By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 1, 2026
Serves 6
144 cal · 92 min
Lentil Minestrone
Recipe GLPR882c0cbcb2b60f
A hearty and nourishing lentil-based soup loaded with vegetables including carrots, celery, sweet potato, zucchini, and kale. This comforting minestrone simmers together aromatic onions and garlic with diced tomatoes, tender lentils, and savory broth to create a wholesome one-pot meal that's perfect as a side dish or light main course.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 zucchini, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 cups canned diced tomatoes with no salt added
1/2 cup brown lentils
8 cups water
1 low-sodium vegetable bouillon cube
4 cups kale, chopped
Directions
Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat for about 1 minute until it is hot.
Add the olive oil to the heated pot.
Stir in the chopped onion and minced garlic, cooking for approximately 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns golden and softens.
Add the diced carrots, celery, sweet potato, and zucchini to the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are slightly tender.
Pour in the canned diced tomatoes, lentils, water, and add the vegetable bouillon cube. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and the vegetables are fully cooked.
Stir in the chopped kale and continue to simmer, uncovered or covered as preferred, for an additional 20 minutes until the kale is wilted and tender.
Serve the minestrone hot. Leftovers can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Comments
This lentil minestrone hits well for weeknight cooking in Charlotte: all ingredients are standard stock at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, and Walmart, with no special trips required, and sweet potato and kale are local staples that cook affordably. The 92-minute stated time is honest for a gentle simmer but slightly front-loaded—chopping the vegetables and aromatics takes a real 15 minutes before the pot goes on, so expect 75 minutes hands-off time rather than pure passive cooking. Cost per serving lands around $1.50–$1.80 depending on whether you buy store-brand lentils and bouillon, making this genuinely economical for a nourishing soup. The recipe is family-friendly and reheats perfectly the next day, but the main drawback is that minestrone as a category skews toward plain comfort rather than distinctive flavor—it's a solid practical meal, not one you'll crave again unprompted.
Sign in or create a free account to add your review.
