This easy (vegan!!!) one-pot lentil minestrone soup is crazy flavorful and loaded with healthy veggies. Plan on leftovers if you can because it is totally amazing the next day! Recipe yields 12 cups or 6 bowls of soup.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery ribs
• 4 cloves garlic (peeled, smashed, and minced)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 4-5 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup dried lentils
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 cup elbow macaroni
• 1 can cannelini beans (15 oz ) drained and rinsed
• 2 cups fresh chopped spinach

Optional Extras

• warmed bakery baguette for dunking
• freshly grated parmesan cheese for topping

chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions

1. Peel and dice onion and carrots. Finely chop celery. Smash and peel garlic, then mince.
2. Heat a large dutch oven (or heavy duty pot) to medium-high heat with 2 TBSP oil. Once oil is hot, add onion, carrot, and celery and saute until vegetables are tender, approx. 7 minutes.
3. Next add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and cook an addiitonal minute, stirring constantly.
4. Add broth, water, and crushed tomatoes (juices and all) then stir in dried green or brown lentils and bay leaves and bring pot to a boil.
5. Once soup is vigorously bubbling, reduce heat to a low simmer and cover. Set a timer and cook for 25 minutes.
6. Remove lid and increase heat to medium. Add pasta and beans and cook unti beans are heated through and pasta is tender, approx. 10 minutes (or longer depending on pasta shape/size used). Remove bay leaves when you come across them stirring the soup.
7. Ready to eat? Stir fresh chopped baby spinach into the soup and ladle into bowls. Enjoy piping hot with your choice of optional extras.
8. Leftovers can be stored in airtight containers in either the fridge or freezer. This soup is delicious the first day and even better the next!