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This Italian beef and lentil soup has become one of my all-time favorite slow cooker recipes. It’s hearty, healthy, and so easy to make—truly a dump-and-stir, one-pot meal with no precooking required.
The first time I heard about this soup was at a Weight Watchers meeting, when several people couldn’t stop raving about it. I figured it was worth trying, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Rod, Mom, and I all love it so much that it’s now a regular in my soup rotation.
With lean beef, lentils, and plenty of vegetables, this WW friendly soup is filling, full of flavor, and perfect for a light but satisfying meal any time of year.

Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Italian Beef and Lentil Soup
- Ingredients
- How Many Calories and WW Points in this Italian Beef and Lentil Slow Cooker Soup?
- Instructions (Dump-and-Stir Slow Cooker Method)
- Recipe Notes, Tips and Variations
- Serving Suggestions
- WW Italian Beef and Lentil Slow Cooker Stew Recipe
- More WW Friendly Slow Cooker Soups
Why You’ll Love This Italian Beef and Lentil Soup
- WW friendly and filling – with lean beef, lentils, and plenty of veggies, this slow cooker soup is hearty enough for a meal while staying low in points.
- No precooking required – this is a true dump-and-stir crock pot recipe. Just add the ingredients, set it, and let the slow cooker do the work.
- Nutritious and budget-friendly – lentils add fiber and protein while keeping the recipe affordable and satisfying.
- Family approved – Rod, Mom, and I all love this recipe, and it’s one I make again and again for easy weeknight dinners.
- Perfect for meal prep – this soup makes a generous batch, reheats beautifully, and freezes well for quick future meals.
Ingredients
- Beef round, cut into chunks – lean, flavorful pieces that hold up well in the slow cooker.
- Lentils – brown or green lentils for hearty texture and protein.
- Canned diced tomatoes (with juices) – add body and gentle acidity to the broth.
- Beef broth – rich base for the soup (vegetable broth (affiliate link) works if you prefer it lighter).
- Zucchini – stirred in near the end so it stays tender-crisp; green beans are a good swap.
- Italian seasoning – the core dried herb blend that gives the soup its Italian flavor.
- Fresh basil (at the end) – stirred in off the heat for bright, fresh finish.
- Salt and black pepper – to taste.

How Many Calories and WW Points in this Italian Beef and Lentil Slow Cooker Soup?
According to my calculations, each serving has just 233 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
5 PointsPlus (Old plan)

Instructions (Dump-and-Stir Slow Cooker Method)
- Load the slow cooker. Add beef round, lentils, diced tomatoes with their juices, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker; stir to combine.
- Cook until tender. Cover and cook until the beef is cooked through and the lentils are tender.
- Add zucchini near the end. In the last hour of cooking, stir in the zucchini (or green beans) so it doesn’t get mushy.
- Finish with basil. Right before serving, taste and adjust seasoning, then stir in the fresh basil for a bright, aromatic finish.
Recipe Notes, Tips and Variations
This soup is one of my favorite “dump-and-stir” slow cooker recipes—no browning or precooking required. Everything goes right into the pot, making it simple enough for busy days.
To keep the zucchini from turning mushy, I like to add it during the last hour of cooking. If you’re not a fan of zucchini, you can swap in fresh green beans or another quick-cooking vegetable you prefer.
For the best flavor, don’t skip the fresh basil at the end. Stirring it in right before serving gives the broth a bright, fresh lift that balances the richness of the beef.
This recipe makes a generous batch, and like many soups, the flavor gets even better the next day. It reheats beautifully on the stovetop or in the microwave (affiliate link), and leftovers freeze well for up to three months.
If you want to change things up, try these simple variations:
- Extra herbs – A pinch of red pepper flakes or fresh parsley stirred in at the end gives a different flavor twist.
- Different vegetables – Add spinach, kale, or chopped bell peppers toward the end of cooking.
- Lighter version – Use vegetable broth (affiliate link) instead of beef broth for a slightly lighter soup.
Serving Suggestions
This Italian beef and lentil soup is hearty and filling on its own, so I usually keep the sides simple. A small piece of crusty bread, a corn muffin, or a few whole-grain crackers make a nice addition without making the meal too heavy.
I also like serving it with a fresh salad. My Orange Spinach Salad adds a bright, citrusy flavor, while my Weight Watchers Italian Arugula Salad brings a peppery bite. For something quick and easy, my Arugula Salad with Sunflower Seeds and Parmesan always works.
If you’ve made this low fat Italian Crock Pot Beef and Lentil Soup, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

WW Italian Beef and Lentil Slow Cooker Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean beef round, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced (I used jarred)
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning blend
- 1 can (14 – 15 ounces) canned diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3/4 cup dry lentils, rinsed
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 large zucchini, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh slivered basil
Instructions
- Ideal slow cooker size: 5- to 6-Quart.
- Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper.
- Place the beef, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, tomatoes, tomato paste, lentils and beef broth in a 5-quart or larger slow cooker and stir to combine everything well.
- Cook, covered, on LOW for 6 to 7 hours. During the last hour of cooking add the zucchini.
- Just before serving, remove the cover and stir in the basil.
- Serve hot.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 5 PointsPlus (Old plan) Substitute 2 cups fresh cut green beans for the zucchini if you prefer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source: Recipe slightly adapted from Weight Watchers
More WW Friendly Slow Cooker Soups
If you liked this Italian beef and lentil soup, you may also enjoy some of my other lighter slow cooker soups. They’re hearty, easy to make, and perfect for cozy meals any time of year.
- My Hearty Beef Vegetable Slow Cooker Soup is loaded with lean beef and a mix of vegetables for a classic comfort meal that’s both filling and WW friendly.
- For a flavorful twist, my Slow Cooker Lentil Sausage Soup combines lentils with lean turkey sausage in a savory broth that’s great for meal prep.
- If you love the rich flavor of onions, my Slow Cooker Beefy French Onion Soup is a lighter, meatier take on the classic, with all the taste you crave but fewer points.
- Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew is another comforting favorite. Made with lean ground beef, vegetables, and a flavorful broth, it’s an easy, budget-friendly way to enjoy a cozy meal that still fits into a WW plan.





If I add more lentils (no more liquid)… would it become thicker… I like a thick lentil soup.. what do you suggest? TIA~
Hi Elyce, yes that should work. ~Martha
This is SO good. I let my half recipe cook in a two qt slow cooker for about an hour and a half longer than stated. Just to get the lentils to finish cooking. I also add 1 tsp dried basil instead of the fresh. Adding the zucchini in the last hour cooks it perfectly. My 83 yr old mom loves this soup and I do, too! Thanks so much!
Hello, thank you for providing recipes! I’m using my instant pot more and more. Would you be converting more of your recipes to IP?
Could someone please tell me what kind of beef this is (beef round). I’m not familiar with it or maybe it’s a cut not available in Canada?
Thank you.
Hi Roberta, here’s a link to a great article explaining all about beef round – https://tonysmarket.com/understanding-beef-round/ Hope it helps. ~Martha
So yummy and satisfying. In my regular rotation. Hubby loves it.
Is it possible to get the article back about your sister talking about grapefruit and other scents ?
Thank you again for daily e mails . Jana
Hi Jana, I think is the article you are looking for: https://simple-nourished-living.com/letting-go-cravings-grapefruit-essential-oil-instead-food/ – Martha
Holy Schnykies, what is wrong with people? I guess some peeps need someone to blame for EVERYTHING!!!!!!! With that being said, this is one of the most delicious recipes I have ever made. My husband LOVED it, my neighbors LOVED it, everyone I know LOVED it!! And I followed the recipe verbatim. I DID make it in my instant pot, so it cooked for 25 minutes and was so amazing. Thanks so much for this recipe. I am VERY appreciative of recipes that are as good as this one. It will definitely be inserted into my rotation!!
Hi Kim, Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment. So glad you liked it!!
Hi Kim, thanks for letting me know it works in the instant pot! (Though Martha might have provided this information I didn’t see it yet.) I was going to try out the slow cooker function on mine, but if I can do it more quickly, why not? 🙂
I put this into the WW recipe builder and it says it’s 8 points a serving at 6 servings, not 5.
Hi Ashley,
I’m not sure what to say. This is a recipe that I took right from the Weight Watchers weekly magazine which only provides the Points Plus value, not the calories, fat, fiber, carbs, protein values needed to calculate it. If you can’t trust Weight Watchers to print the correct Points Plus value in their weekly magazine, who can you trust, LOL??? I’d say to choose the value that makes you feel most comfortable. When you are trying to lose weight, it’s always better to overestimate than underestimate. I’ve been in maintenance mode for several years so I’ve got a bit more wiggle room. And the truth is that I didn’t end up at WW because I ate too much Beef Lentil Soup 🙂 But, my best advice is to always trust your gut!
My husband and I enjoy this recipe alot as well, and at 6’4″ and 165 he normally doesn’t have a need or care for weight watchers recipes. He asks for this recipe routinely! I have only made it with fresh green beans so far, and double them to 4 cups.
Thanks for posting this so I don’t have to keep track of where the weekly went!
Hi Joy, Glad to help! I have trouble keeping track of my favorite Weekly recipes too!!
I made this recipe when it came out in the weekly. It was the most vile recipe I ever made. I followed it to a tee. No taste–I cooked it longer than stated in the recipe and the lentils were still hard. I’ve made lentil soup many many times and never had anything that resembled this. I give this a big thumbs down–no stars for this.
Barbara,
Sorry you didn’t like it. We did and it’s rare with Rod, Mom and I all agree. Both the meat and lentils were cooked to perfection when I made it. And I did bump up the seasonings a little, which I tend to do, with most recipes. Just goes to show that you that it’s impossible to please all of the people all of the time! And there are just so many variables when it comes to cooking – quality/flavor of ingredients, variabilities of equipment and on and on. With a 4.5 star rating and over 900 reviews on the WW website, I stand with the majority on this one, which isn’t always the case 🙂