Lentils with spinach and kielbasa is perfectly seasoned in this easy crockpot meal full of savory onions, peppers, and garlic. Start it early in the day and add the spinach about 10 minutes before serving for a delicious comfort meal.
Chop 1 medium onion, 1 small green pepper, and 1 medium carrot.
Slice 1 pound beef kielbasa crosswise into ½" to 1" pieces and chop ⅔ cup cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Mince 2 garlic cloves.
Combine chopped vegetables and minced garlic with ½ teaspoon thyme, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon cumin, 1 bay leaf, 32 ounces beef broth, and 32 ounces chicken broth in a six-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours or until lentils are tender.
Coarsely chop 2 cups fresh spinach.
Add spinach and cover. Let stand 5-10 minutes or until spinach wilts.
Remove cover and stir. Discard bay leaf before serving.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth made from a vegetable broth base (this gives a richer taste than boxed vegetable broth) for the chicken and beef broth. Add an extra chopped carrot and green bell pepper in place of the kielbasa and chicken, and add a dash of liquid smoke for flavor.