This ham and lentil soup is comforting, healthy, and just the ticket when the cold weather appears!
This soup is almost too easy to make! Simply place the ingredients in the slow cooker and come home to a ready meal.
It’s the ultimate in savory, cold-weather soup recipes and the perfect way to use up a ham bone. Serve it with thick slices of crusty buttered bread!
Savory Soup in the Slow Cooker
Lentils were an item many of you had in your pantry in 2020 when groceries were scarce so we created some recipes by request (like sloppy joes and shepherd’s pie!). Since then, I’ve always got them stocked in my pantry!
- Crazy easy to make, this soup almost cooks itself.
- Slow-cooked lentils, veggies, and ham develop deep, rich flavors as they blend together.
- This soup tastes even better the next day! It’s great for leftovers.
- Perfect for batch cooking! Double the recipe and save one for dinners and lunches all week long!
- On a budget? This wholesome, savory soup is ideal for big families, big gatherings, and big appetites! Let everyone serve themselves from the Crock Pot with a hunk of crusty bread or dinner rolls!
Ingredients for Ham & Lentil Soup
Lentils – Lentils cook easily and are an easy win in this recipe. Split peas can be used in addition to (or in place of!) lentils. Brown lentils are easily available and are the type we’ve used in this recipe.
Veggies – Onions, carrots, and celery add flavor to this ham and lentil soup recipe. Toss in some corn, peas, diced potatoes, or a bag of frozen vegetable medley to bulk up the soup and stretch it even further!
Ham – A leftover ham bone from your holiday ham is perfect in this recipe. If you don’t have a hambone, use 2 cups of leftover diced ham. Cooked and crumbled bacon pieces or even frozen meatballs can be used instead of ham. Or, use whatever leftover meat is on hand!
How to Make Ham and Lentil Soup
It’s so easy to make this nourishing soup.
- Saute onion in butter until softened.
- Add onion & remaining ingredients (except parsley) to the crockpot & cook (per recipe below).
- Remove the bay leaf & ham bone (if using). Remove meat from the bone and add it back to the soup.
- Stir in parsley, season to taste, & serve.
Storing Leftover Soup
Keep leftover Crock Pot ham and lentil soup covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop.
Freeze soup in zippered bags for up to 8 weeks. Thaw on the stovetop on medium heat or in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Hooray for Ham!
Did you make this Crock Pot Ham and Lentil Soup? Leave a rating and a comment below!
Crock Pot Ham and Lentil Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 ribs celery diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 1 ½ cups brown lentils or green lentils
- 6 cups chicken broth *
- 15 ounces canned petite diced tomatoes with juices, 1 can
- 1 meaty ham bone or 2 cups leftover ham
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat butter over medium heat in a small skillet and add onion. Cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
- Combine all ingredients except parsley in a 6qt slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low 7-8 hours.
- Discard bay leaf. Remove the ham bone if using and pick off any bits of ham. Add the ham to the soup.
- Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Use brown or green lentils for the best results.
Lentils do not need to be pre-soaked. Keep leftover soup covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Freeze soup in for up to 8 weeks. Thaw on the stovetop on medium heat or in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Slow Cooker, Soup
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This soup is delicious! I followed the directions exactly and it was perfect.
I made this because my husband was craving a lentil and sausage soup I sometimes make, but we had a hambone and a few slices of ham from it in the freezer to use up so I thought it would be a good opportunity to try a new recipe. WOW! This one is a keeper! We pretty much followed the recipe, and I didn’t bother with the parsley but did stir in baby spinach at the end of the cook time. Not only did this taste delicious, but I loved that we could do all the cutting and most of the measuring the night before (including sautéing the onions) and then just dump everything in the crockpot in the morning. I’ve saved this to make again!
So happy you enjoyed it, Joni!
Can I make this in a Dutch oven in stead of crockpot?
We have only tried making this in a crockpot Cee, but we do have this stovetop lentil soup that you could add ham to!
Beyond delightful. I shifted the recipe slightly for the Instapot… I sautéed the onions with some shallots because I didn’t have enough onion. And then I threw everything else in and set the Instapot to 35 minutes. Substituted red lentils. Worked out great! I will definitely make this again. I had some surprise company, and I got so many compliments. Thank you!
So happy this recipe worked well in the Instant Pot! Thank you for sharing, Anna.
I’ve loved all of your recipes that I’ve tried so this should be delicious! I’ve got it in the crock right now.
Because I’m cooking for one and don’t want to add anything to my deep freezer that badly needs to be defrosted, I cut the recipe in half. I substitute an 8oz can of tomato sauce for the diced tomatoes because I didn’t want to open a can and only use half!
I’ve set the crock for 5 hours since I’m making less… I’ll test the lentils and adjust if necessary.
Now for a nap since I’ve been awake since 1:30 am (its a senior citizen thing).
That sounds delicious, Karen. I hope you love it!
I just made this soup and it was delightful!! I’ll definitely make it again.
Great recipe. Healthy, filling and yummy. I added peas and spinach at the bottom of the bowl. I also used the ham bone and added extra ham so it was more meaty! I didn’t use the diced tomatoes because I didn’t have any. It was great!
If using leftover ham, not a bone, does leftover ham go in at the beginning with all other ingredients? Or add at end just to reheat? Thank you.
I prefer to add it in the beginning so it flavors the broth.
can you use the recipe without diced tomatoes?
Sure you can!
can I use split peas in the reciepe instead of lentils
Yes, split peas work well in this soup Geraldine!
This soup looks so delicious. Can’t wait to make it.
How about using already smokked and choped pork shoulder/
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Ted, but that should be just fine. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
A stalk is a whole package. Versus a rib. So we need three packages of celery?
You will need about ½ cup or so of chopped celery.
Tasty recipe! Will be making this recipe again everyone in the family loved it.
I am so glad your family enjoyed this recipe Barb!
Love your recipes!
Thank you Lori!
Can I use a ham hock in the soup or is it best to cook it first?
A smoked ham hock would work well in this recipe, if you’d like you can ham hock an hour or two before adding the other ingredients.
Very nice recipe chef . I didn’t have ham I made it whith meatballs delicious next time with ham or even smoked one. Thank you for your effort
So glad you loved it!