low...mine was cooked after about 6 hours. Went through first batch so quickly, I had to make a fresh batch the following day!

I thought this was pretty good and the hubby loved it. I ended up making this on the stove. I liked how the vegetables stayed just a little crunchy to balance out the tenderness of the lintels.

Very very good! To make it easier, I just cooked a small ham in the soup then cut off a hunk and shredded it back in. Soooo yummy

I followed this recipe exactly. It was horrible. The lentils were still hard, and it had way too much onion flavor. I put this on at 8:00 pm and left it on until 8:00 am. I was going to try to cook it longer to see if the lentils softened, but I threw out the whole pot. A waste of my time.

I'm sorry but I did not like this soup at all. I followed the recipe down to the letter. I thought the onion was very overpowering, and I love onion in my recipes. Even with cutting back the onion and/or making some other adjustments I don't think I would make this again. It just didn't hit the spot for me or my family.

This turned out great, very tasty and so I'm not sure why some on here said it was blah etc.? I did add more pepper as I like it and added a large size (32oz?) can of diced tomatoes with the liquid, added an extra cup of water as I'd read it might be salty, plus I'd used only a small low sodium can of chicken broth as that's what I had in the cupboard. It turned out perfect after about 7 hours on low, I left it one more hour a total of 8hrs as the carrots were still firm, but I had not diced them, instead sliced them into 'circles'...maybe it was the size. The lentils (the orange kind) were still shaped and were soft and tasty. The house smelled great! I'd definitely make this again!

The hubster said it was his new favorite soup! I used more ham and celery (to use it up), added a can of petite diced tomatoes, a little more of the herbs seasonings, added 1 cup of water, and used a 6 oz. can of tomato paste instead of sauce. Used green lentils and they definitely needed the 11 hours cooking time. We really enjoyed the result and the husband said that he wouldn't change a thing! Served with freshly made skillet corn bread & it was perfect! Thank you for this simple and delicious recipe!

This was so good and favorful. We used a mixture of lentils and white beans. Making this in the crock pot make my life so much easier. Get home from work and the house smells so good.

First things first - this soup is excellent, the ham and lentils provide an excellent source of protein, and the spices could not have been better. I followed all the directions except for one thing - I had an extra ham bone laying around so I threw it in for more ham flavor. This is a 5 star, kids 3, 5 and 8 ate double servings and the smell of it cooking all day is delicious. I want to make this note: Use ONLY Green Lentils to make this soup. Red Lentils turn this soup starchy, thick and paste-like. I cooked mine the 11 hours as listed in the recipe and took a picture of my Green Lentils to share - note how it is still completely whole (and so tasty!) Finally - be sure to soak your Lentils for at least and hour if not overnight in Hot Water. Excellent job on this soup.

Easy and excellent soup especially on a cold day. I didn't have time to wait all day for it to cook so just simmered it on top of the stove for a couple hours and it turned out great. This recipe is very forgiving and you could add/substitue/reduce ingredients easily. Rather than opening a jar of tomato sauce for 8 tsp I just used an 14 oz can of diced tomatoes and bumped up the ham/veggies to account for the extra liquid. Delicious - even better the next day!

We really enjoyed this soup. I used 3 14oz cans of low sodium chicken broth and used the whole small can of tomato sauce. I did not add any water at the beginning, but I ended up adding extra water later. The soup was still very thick. I mixed this up the night before and refrigerated it overnight. The lentils may have absorbed some of the liquid. That may account for needing to add more liquid. This was the first time I have had lentils, but it won't be the last. Thanks for the recipe.

My husband and I both loved this. I followed the recipe exactly. It doesn't specify what type of lentils to use, I used the tiny split red ones (because that's what I had) which pretty much disintegrate during the cooking process making the broth very thick and hardy. Excellent!

I really like this soup it had an interesting flavor and lentils are very underutilized in our culture. They are so cheap and packed with fiber and vitamins. The color was a little funny but the taste was great. I did add some garbanzo beans and some wocerstershire sauce also a tiny bit of brown sugar and tossed in a few shakes of hot pepper sauce. Very yummy with home made bread and even better reheated the next day

Don't know what happened....it all sounded good. Cooked for almost 15 hours and lentils were still hard. Soup was watery and didn't taste well at all.

LOVED it!! used kielbasa instead of ham. DELISH!!!

Made this for dinner tonight. Not familiar with eating or cooking lentils, but was interested in trying this. Definitely simple, filling, and satisfying. I found it needed the full 11 hours in my (older) crock pot, on low. I'd read through many reviews prior to making this. I added a combination of ingredients, suggested by others. The included: Can of diced tomatoes with mild green chilis, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 diced sweet, red pepper, along with the other listed ingredients. Good flavors, a slightly sweet flavor, (I thinking from a the ham and tomatoes, maybe?)...very good. Thanks for this recipe...we'll definitely enjoy it again and again.

Nice, fragrant, flavorful soup. I like the balance of lentils, veggies & broth. Family members who are "meh" on the idea of lentil soup in general really like it, too. Maybe saltiness depends on the brand/type of ham and the chicken broth that gets used, because I don't like highly salted foods but I've never had a problem with this soup being too salty. 11 hours is not too much time for it to cook in my crockpot; it could cook for hours more, I think, without actually burning, although I wouldn't cook it that long because all the veggies would be mush and the ham would be tough. I start it the night before, and turn it off as soon as the lentils are tender (it keeps cooking for a while after the pot is turned off). Also, this is great with a ham bone or some hamhocks rather than cut up ham.

Dee-lish. I'm thinking this is around a 3.7 for what it is: a hearty bowl of goodness after a long and cold day's work. Due to my schedule, it cooked a little longer than 11 hours and the lentils had completely lost their shape (not sure if they were supposed to). This is a good introduction to a lentil based soup (for someone (me) who thought lentils were tasteless beans ... which they're not). This is a great base for any direction you want to go! I'll likely make this again in the winter this year :)

This was very flavorful, but I made two critical changes. 1) I used the whole can of tomato sauce. 2) I cooked it for 6 hours. 11 seemed like a lot, and sure enough, 6 was plenty. I will make this again.

This is a wonderful recipe! The only changes I made: added a 1/2 box of frozen spinach and some cayenne (yum!) and used stewed tomatoes as other reviewers suggested. Cooked it on high for 4 hours. Even my picky 9-year-old loved it. The whole family requested that I put it in our permanent rotation.

after reading over the other reviews, I made a few changes. Since I didn't get everything into my crock pot till 9am I cooked it on HIGH for about 3 hours and then lowered it to low.. WORKED GREAT!!! I didn't have tomato souce so I left it out, and I had picked up a white wine and herb stock the day before and used the in place of the chicken stock and dried herbs. I used two cups of lentils and added an extra 1 1/2 cups of water.. My house smells so good, and it was so tasty.. Made crusty rolls to go with.. YUM!!!

I used Italian sausage instead of ham. Took casings off, browned it for color and flavor, then threw it into the crock-pot. It was delish! My vegetable-hating husband even liked it and has asked for it again.

Definitely a recipe that you can adapt to what you have on hand. I didnt have celery so just used a tsp of celery seed for flavoring. Used red onion instead of white/yellow. Used turkey ham instead of regular ham. ADDED 1 1/2 tsp of cumin and 1/2 tsp of salt as it was a bit bland for our tastes. We like lots of spices in our food. :-)

Pretty adequate flavor in the soup though I think it could use more. I made this on the stovetop and used thick slices of ham from the deli. I'm positive that the better flavor the ham, the better the soup is. I also added 3/4 cup of water which was perfect consistency and use 8 oz of tomato sauce, not tbsp. Would make again but would find better ham and maybe add sausage like others have suggested or I may try cooking some bacon in the pan first for a smokier flavor. It also makes a huge pot of soup so for our family of 3, I will halve it next time.

Love, love, love this recipe! Only thing I add when serving is a splash of balsamic vinegar. Mmm fabulous!

This is really easy & also really good. I made the recipe exactly. It's a good thickness & it's seasoned well, though I used a salty chicken broth & salty 1/2inch slab of black forest ham from a deli. I think with the tomato sauce, you need to go big or go home. I don't really taste any tomato in the final product, so I should have followed reviewer advice & added in a can of stewed tomatoes (probably chop them first) instead of the pointless 8tsp of sauce.

About the easiest and best soup this family has ever had!

Great hearty soup for those cold days. I sauted in a separate pan the onions, garlic, carrots and celery in olive oil before putting them in the crockpot to shave off 2 hours of cooking time. Served it with hot corn bread with honey and sour cream topping. Yum!

I did this over the stove (simmered for an hour or so) rather than the crockpot since we were having it for lunch and it was excellent! Also, instead of the water and tomato sauce I used tomato juice because I had it on hand. I really think that it was seasoned just right.

This is delicious! Nothing to change, it came out great and my whole family loved it :)

This soup is so good. I couldn't even wait the 11 hours for it to cook, so I turned it up to high for a couple of hours and then down to low. I too added a can of diced tomatoes instead of the tomato sauce. I also added hot pepper flakes, spinach and instead of ham used chicken garlic and artichoke sausages that I cut into pieces. This is a keeper. Thanks!!

10/20/13 I made this again last night... I stuck to the original recipe but used a can of crushed tomatoes instead of the tomato sauce (seems I never have that at hand). It will be part of the football lunch today for our guests! Excellent soup! I added a pkg of frozen lima beans, a can of stewed tomatoes and some wild rice.... might as well go all out on this one! I didn't have tomato sauce, so I threw in tomato juice instead! Very filling and flavorful! Add a salad and some crusty whole wheat rolls and you'll be full for DAYS!

Solid 4 stars! I cooked mine on low for 9-1/2 hours and it was plenty done at that point. I checked it about halfway through and it looked like it was running low on liquid so I added another cup of water. It was quite flavorful and particularly enjoyed by my 3 y/o grandchild. We did add salt and pepper to taste on an individual basis. Thanks for sharing this recipe, queendiva1!

very good stew. Next time I would add more ham and more carrots. I made again and added more ham and carrots. It turned out good but a little salty from the extra ham. Next time I'd cut back on the chicken broth and add more water.

This was my first attempt cooking or eating lentils, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Not only did I love it, but my 3 year old kept asking for more. I figure it is a great way to get veggies in your kids. The second time I made it, I left out of the ham and added some black beans for a vegetarian version and it was just as good.

I am probably only giving this as many as three stars because of peer pressure! I have been searching for a lentil recipe becasue I want to like lentils, but this was not it. We really did not like this and only ate one bowl full and dumped the rest out. We are not vegetarians. Maybe the great reviews are coming from those who don't eat meat. I just thought this recipe was blah. Why do I feel like I should apologize?

This is excellent...however, it only took 6 hours to cook, not 11. I served with my homemade whole wheat bread. Very nutritious! I added chicken instead of ham. I also made my own tomato sauce, rather than store bought.

I loved this soup and will make again! I had beef broth rather than vegetable broth and I threw in a can of Rotel tomatoes for a little spice. It is really a hearty meal on a cold day, and so easy to throw it all in the crock pot. Thanks for the great recipe!

Wonderful! Per another cook's suggestion, I added a can of stewed tomatoes. It was hearty and pairs well with red wine and sourdough or French bread. I have also eaten it with pita, and this, I think, is my favorite.

Great flavor! I threw in my ham bone as well. I slept in, so I cooked a half batch on high for 5 hours and everything was perfect!

Yum! We eat a lot of different soups. This was excellent!

This soup was way too spicy for me. I should have known just by reading the ingredients, but was swayed by the many good reviews. If you like the subtle taste of lentils, this soup is not for you. The flavor of the spices was overwhelming. I was afraid I wasn't even going to be able to eat it and then the thought occurred to me to put a litttle sour cream on top. That toned down the spices. If I were to make this again, I would take the advice of the cook who said she left out all the spices and the soup was very good. I can not recommend the recipe as written.

I read a lot of reviews of various lentil soup recipes throgh "All Recipes" - the reader reviews, in total, helped a lot. I modified a few different recipes for my own - I use the Rachel Ray "eyeball it" method, so it's hard to list specific amounts. The basics: sauteed onion and garlic in olive oil; poured about 4 quarts of (homemade, but any will work) chicken stock in. Tossed in a smoked pork hock and 2 cups lentils. Boiled then simmered for about an hour; added about 4 sliced carrots, 2 sliced celery stalks (no leaves), and a can of generic diced tomatoes (why buy more expensive when you're going to add your own seasonings?). Added tumeric (maybe 1 tbl?), curry (maybe 2 tbl?), and cumin (another tbl); probably 2 tsp. of tobasco; about 1 tbl. of salt (sea salt or kosher/coarse ground); and some coarse ground pepper. I let it simmer for another 20-30 min. What made it really good was adding lemon juice to the soup bowls at serving; sour cream is an okay addition but surely not needed. The end result was a very flavorful soup/stew with a kick (the Indian spices). A great evening meal with bread and tossed salad!

This was amazing. Used some of the mods mentioned by others: 1/2 c. more lentils, 1 can of stewed tomatoes as well as tomato sauce, and a ham shank instead of plain ham. Absolutely delicious. (Also, I always saute my onions, carrots, celery, and garlic before adding them to make sure to bring out all of the flavor possible.)

Add stewed tomatoes and extra water. Also added whole bag of lentils. Used chicken bouillon instead of chicken broth.

So yummy...after reading reviews I added 1 cup of extra water and 2 Roma tomatoes that I squished into the crock pot and rough chopped. Added a couple dashes of tobasco and Worcestershire and carmelized the onions before adding to the crockpot to bring out the sweetness. Also made son jalapeño cheddar corn muffins and southwestern corn corn muffins. Soooooooo good.

This was very hearty and tasty. I made exactly as written except I used a can of diced tomatoes instead of the tomato sauce, and used some vey meaty ham shanks with the bones still in. I soaked the lentils for a couple of hours and then prepared everything in the crockpot bowl the night before so that it was ready to start cooking in the morning. Cooked for 9 hours and came out a perfect consistency. I don't think I'll add oregano next time, as I'm not much of a fan of it in my old age. :)

Fabulous! I used all the ingredients as written, I only changed the cooking method. I cooked it on the stove so I could enjoy it sooner. Thank you for sharing!

We loved this soup. Great combination of flavors. I made a few changes from the original recipe, but not enough to limit the value of my review. First, since I didn't have 11 hours, I cooked it on high for 3 hours and low for another 3 hours. The lentils were soft and the flavors were substantially blended. Second, I added an additional 3 cups of water before cooking. I could tell that without this additional liquid, it was going to be too much like a stew when finished. I'm glad I did this and actually wish I had added another 2 cups. I'll be making this again.

This is a great recipe! My family loved it. I added a can of stewed tomatoes as one other reviewer mentioned, mainly because I didn't have any tomato sauce. That's the only thing different I did and it came out perfect!

Loved this recipe. I added the hambone in the soup while it cooked. I also added a can of tomato paste instead of tomato sauce (it's what I had). Turned out fabulous! Very easy and tasty!

Very good, my husband and I both liked this soup. I used some of the recommendations suggested by others - used both tomato paste and tomato sauce. Didn't have diced tomatoes on hand so I put in some frozen green beans about 2 hours before eating. I also added extra lentils as suggested but then it seemed like too much in the end. I cooked mine on low for about 9 hours and the cook time was perfect, I used the light brown lentils.

Pretty good soup. Would be nice to come home to on a cold day. I used the leftover Thanksgiving ham bone along with the diced ham for extra rich flavor.