This chickpea cabbage lentil soup is exactly what I want to make when I need a big, nourishing pot of something that will feed me for days. Chickpeas, French lentils, shredded cabbage, carrots, and kale all go into one pot on the stove. The smokiness comes from smoked paprika, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a few drops of liquid smoke at the end. A small pour of Tamari finishes it off and adds a layer of savory depth that I use in a lot of my vegan soups. Serve it with my no-knead whole wheat bread for a proper winter meal.
I’m not a big leftovers person, but soups and stews are the exception. This one in particular gets noticeably better overnight. The lentils absorb more broth, the smokiness deepens, and what was already good becomes seriously exceptional. One reader made it fifteen times in a single year, which tracks completely. It’s just that good!
It also freezes well for up to a year, as long as you leave the kale out and stir it in fresh when reheating. The optional additions in the recipe notes are worth exploring too. Chopped new potatoes, a bulb of fennel, or a leek added with the onions all work well here. A teaspoon of caraway seed stirred in with the spices pairs brilliantly with the cabbage if you want to try something a little different.
I have to say, cabbage is one of those vegetables that doesn’t get enough credit. After 25 minutes of simmering, it becomes completely silky and almost melts into the broth here. Nothing like taking that takes a humble, inexpensive ingredient and makes it feel genuinely luxurious. That transformation is a big part of why this soup is so satisfying to make and eat.
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Smoky Chickpea, Lentil & Cabbage Stew with Kale
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, small dice
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup French OR brown lentils, rinsed
- 4 cups finely chopped green cabbage (about ½ small green cabbage)
- 15-oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- 28-oz can crushed tomatoes (I prefer fire-roasted)
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups chopped kale, lightly packed
- 2 teaspoons Tamari
- 3-4 drops liquid smoke (optional)
Notes
- I used Savoy cabbage, but regular green cabbage is great too.
- Green lentils work well here in place of French or brown lentils. Allow a few extra minutes of simmering time as they may take slightly longer to become tender.
- Optional, delicious things to add to this soup: chili flakes to taste, chopped rosemary (1 teaspoon), 1 chopped leek, chopped new potatoes (2 medium), chopped fennel (1 bulb)
Instructions
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once heated, pour in the oil. Add the onions and carrots to the pot and stir. The vegetables should sizzle, but just barely. Continue to saute until the onions are very soft and starting to break down, about 5 minutes. If vegetables begin to brown too fast, lower the heat a bit.
- Add the paprika, thyme, and garlic to the pot and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste to the pot and continue to stir until the raw/tin-y flavour of the tomato paste is cooked out, about 1 minute. Season everything with salt and pepper.
- Add the lentils, cabbage, and chickpeas to the pot and stir to coat in the spices and oil. Season everything again with salt and pepper. Add the crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock to the pot and stir.
- Place a lid on the pot and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer, remove the lid, and cook uncovered until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes.
- Once the lentils are tender, stir in the chopped kale and bring the soup back up to a boil. Cook until kale is bright green and tender, about 1 minute. Stir in the tamari and liquid smoke (if using). Check the soup for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve the smoky chickpea, lentil, and cabbage soup hot!
i made this for dinner last night & as with all stews, it tastes 10x better the next day. hearty & warming !
Any nutritional info for this recipe? It’s delish
Very good!
I think you need to deglaze between steps 2 and 3. Very hard to release the fond with the cabbage in there.
I only have green and red lentils…will either of these work or are the cook times for these varieties an issue??
Hi Melody,
Green lentils will be good here! They might take a bit longer to cook though.
-L
This soup was delicious. I did not use the liquid smoke but it didn’t even need it. Such a rich, full bodied soup.
Really enjoyed this recipe! Flavors are amazing. I have one small gripe and it’s just about the serving size. It says 6-8, and I know it’s subjective, but it only fed 4 adults. I’ll definitely be increasing the broth and veggies next time!
How much paprika?
Hi Mona,
It’s 1/2 of a teaspoon of smoked paprika. Is the recipe not loading for you?
-L
Im loving this recipe and very intrigued! Is there a specific need for that “particular” soy sauce? I need to know if it’s a make or break ingredient. TIA!
Hi Rachel,
Use whichever one you have! :)
-L
This recipe freezes well ! I had it in a sealed Pyrex bowl in a freezer bag …for 1 year ~ not kidding ! Defrosted it thoroughly and heated ~ still amazing ~ Fresh & Flavourful
I completely confused savoy with Napa when I went o the store… d’you think Napa cabbage will be alright? Whoops!
Hey Lauren!
Napa cabbage will be great here :)
-L
Made this for lunch for my parents today and we all really enjoyed it. I left out the kale and added about 1 teaspoon of caraway seed (a spice us Germans tend to pair with any kind of dish that contains cabbage, ha), and it was very delicious. Thank you for all your recipes, they’re always spot on! :)
This was delicious! I had many items on hand and was perfect protein kick for hubby. A quick yet super flavorful meal, thank you!
Amazing !!! A big hit with the Fam. I actually had all of the ingredients on hand :)
I added precooked lentils and fresh kalettes (yum) at #4 so was ready in no time. Also used apple cider vinegar instead of soy.
This recipe makes a huge portion – I will 1/2 next time
I’ve made this like 15 times since the beginning of the year and I love it and so does my family! Thanks a lot!
If you are using a leek, at what point would you add it? Thanks!
Hi Claudia,
I would add it just before the paprika, thyme and garlic.
-L
Do you think it would be a mistake to use red cabbage?
Hi Hollie,
It will still be delicious and hearty, but the colour might be a bit off. If that doesn’t bother you, I say go ahead and use it! :)
-L
I’ve made this soup twice now and no doubt will make it several more times while the cold weather lasts. So hearty and wholesome! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious, always looking for hearty wholesome dishes like this especially in the winter months. I find kale such a difficult green to cook right and I will be recommending this to friends!
I just made this. It is so tasty! I added a few more drops of liquid smoke and stirred in some apple cider vinegar at the end. In so excited to be eating this all week and pulling some more out of the freezer in weeks to come!
Made this last night and it was spot on…only modification was an extra can of chickpeas
Made this tonight and was amazed! So DELICIOUS! The liquid smoke is a must. So much flavour and so many veggie options to include. Thank you for this recipe!!!
I made this stew yesterday and it was amazing!!! Thank you so much :)
Oh my goodness! This looks so delicious. I make a cabbage soup with mustard…very light. This is perfect for the winter time. Thank you for your recipe!
PS: I’m a big fan.
Would you be so kind as to email your cabbage soup with mustard recipe to me ?
I’m just a grandma wanting to pass on my cooking passion to my grands as part of their life skills training.
Where are the bowls from? Also happy new year! Thanks for all your amazing recipes. They got me through the holidays!
Hi Amy,
Thank you so much. The bowls were a random Home Goods find from a few years ago!
-L