Slow Cooker Lentils
I love all the Greek flavors in this dish of Slow Cooker Lentils cooked with tomatoes, peppers, and Feta Cheese. And this casserole of lentils cooked in the slow cooker is a perfect plant-based dish. Make this in the Casserole Crock-Pot or any large oval slow cooker.
PIN Slow Cooker Lentils to try the recipe later.
On my slow cooker site I’ve been spotlighting recipes suitable for the new slow cooker that’s shaped like a casserole dish (affiliate link) and it just might be causing me to become obsessed with the Casserole Crock. So when I decided to update this favorite recipe for Slow Cooker Lentils cooked with tomatoes, peppers, and Feta Cheese I couldn’t resist trying it in the Casserole Crock, and it was definitely a winner!
But what if you don’t have the casserole crock and don’t want to buy one just to make lentils? You can definitely make this updated recipe in any large oval 6 Quart slow cooker as well, it just won’t look quite as much like a casserole.
You can also use a big casserole dish to bake this size in the oven if you prefer. If you like lentils and Greek flavors this recipe for slow cooker lentils is definitely tasty plant-based dish.
What ingredients do you need?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- brown lentils
- onion
- Minced Garlic (affiliate link)
- vegetable broth
- Bay Leaves (affiliate link)
- Greek Oregano (affiliate link)
- Greek Seasoning (affiliate link)
- can of petite-diced or crushed tomatoes
- green bell pepper
- red bell pepper
- crumbled Feta cheese
- sliced green onions for garnish (optional)
What gives the Slow Cooker Lentils Greek flavors?
Using Greek oregano and Greek seasoning and adding tomatoes, bell peppers, and crumbled Feta cheese makes this a slow cooker lentil dish that’s loaded with Greek flavors.
Can you make this slow cooker lentil casserole in the oven?
I adapted this recipe for the slow cooker from this Vegetarian Greek Lentil Casserole. Just use that link if you prefer to make the oven-baked version.
How to make the slow cooker lentils recipe lower in carbs:
This recipe makes a big slow cooker full of lentils, and when I calculated the nutritional information I was surprised it had only 11 net carbs in a side-dish serving. If you want to make it even lower in carbs, just use fewer lentils and more peppers.
Want more ideas for Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Lentils?
Check out the collection of Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Recipes for Lentils on my Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker site if you’re a fan of lentils.
How to Make Slow Cooker Lentils:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Combine lentils, chopped onion, minced garlic, vegetable broth, bay leaves, black pepper, Greek oregano, and Greek seasoning in the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
- Drain the tomatoes when the lentils are nearly soft.
- Chop up a large red bell pepper and a large green bell pepper and add the peppers and drained tomatoes to the slow cooker, stir, and cook 30 minutes more.
- Then add 1 cup of crumbled Feta cheese, stir gently to combine, and cook 15-20 minutes more.
- We sprinkled over another 1/2 cup of crumbled Feta and baked it 20 minutes in a 400F oven, but the extra cheese and the final cooking in the oven is definitely optional.
- Serve hot, with some thinly sliced green onions for garnish if desired
Make it a Plant-Based Meal:
You can enjoy these Slow Cooker Lentils for a meatless dinner with Greek flavors, and I think they would taste great with something like Spicy Grilled Eggplant, Cucumber Salad with Balsamic Dressing, Jicama Carrot Radish Slaw, Perfect Spring Mix Greens Salad, or Avocado Tomato Salad.
More Tasty Vegetarian Dinners:
- Greek Cauliflower Rice Bake
- Curried Rice and Red Lentils
- Picadillo Lentil Stew with Peppers and Green Olives
- Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini
- Julia Child’s Eggplant Pizza
Weekend Food Prep:
This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Slow Cooker Lentils
This recipe for Slow Cooker Lentils is an easy and delicious vegetarian casserole of lentils cooked with tomatoes, peppers, and Feta.
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown lentils, picked over and rinsed if needed (see notes)
- 1 onion, chopped small
- 1 T minced garlic (or more)
- 3 cups vegetable broth (see notes)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. Greek oregano
- 1 tsp. Greek Seasoning, or more
- 1 14.5 oz. can petite-diced tomatoes, drained well
- 1 large green bell pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1 cup + 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese (see notes)
- thinly sliced green onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Spray the slow cooker insert with non-stick spray.
- Combine lentils, chopped onion, minced garlic, vegetable broth, bay leaves, black pepper, Greek oregano, and Greek Seasoning in the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 3 – 3 1/2 hours. (Some slow cooker are much hotter than others and older lentils will take a bit longer to cook, but I’d start checking to see when the lentils are getting done after about 2 hours. I heard from a reader who made this in a round slow cooker who said her lentils were done much sooner than 3 hours, so I would especially check sooner if you’re using a different type of slow cooker.)
- When the lentils are nearly soft, drain the tomatoes well in a colander placed in the sink.
- Cut seeds out of the bell peppers and finely chop.
- When the lentils are soft enough that you think they are almost done, stir in the drained tomatoes and finely chopped bell peppers and cook 30 minutes more.
- Then add the 1 cup of crumbled Feta, stir gently, and cook 15-20 minutes more.
- If you want to add more crumbled Feta and brown it in the oven, preheat the oven to 400F/200C.
- Remove the crock from the slow cooker, sprinkle the top with the extra 1/2 cup of crumbled Feta, and bake 20 minutes. (This step is recommended, but it’s completely optional if you don’t have a casserole crock or don’t want that much Feta.)
- Serve hot, garnished with thinly sliced green onions if desired.
Notes
I made this in the Crock-Pot Casserole Crock Slow Cooker (affiliate link) but you can use any large oval slow cooker as well.
Lentils that come in a package often don’t need to be rinsed, but if they seem even slightly dusty or gritty, rinse the lentils in a strainer.
Canned vegetable broth is fine here. Use 2 cans and just freeze the extra for another recipe. Use more or less Feta Cheese to taste.
Recipe adapted from oven-baked Vegetarian Greek Lentil Casserole recipe; click here for Original Oven-Baked Vegetarian Greek Lentil Casserole.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 114Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 9mgSodium 578mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 5gSugar 4gProtein 7g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Lentils are somewhat high in carbs for low-carb diet plans, but this recipe is relatively low in net carbs so I am tagging it Low-Carb; check nutritional information for more information. You can make this even lower in carbs by using more peppers and fewer lentils. Dried beans and lentils are a great low-glycemic food for any phase of the original South Beach Diet, but they’re a limited food for Phase One. However, in a dish like Slow Cooker Lentils with lots of other vegetables and some cheese you can have a normal-sized serving.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Slow Cooker Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for Slow Cooker Lentils was first posted in 2013. It was last updated with more information in 2024.
51 Comments on “Slow Cooker Lentils”
Made this tonight in my Instant Pot on Slow Cooker,high pressure setting. Didn’t have Greek seasoning, so made some using a knockoff recipe online. Checked after 2 hours and lentils were cooked through. Added the peppers and tomatoes and cooked for another 30 minutes on Slow Cooker/normal pressure. Added feta and served with green salad. Absolutely delicious. I am so excited to find vegetarian meals that work with the South Beach diet. Thank you so much for this; I can’t wait to try more!
So glad you enjoyed it! And good job adapting to use slow cooker feature on the Instant Pot. I have so many slow cookers that I haven’t ever tried that setting, so thanks for sharing for others.
Pingback: 25+ Slow Cooker Casserole Recipes - Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
I made this tonight – set my alarm for 3 hours – and happened to go into the kitchen and check on it after 2 hours – the lentils were completely cooked, and there was no more liquid in the crockpot at all!
I added in the peppers and tomatoes – I didn’t drain the tomatoes, and I added in an additional 3/4 cup of broth because I needed more liquid!
Just FYI – people doing this with a crockpot should check LONG before 3 hours!
I’m curious as to whether you used the Casserole Crock. I know that some slow cookers are much hotter than others. And newer lentils also cook much more quickly. I’m glad it still worked for you.
No, I don’t have a Casserole Crock – just a standard round crockpot. I wonder if the fact that the crock was not “full” of food, made things cook faster?
Anyway – for those readers who don’t have the fancy Casserole Crock and use their normal crock pot – just be aware to watch for time!
I’m surprised it would make that much of a difference. But as I said, some slow cooker are much, much hotter than others and the age of the lentils makes a huge difference. So if you had a brand new package of lentils from the store and mine were sitting in the jar for a few months or longer, that would make a lot of difference. Thanks for telling me. I think I’ll add a note in the recipe!
If I wanted to make this in the instant pot, how would I?Â
Sorry, but I wouldn’t be able to answer that just off the top of my head since I haven’t cooked lentils in the Instant Pot. Maybe Google “Instant Pot Lentil Casserole” and see if you find something similar, then use those directions? Not sure the Instant Pot will give as good of results for this, but it might be fine.
I love lentils and feta but I'm allergic to green/red peppers. =( I wonder if I could substitute another veggie, maybe carrots? Any ideas/suggestions?
You could switch the veggies but it will lose the Greek Flavors. Carrots sound good though but they will take longer to cook.
This sounds delish, healthy & easy… my favorite kind of recipe. One question though… In the ingredients list it calls for stewed tomatoes, but in the description area with the photos, you say to use crushed tomatoes. Does it matter which one I use? And could I use diced tomatoes, which I happen to have on hand?
Oops, that is just a typo on my part. I did use crushed tomatoes, but I think diced tomatoes would be fine. You could mash them a little if you wanted smaller pieces in the dish. Hope you enjoy. (Off to fix that now!)
I've made this twice and both times well received. Even my 1 yr old grand daughter loved it! She wasn't sure at first what she was eating and gave that face and then was reaching for more. Tastes great cold, too. 🙂
So glad to hear it was a hit!
I haven't tried freezing it, but if I was making this specifically to freeze, I would bake up to the point of adding the cheese; then I'd add the cheese and bake the rest of the way when you wanted to serve it. It might freeze fine with the cheese on there as well, but I'm not sure.
Would this work well as a freezer meal? how would I adapt it if I planned on freezing? Thanks!
Emily, love the idea of adding eggplant!
I had an eggplant, so I chopped it up and added it along with the onion and lentils. Absolutely delicious! Will be making it again (with or without eggplant!) Thank you!
Melissa, yaay! I absolutely love hearing that.
I came across this recipe on Pinterest after searching for lentils. This was delicious! My entire family loved this recipe. You know it is good when your 7-year-old asks for seconds.
Katharine, so glad to hear it!
I made this, and my family and I liked it. Thanks!
Emma, I haven't eaten it room temperature, but I don't think it would be bad.
This looks so incredibly good! I'm planning on making it tonight. How does it taste when it is at room temp? I am a college student and am considering taking it for lunch tomorrow, but I don't normally have microwave access for my lunch.
Karen, so glad it will work for you both!
It is so nice when I find an interesting and "seemingly easy enough" recipe that marries my SB eating with my husbands relatively new vegetarianism. Thank you.
Next time I think I'll add a bit more broth and double this for more leftovers.
Priya, so glad you like it!
Love it, bookmarked it and surely making it 🙂
Pam, so glad you enjoyed it! Another reason to cook it in stages like that is that when beans or lentils are cooked with acidy foods (like tomatoes) they don't soften as well.
Fabulous! I'm a new visitor to your blog. Your selection of healthy recipes is very impressive.
I made Greek Lentils with Peppers and Feta last night. It was very tasty and easy to make. Hard to believe it is "legal."
When I read the recipe, I didn't understand why you said to cook the lentils with the seasonings, then take the casserole out to add tomatoes, return it to the oven, cook a bit longer, then take it out again to add the peppers and Feta. After making it last night, I got it. The lentils absorbed the flavors of the herbs, the tomatoes blended in but did not lose their essence, the peppers retained some crunch, and the Feta was perfectly cooked.
I'm glad I didn't rejigger the recipe before making it according to your instructions!
.
Many thanks!
Can't say that I have ever noticed that.
I found your site through Foodgawker and love this recipe. Tell me, though, have you ever had problems with feta losing its flavor during baking? It happens to me every time and I can't figure it out.
Since there are several steps in the baking of this, I'm not sure how it will work to make so far ahead and then bake. I'd definitely do a test run.
I need a tasty, appealing vegetarian dish for my daughters wedding reception. I think I have found it! I would want to make this for 50 servings. Now, I can do the math for that, but do you have any tips? I would want to make it the day before & reheat/bake it about 18 hours later.
Lentils are definitely my favorite vegetarian protein too. I never get tired of them! What a fantastic idea for a casserole.
This sounds really tasty!! I'm making something similar this month but with cauliflower… we'll see how it turns out!
Thank you. I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know how much you're enjoying the recipes. (That always makes my day!)
I come to your website thinking I'll hunt around for a recipe, and then the one on the first page is always perfect. Thank you for your great recipes. I use you far more than I comment, and wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your work and creativity.
Thanks Joanne. I have to admit, they were pretty awesome.
This casserole sounds wonderful! I love that the lentils are baked…and that it is topped with feta cheese! Has to be awesome.
Lydia, my pleasure. This was such a great combination of flavors.
Love this recipe and photo!
Thanks so much for linking to one of my recipes. It's only recently that I've tried combining lentils and feta, and I can't imagine why I haven't been doing it all along. The salty cheese brings out the earthy flavor of the lentils in a way that's totally seductive.
Alyssa, this is definitely something that you scoop out of the dish.
Eileen, it worked well, especially when we cooked the lentils first before adding the tomatoes.
J LK, I'm not sure how well this recipe is suited for pre-cooked lentils, as it is cooking the lentils with the seasonings that makes it so flavorful. If you wanted to try it I would omit the liquid, and then follow the directions similar to how ingredients are used in this recipe, but cook for a much shorter time at each stage.
Dara, glad you like it!
Lentils have been showing up on our table so often lately, and this is another recipe I now want to make.
How would you revise the recipe if you have already cooked lentils?
Baked lentils? Now that is a very interesting idea. I didn't realize you could bake them! And of course the pungent cheese and peppers sound like a great combination with earthy lentils. 🙂
Kalyn , does this come out of the casserole dish as a scoop or more like a formed pie/piece? Love the flavors!
Hope you enjoy!
This looks absolutely outstanding! Lentils, peppers and feta? Sign me up! I recently went gluten and sugar free as well, so always on the lookout for new meals. This will go on my meal plan for next week!