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!