Healthy, nutritious, and flavorful, cabbage and lentil soup is a simple and wholesome recipe, perfect for serving during cold winter days when we come home and only want a warm, enveloping, and comforting meal. This soup is perfect as a one-pot meal, thanks to the balance between vegetables and legumes, and is a great alternative to classic seasonal soups.
Making cabbage and lentil soup is really easy: everything is cooked in a single pot, combining shredded cabbage with dried lentils and a small amount of potatoes, which make the soup naturally creamy without the need to blend it. If you love this type of dish, you might also try the lentil and potato soup or the cabbage and potato soup, also simple and perfect for winter.
To add an extra touch to the dish, I add a sachet of saffron at the end of cooking, which makes the cabbage and lentil soup more fragrant, with a warm color and a delicately spiced flavor. Served hot, perhaps with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and some croutons, this soup will win you over at the first taste. And if you are a fan of legumes, don’t forget to check out the classic pasta and lentils, another great comfort food from home cooking.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
- Energy 270.28 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 39.09 (g) of which sugars 3.93 (g)
- Proteins 12.32 (g)
- Fat 7.65 (g) of which saturated 1.13 (g)of which unsaturated 0.38 (g)
- Fibers 9.50 (g)
- Sodium 350.27 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Cabbage and Lentil Soup
- 10.5 oz cleaned cabbage (already cleaned)
- 5.6 oz dried lentils
- 2.1 oz leek
- 9 oz potatoes
- 1 packet saffron
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- as needed vegetable broth (about 2 cups)
- 1 pinch salt
- as needed pepper
Tools
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Large pot with lid
How to Prepare Creamy Cabbage and Lentil Soup
To prepare cabbage and lentil soup, start with the lentils: spread them out on the work surface and examine them carefully to remove any impurities, such as small stones. This step is very important if you are celiac because dried lentil packages often contain residues of gluten-containing cereals (wheat, spelt, barley…) that may be processed in the same facility as lentils. In such cases, simply remove them and rinse the lentils thoroughly.
Then move on to the cabbage: remove the two outer leaves, then separate about 10.5 oz of leaves from the head. Remove the central vein from the larger leaves (1). Stack and roll them like rolls, then cut them into strips (2). Place them in a colander and rinse them thoroughly. Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes (3).
Clean the leek and cut it into rings (4). In a large pot pour in the oil and add the leek, after separating the rings well. Let it sauté over low heat for about a minute (5). Then add the potatoes and cabbage (6) and let them sauté for a few moments.
Then pour in the vegetable broth (7) – for now, add only about 1.5 cups – and add the lentils (8). Season with salt and pepper, mix well and cook over low heat with the pot covered for about 30 minutes (9). During cooking, stir occasionally and add more hot broth little by little if the soup dries out too much.
At the end of cooking, add the saffron: dissolve it in a little hot water or broth, stirring well with a teaspoon (10), then pour it into the soup and mix well (11). Continue cooking for a couple of minutes, then remove the lid and let it thicken to your liking (12).
Serve the cabbage and lentil soup garnished with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and some croutons.
How to store cabbage and lentil soup
Cabbage and lentil soup keeps very well and is perfect for making in advance. Once completely cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator, where it will last up to 3 days. Before serving, heat it gently, adding a little water or broth if necessary to bring it back to the right consistency.
Tips and variations
If you don’t want to use potatoes, you can omit them and still achieve a creamy texture by blending a couple of ladles of the soup at the end of cooking.
You can use 1/4 of an onion instead of the leek.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can cabbage and lentil soup be made in advance?
Yes, cabbage and lentil soup is ideal for making in advance as resting improves its flavor. Store it in the refrigerator and reheat it when ready to eat.
Can I use canned lentils for cabbage and lentil soup?
Yes, you can use pre-cooked lentils. In this case, add them only in the last few minutes of cooking to prevent them from breaking apart too much.
Is cabbage and lentil soup suitable for a vegetarian or vegan diet?
Yes. This soup is naturally vegetarian and vegan, as it is made without animal ingredients.
