I can’t tell you how long lentil minestrone has been on our list of recipes to develop for meal prep! I’m so glad it finally happened, and like all soup recipes, this is perfect for meal prep, it’s freezer-friendly and super customizable. I love the light tomato flavor of this soup along with the hearty veggies and pasta, making this an excellent lunch option.
Let’s do it!
Lentil Minestrone Recipe overview
Here we’re using canned tomatoes, frozen veggies, short pasta and lentils for protein. So many easy pantry items!
How to customize this easy soup
If you don’t want to use a bag of frozen veggies, try adding any of these. You can add these raw, but I recommend giving them a quick sauté first.
- bell pepper
- corn
- eggplant (my fave)
- zucchini
- chopped kale
- sugar snap peas
- regular peas
- cut-up green beans
- sliced bok choy
- shredded cabbage
- bean sprouts
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- asparagus
Here are some other add-ins that would be delicious in this:
- Parmesan cheese is always a great addition to soup. If you eat cheese, feel free to add some.
- Feel like making croutons? Take some fluffy bread (I used an Italian roll), chop it into cubes, drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven at 350 F until they get crispy or start to dry out – about 20 minutes.
- Add veggie or chicken broth for extra flavor instead of water.
If you don’t want to use lentils
You can easily swap out the lentils for white beans or chickpeas. If you eat meat, swap them out for shredded chicken (or leftover turkey for extra protein.
Make this soup gluten-free
The only source of gluten in this recipe is the pasta! The pasta or noodles you choose is totally up to you and gluten-free pasta would totally work. You can also use rice if don’t have pasta on hand.
Other great meal prep soup recipes
- Vegan One-Pot Tomato Rice Soup
- Hearty Tomato Lentil Soup
- Veggie White Bean Soup
- Vegan “Chicken” Noodle Soup
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Lentil Minestrone Storage & Reheating Notes:
This soup is good in the fridge for up to 5 days. It reheats best in the microwave or on the stove. Keep croutons separate at room temp if you make them.
You can freeze this soup for up to 6 months in an airtight container, and even longer if you use something like Souper Cubes to freeze it in to avoid freezer burn. If you freeze it, you can thaw it in the fridge overnight, in the microwave or in a pot on the stove.
Happy prepping!
Budget-Friendly Vegan Minestrone
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 onion chopped small
- 2 carrot chopped
- 2 clove garlic minced
- 2 TBSP tomato paste optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- 28 oz can of diced tomatoes don't drain
- 6 cups water divided, sub veggie or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup lentils
- 1 tsp oregano
- 6 oz mixed frozen veggies sub 2 cups chopped seasonal veg (see notes)
- 6 oz macaroni elbows sub small pasta of your choice
Instructions
- Heat up a large pot over a medium flame and add the olive oil. After a minute or two, add the onions and carrots with a pinch of salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes over medium-low heat, until the onions start to soften and become fragrant.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste and more salt and pepper. Stir to coat the veggies in the paste and cook on medium for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the can of diced tomatoes, 3 cups of water, lentils and oregano. Add another pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Let the lentils cook for about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the remaining 3 cups of water, mixed frozen veggies and pasta. Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the pasta cook through for about 10-12 minutes.
- Taste the soup and adjust spices as needed! Then divide it between your containers and let it cool for 15-20 minutes before sealing and storing.
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