Chard, Lentil & Potato Slow Cooker Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do I have to cook lentils before adding to soup? ›

Do you cook lentils before adding to soup? Nope! Dried lentils cook in 35 minutes in the soup, and there's no need to soak them either!

Go easy—if you purée the soup too much, it will get too thick and you'll lose the integrity of the lentils. If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer a few cups of the soup to a standard blender and purée, then return the blended soup to the pot.

Lentils aren't rice—they don't need to absorb every last drop of cooking liquid. They're more like pasta: best cooked in an abundance of water or stock. Bring your liquid up to a boil, add your lentils, then turn down your heat to a simmer for at least 25-30 minutes.

Brown and green lentils hold up well to cooking and can be used interchangeably in recipes, since they have similar cooking times. Red and yellow lentils are often sold in split form, so they cook faster and break down easier.

Yes, you can overcook lentils; they will become mushy. Much depends on the type of lentil you're using. Some cook quicker and hold their shape better than others. To avoid overcooking them, always follow the cooking directions in your recipe and use the type of lentils called for in the ingredient list.

With red lentils the only reaosn I can see for rinsing is to (slightly) reduce foaming; with Puy lentils and some others even that's not an issue and you may lose flavour.

Those look to be radicles (embryonic stems, the part the root grows from) that have separated from the lentils. If you look closely at the less squished lentils in your soup, you'll probably see some with the radicles still attached.

the color change you've observed is from oxidation. If you want to prevent this, lay some plastic wrap over the surface of your lentils to prevent air from getting to them, or add some acid, like lime juice, to the recipe.

That means the foam will typically appear when making meat-based broths and, to a lesser degree, soups made from high-protein vegetables such as chickpeas and lentils. When those coagulated proteins cluster together, they can create air pockets, which is what causes the “sudsy bubbles,” says Trout.

I recommend using green or French green lentils because they hold their shape in the soup, adding satisfying texture. Brown lentils are also a fine option.

Does it matter what color lentils you use? ›

While brown lentils are fairly 'all-purpose,' red/yellow lentils are best for soups and stews where their mushy texture works well. In comparison, green and brown lentils maintain their shape after cooking and are great for salads, casseroles, side dishes, etc.

As the veggies hit the boiling water, volatile acids are released into the water and are carried away in the steam. When the pot is covered, the steam and the acids it contains are forced back into the water. Once there, the acids react with the chlorophyll in the vegetables, turning them an unsightly shade of brown.

You can also add salt, aromatics like a halved onion, herbs, and spices to the pot before the lentils and the water, like beans, or wait until they're done cooking to flavor them.

Editor: First, I wonder how old your lentils are. If they're more than a year or two old, they will often stay crunchy in the middle no matter how long you cook them! Another trick is to wait to add salt or acidic ingredients until near the end of cooking. Take a look at our post on cooking lentils for some more help!

Lentils should always be consumed well-cooked as when raw or undercooked they can cause serious health problems, food poisoning and, in very extreme cases, even death. It's all because they contain natural compounds called lectins which are toxic but fortunately, cooking destroys them!

Nope! Unlike lots of other dried pulses (such as some dried beans), lentils don't need to be soaked before cooking. This means they're really quick and easy to use – you can decide you want to cook lentils when you're already ready to start cooking, and they can be ready to eat not long after.

Lentils to do not require soaking like other pulses. Rinse your lentils with fresh water before boiling to remove any dust or debris. Cook on a stovetop, using 3 cups of liquid (water, stock, etc) to 1 cup of dry lentils. Be sure to use a large enough saucepan as the lentils will double or triple in size.

In addition, undercooked lentils stay with lectin, an ingredient that may cause stomach problems like diarrhea or even food poisoning.