The fresh flavors of bruschetta are paired with lentils in this healthy, vegan/vegetarian slow cooker recipe. A classic Italian appetizer turned into stew!
I get asked all the time for vegan and vegetarian slow cooker recipes. I’m a Midwestern girl at heart – meat & potatoes are in my blood. Having said that, I do love a good vegetarian meal. If you follow me on Snapchat (SLOWCOOKERQUEEN) then you’ve seen me get together with my girlfriends for monthly meatless potlucks. I cannot wait to bring this to the next one. I also know a lot of vegetarians. All of whom I hope follow me here on this blog! Chana Michel if you’re reading this, I made this one especially with you in mind! Okay, back to the scheduled programming – bruschetta in general is flavorful using simple ingredients. Why change that? This recipe is simple, simple, simple – lentils, tomatoes, basil and some herbs.
Bruschetta and lentils. Anyone shop at Trader Joe’s? Have you had their 1-minute lentil salad? If not, don’t worry up until a couple week ago I hadn’t either. My friend served it for dinner (sans the feta) and I was immediately hooked. It’s Trader Joe’s cooked lentils and bruschetta. That’s it. I intended to do just that – cook my lentils and make a homemade bruschetta but then I thought stew. Even though it’s officially slow cooker season (fall/winter), it’s still 90 degrees here in LA. Doesn’t matter I’m still making stew. This recipe will come in handy in a later. Did you know lentils are naturally gluten-free? They’re also packed with protein & fiber, they’re fat-free and low-calorie. AND to make this, you don’t need to soak them overnight first, just give them a good rinse.
PrintCrock-Pot Bruschetta & Lentil Stew
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 lbs roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup lentils
- 4 cups low-sodium broth
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Stir to mix well.
- Cook HIGH 2-3 hour or LOW 4-6 or until lentils are tender
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 3 hours
This is a great freezer meal. In fact, about half of my batch got packaged up and frozen for later use. Served this with some bread or just eat it straight up.