Lentil Minestrone
I’ve got the most delicious meatless Monday dinner idea for you this week! Lentil Minestrone. Like all soups, this one gets better the day after you make it. It relies on basic pantry ingredients and it’s perfect for spring.
Would you believe that our spring break is this week? It feels so late. Park City always has a late spring break but it feels even later this year because Easter was so early. I can’t help but feel like the rest of the country had spring break a few weeks ago and we’re just getting started. Regardless, I’m just happy for the break! Pretty sure my kids feel the same. 🙂
We hardly have anything on the calendar this week and no big travel plans for the break. We’ll spring ski, sleep in (hopefully), take in a few movies and carve out some much needed down time. Between school, work, and after school activities we’re on the go so much of the school year. It’s so easy to pack these school breaks with traveling or play dates but I’m taking a different approach this week: SLOW DOWN.
We’re off to a solid start as I don’t joke when I tell you that I didn’t get out of my pajamas yesterday until 5:30 pm. The only reason I even got dressed was to go to dinner! I came home, put my pj’s right back on and proceeded to sleep a full 8 hours! It’s so rare that I carve out the time to take a full day off and it was amazing. My goal this week is to repeat yesterday. For reals though. I read 1/3 of a book, watched a ton of tv, and planted myself on the couch in front of the fire.
One of my favorite ways to prepare for a busy week ahead, or in this case, a lazy week that will involve minimal cooking is to make soup. Soups are so easy to throw together, they taste better the few days after they’re made and the husband and kids can heat up a bowl on their own. Easy lunch, light dinner, and when we’re all sick of the soup, I can freeze the leftovers in a few individual bowls to reheat in a month or so. Win, win, win. This Lentil Minestrone is the perfect spring weather soup. It combines heartier winter butternuts squash with summer’s quintessential zucchini. Lentils, kale, macaroni and a handful of salty Parmesan at the end to complete the soup. This is a favorite for sure!
Have a great week and thanks for reading. I’m off to lounge on the couch with the kiddos and watch a movie! xoxo, Kelley
I always love to see what you’re making so if you make the soup, don’t forget to share on social media and tag #mountainmamacooks
photos by Kellie Hatcher/ recipe by Mountain Mama Cooks
PrintLentil Minestrone
Prep Time: 15- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Prep Time:
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Pin RecipeDescription
A hearty soup perfect for spring- another meatless dinner idea!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3/4 cup diced carrots
- 3/4 cup diced celery
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chopped butternut squash
- 1/2 cup diced zucchini
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 28-oz can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dried green lentils
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 cup dried macaroni
- 1– 15 oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups coarsely chopped kale
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and the onions are turning translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Add butternut squash and zucchini. Cook 5 minutes and then add the garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook 1 minute more.
- Add diced tomatoes, lentils, vegetable broth and bay leaf. Raise heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a simmer. Cook for 2o minutes or until lentils are soft.
- Add macaroni, beans, and kale. Cook 10-12 minutes just until the macaroni is al dente. Add apple cider vinegar and a healthy pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Ladle soup into soup bowls and garnish generously with shredded parmesan cheese if desired.
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