Description
A vibrant and flavorful soup combining red lentils and cabbage, enhanced by aromatic vegetables and spices.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (small dice)
- 3 medium carrots (small dice)
- 3 ribs celery (small dice)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Pinch of cayenne (optional)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 cups vegetable broth (preferably low sodium)
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup dried red lentils (rinsed)
- 1 small green cabbage (shredded)
- 1/2 lemon zest and juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, cooking for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender and fragrant.
- Stir in the minced garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, and optional cayenne. Cook for 1 minute more, letting the spices bloom.
- Add the tomato paste and consistently stir for about 1 minute, allowing it to caramelize slightly before adding the liquid.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and rinsed red lentils, mixing well.
- Gradually mix in the shredded cabbage in batches, pressing down each batch to ensure it submerges in the cooking liquid.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and cabbage are tender.
- Stir in the lemon zest and juice, then season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
Precision is key; don’t skip the mirepoix step for depth of flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg