Lentil and Cabbage Soup

There’s something I should tell you about my home in the wintertime.  Suppertime is already dark out, so it’s dimly lit and heated primarily by my space heater.  It’s not the best environment to try to photograph my soups, but let me tell you: it’s the perfect environment for eating soups!

So I have!  I’ve been eating Sweet Potato Cheddar Soup (highly recommended!) for the last several days, so today I decided it was time for another kind of soup.  I had cabbage leftover from making Homemade Egg Rolls on New Year’s Day, so I went in search of a good cabbage soup recipe.

I was thrilled with what I found!  I hadn’t been on this blog before, but I’m definitely going to have to check it for more exciting recipes.  I didn’t have all the ingredients this recipe called for, so I changed it a little bit.  I also made a smaller batch than the original recipe.  Don’t forget to check out the original, but also try either!

Lentil and Cabbage Soup
adapted from this recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
about 3-4 cups cabbage (raw measurement), sliced thin
3/4 cup dry lentils
1/2 can chickpeas, drained
5 cups chicken stock*
2 tablespoons ketchup**
1 teaspoon smoked paprika***
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Optional: sour cream for garnish (I know my husband will use this!)

* The original recipe called for vegetable stock, which I didn’t have!  I “created” my “chicken stock” by using water and bouillon cubes.

** The original recipe called for tomato paste, but I didn’t have any.  The ketchup was great!

*** I actually used a few drops of liquid smoke and regular paprika, because I didn’t have smoked.

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, cook onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in olive oil and about 1 cup water.  After several minutes, when vegetables are tender, add the cabbage.  Add another cup or so of water and cook until the cabbage is tender and has wilted down.

2. Add lentils, chickpeas, broth, ketchup, and paprika.

3. Bring to a simmer.  Cook until lentils are tender, 30-40 minutes.  Add the red wine vinegar just before serving.

This recipe is really easy and was the perfect use for my cabbage!  I’ll definitely make it frequently (cabbage is a really cheap vegetable!) and share it with my mom, who grows massive heads of cabbage in her garden.

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