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Hearty and nutritious, this Red Lentil Stew with Chickpeas and Orzo is an easy meal the whole family will love! Throw all the ingredients in your slow cooker for a few hours and dinner is served!
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If you don’t have a slow cooker, I highly suggest you get one. It’s so easy to throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning so you can come home to a nourishing meal that’s ready when you are.
This Red Lentil Stew with Chickpeas & Orzo is one of our favorites. Give it a try today!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Legumes – Lentils and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are super high in protein, fiber, B Vitamins, iron and more! They are also very low in calories with virtually no fat. Nutritional powerhouses!
Red lentils break down easily to add body to the soup.
Chickpea add texture and heartiness. White beans can be substituted if necessary, but note they will be a creamier texture.
Noodles ~ I like the addition of the orzo in this stew. Kids tend love little pasta shapes.
Quick cooking brown rice or macaroni noodles would also work.
Spices ~ I’ve lightly spiced this soup with cumin and added a smoky kick with smoked paprika. Fresh parsley thrown in at the end brightens up the whole thing.
Play around with the spices you like best. Chili powder and oregano would be delicious additions or substitutions.
How to make the recipe
Typically, slow cooker recipes are dump and go and this one is not much different. However, I do like to sauté the onion and garlic on the stovetop first before adding them to the slow cooker. I find they don’t soften enough to my liking if I skip this step, but it’s optional if you don’t have the extra time.
Then add all the ingredients to the slow cooker, except for the orzo pasta, and let it cook for about 3 hours on high.
Once the lentils are tender, add the orzo, and cook another 30 minutes or so until the pasta is al dente.
Stir in the fresh parsley and any additional seasoning you may like just before serving.
Storage and freezing
Fridge: Leftovers of this Red Lentil Stew can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You may need to add a little extra vegetable broth upon reheating as the noodles will soak up the liquid as it sits.
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this soup as is. The noodles will soak much of the liquid and the noodles will turn to mush when thawing/reheating.
Pro tip: If you think you will want to freeze this soup for later, I suggest cooking the orzo pasta separately on the stovetop and adding them to individual bowls when serving. This way you can safely store the soup without the noodles in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.
FAQs
No, lentils don’t need to be soaked before using them. You do, however, need to pick through them to remove any small pebble or rocks and rinse the lentils really well under cold water to remove any dust or debris.
Yes! This red lentil stew is incredibly healthy and nutritious. It’s full of healthy plant protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals!
Read all about lentils here!
In this day and age when pretty much everything can be digital and programmable, I suggest you go this route.
Of course, an old school slow cooker with the only options being High and Low will work just fine, but it definitely is more limiting.
The Instant Pot is by far my favorite choice. They are not paying me in any way to say this and I bought my Instant Pot on my own, with my own money. I just really love it and I think you will too! It’s actually more than just a slow cooker. It performs 7 different functions and its best known as a pressure cooker.
Besides being a slower cooker and pressure cooker, it can also be used as a rice cooker, for browning/sautéing, a yogurt maker, a steamer and a warmer. No more cluttering up your kitchen with multiple appliances. It’s fully programmable with an auto “keep warm” function after the cook time is up. Or you can program it so it delays the cooking start time until many hours later.
I love this appliance so much, I even bought one for my mom. Want to know what other kitchen tools I recommend? You can see my choices here.
More easy vegan soup recipes
- Red Curry Thai Noodle Soup
- 30 Minute Vegan Black Bean Soup
- Easy Vegan Minestrone Soup
- Creamy Vegan Potato Soup
- Hearty Lentil Rice Soup
- Red Lentil Potato Soup
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Slow Cooker Red Lentil Stew with Chickpeas and Orzo
Ingredients
- ½ large sweet onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1 carrot diced
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 cup dried red lentils picked over and rinsed well
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas or 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
- ¾ cup dry orzo pasta or any small shape pasta, like ditalini or macaroni
- handful of fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Sauté the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons veggie broth in a small pan over medium heat for about 5 to 6 minutes, until soft and translucent.
- Add the onions/garlic along with everything else, except the orzo and parsley, into the bowl of your slow cooker.
- Cook on high 2 to 3 hours until the lentils are soft.
- Add the orzo and cook on low another 30 minutes until the orzo is tender.
- Taste and add additional seasoning (salt, pepper, etc.) as needed.
- Stir in the fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Vegan Heaven
This stew looks so comforting, Jenn! Absolutely perfect for fall! 🙂
Jenn S.
I love when the weather starts to turn cooler and we can enjoy cozy soups and stews all the time! Love it. Thanks, Sina!
Sarah
This looks awesome! I could prep it during Jonathan’s nap time and then it would be ready for dinner and I wouldn’t have to worry about it during the after school rush! Win!
Jenn S.
Yes, exactly! After school needs all the stress-relief it can get!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
I LOVE the Instant Pot! I have had mine for years. It’s the first generation one without the yogurt maker. This stew looks delicious!
Jenn S.
Isn’t is the best?! I use it all the time! I have yet to make yogurt, but it’s on to-do list! Thanks, Amy!
Linda
I love meals like this. It looks delicious, Jenn! I need to clean out my kitchen cabinets to make room for this pot.
Jenn S.
I use mine so much that I leave it out on my counters. You can cook dry beans without soaking in about 20 minutes!!
Sarah- A Whisk and Two Wands
This sounds and looks so good right now, and not just because it’s a deary rainy day. I’m going to have to add this to the list to make, I love the addition of lentils in it for protein!
Jenn S.
Oh, are you in the midwest too? It’s pouring here right now! I got caught in the downpour, unprepared, this morning…totally soaked through and now my hair is a huge frizzy mess. LOL! Cozy stew will make me feel better though! 🙂 Thanks, Sarah.
Sarah- A Whisk and Two Wands
Yes Minnesota! It’s not pouring here but it is about 20 minutes north of me. I know there are flash flood warnings all over too and we had severe thunder and lighting storms that rocked the house Saturday and Sunday. Might have to make this ahead for tomorrow night with all of us eating at different times or next week. Or better yet Sunday after the apple orchard!
Jenn S.
Yeah, it totally flooded the streets here it came down so fast. I can’t wait to go to the apple orchards!! Our favorite one opens this weekend too. And it’s supposed to cool off, which will be nice!
Alisa Fleming
Okay, I need to get my little slow cooker out ASAP. It’s been ages and recipes like this are just begging to be made!
Jenn S.
Yep, time to get it out! Thanks, Alisa! Nothing better than cozy soups and stews!
Trainer Paige
What a hearty soup! Love orzo.
Jenn S.
Orzo is a big favorite around here too. Something about those tiny pasta shapes!
Running in a Skirt
What a yummy, nourishing soup! I really love the unique flavors in this. The slow cooker lives on my counter this time of year, so I’ll have to try this.
Jenn S.
Tis the season for the slow cooker! 🙂 Thanks, Julie!
Lindsay Cotter
This looks so delicious! Love that fall is on its way and we can start enjoying comfort foods like this!
Jenn S.
Fall is my favorite! Can’t wait for all the comfy, cozy foods!
Strength and Sunshine
I seriously LOVE red lentils! They’re the only lentil I seem to buy now (in bulk!) (They make fantastic hummus btw ) 😉
Jenn S.
I have never made hummus with red lentils – though NOW I will! I have make cookies with lentils before, oddly enough, and they’re awesome. I should really make those again for the blog. 🙂 I still love my brown and green lentils the most – use them at least 3-4 times a week, but really you can’t go wrong with any variety. 🙂
Sonali- The Foodie Physician
I really should be using my slow cooker more often! This dish is the epitome of comfort food for me 🙂
Jenn S.
Sometimes I use my slow cooker even if I’m home all day. It’s just easier to throw it all in there in the morning and not have to worry about it again. 🙂 Thanks, Sonali!
Becky Striepe
This looks amazing! I love a good stew, especially one that’s so hands-off to make!
Jenn S.
Thanks, Becky! It doesn’t get much easier!
Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite
I’m not ready for fall so I’m having a bit of a conflict looking at this, ha! It looks delicious, orzo is my fave, and I’m sure I’m one of the few holding on to summer, but I just can’t do it yet!!! LOL!!
Jenn S.
HaHa! I totally understand. But I eat soup all year round anyway.. It’s just I need my slow cooker more once school…and the all the after school activites…start up again.
Laura
This stew looks so healthy and delicious! I couldn’t live without my slow cooker! I don’t eat many lentils but this recipe gives me a reason to add them to my shopping list!
Jenn S.
Thanks, Laura! We eat some variety of lentils probably 3-4 times a week. I’m obsessed with them! 🙂 I hope you love this soup!
Dan
Any suggestions for using standard cooking methods (I don’t have a slow cooker, and am not sure I need one) for the slow-cooker red lentil stew of black bean & butternut squash soup? Thanks.
Jenn S.
Hi, Dan! Just found this is my spam folder. So sorry I haven’t responded sooner. You could definitely make this on the stove top. Red Lentils generally take about 15-20 minutes. Add your the orzo after the lentils are done and cook for another 10 minutes or so. Also check to see if you need more broth when adding the orzo – you may or may not need to add a bit more. Hope you love it!