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Vegetarian Lentil Minestrone
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Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup small pasta shells
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions
 

  • Add the lentils, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, oregano, basil, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker. Stir once to combine.
  • Cover and cook on low for 7 hours until the lentils are tender.
  • Stir in the pasta shells and spinach. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes until the pasta is cooked through.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Add the pasta and spinach only in the final half hour so the pasta stays firm and the greens keep their color. Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop with a splash of broth to loosen the texture. Skip the cheese for a fully vegan version or swap in kale if spinach is unavailable.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Equipment: Slow Cooker