Greenhouse Garden Vegetable & Lentil Soup
A hearty, nutrient-packed soup featuring fresh garden vegetables, inspired by City Floral's perennials and annuals selection. This general-inspired soups ready in about 50 minutes pairs diced into 1/2-inch pieces carrots, medium, diced onion, minced garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 240 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2, diced into 1/2-inch pieces carrots
- 2, diced into 1/2-inch pieces celery stalks
- 1 medium, diced onion
- 3, minced garlic cloves
- 1 cup, rinsed green lentils
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 cups, chopped kale
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add carrots, celery, and minced garlic, then cook for 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Step 2: Stir in rinsed green lentils, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, thyme, and oregano. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes until lentils are tender.
- Step 3: Add chopped kale and cook for 5 more minutes until kale is wilted and bright green. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Equipment for this recipe
Top-rated tools to make this recipe successfully.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Greenhouse Garden Vegetable & Lentil Soup take to make?
Total time is about 50 minutes (15 min prep + 35 min cook). Most home cooks find this fits comfortably into a weeknight; double the batch on Sunday for two dinners.
How do I store leftover Greenhouse Garden Vegetable & Lentil Soup?
Cool to room temperature within 2 hours, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes, or microwave at 70% power in 60-second bursts to keep medium, diced onion from drying out.
Can I substitute ingredients in Greenhouse Garden Vegetable & Lentil Soup?
Yes — most ingredients in this recipe have flexible swaps. For oil, use any neutral high-smoke-point oil (avocado, grapeseed, refined coconut). For aromatics, dried herbs at ⅓ the volume of fresh work in a pinch. The full ingredient list is shoppable on Instacart so you can see substitutes in real time.
How do I scale Greenhouse Garden Vegetable & Lentil Soup for a different number of people?
The recipe is written for 4 servings. Multiply each ingredient by (your serving target / 4). Cook time stays roughly the same up to 2x; for 3-4x batches, switch from a skillet to a sheet pan or stockpot so the food isn't crowded — overcrowding steams instead of browns.
What goes well with Greenhouse Garden Vegetable & Lentil Soup?
General soups like this pair well with a simple grain (rice, couscous, or crusty bread), a quick salad with acid (lemon vinaigrette, pickled onions), and a pan sauce or yogurt-based dip. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" to get specific side suggestions.
What others are saying
- ★★★★★
Made this for my family and everyone asked for the recipe.
- ★★★★★
Swapped butter for olive oil to keep it lighter. Still delicious.
- ★★★★★
Used frozen vegetables instead of fresh and honestly couldn't tell the difference.