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Home » Recipes » Soup

Lentil Cabbage Soup

Dec 11, 2021 by Kaitlin · 24 Comments

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An easy vegan Lentil and Cabbage Soup recipe that can be made with brown lentils, black lentils, or red lentils! Filled with nourishing ingredients and plant-based protein and fiber. (Gluten-free + oil-free.)

White bowl of lentil cabbage soup with tomatoes and green beans

This Lentil Cabbage Soup is warm and satisfying, plus simple to prepare.

It is made with nourishing ingredients with a great source of plant-based nutrients, protein, and fiber.

Plus you can choose your own lentils! I find red lentils, green/brown lentils, or black lentils all work well with this recipe.

Three bowls of black lentils, brown lentils, and red lentils on a white table

Ingredients for Lentil Cabbage Soup

For this recipe you will simmer in a large pot:

  • Yellow onion
  • Carrot
  • Garlic cloves: Or substitute with dried garlic powder.
  • Green cabbage: You will need about 1 small head, or half of a medium/large cabbage head for this recipe. (Or you can use Savoy cabbage.)
  • Fire-roasted tomatoes: I like the flavor of fire-roasted tomatoes best, but if you can't find them, simply substitute with regular canned diced tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes could also work.
  • Vegetable broth
  • Lentils: Either red lentils, brown lentils, green lentils, or black lentils will all work. The flavor and texture will vary slightly between the varieties. Brown/green lentils and black lentils hold their shape well and have a slightly earthy taste. Red lentils don't hold their shape and therefore have a soft, stew-like consistency after they boil.
  • Green beans: I use frozen cut green beans, but you can use fresh if you'd like.
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Italian seasoning: Or other seasonings of choice. (See below for options.)
Raw cabbage, carrot, and onion ingredients on a white table

Customizing

Change up the flavor as you see fit. A few ideas include:

Herbs + seasonings: Instead of Italian seasonings, try ground cumin, smoked paprika or sweet paprika, dried basil, dried oregano, or bay leaf (remove the leaves before serving).

Vegetables: Add other veggies such as celery, cauliflower, red bell pepper, fresh baby spinach, kale (large stems removed), broccoli, mushroom, potato, etc.

Make it spicy: Stir in medium diced green chiles, jalapeno, red pepper flakes, chipotle in adobo sauce, or cayenne pepper. Or simply top with your favorite hot sauce to taste before serving.

Make it meaty: Add your favorite vegan beef crumbles to this recipe. I suggest cooking them separately according to package instructions, and then stirring them in before serving.

Tomatoes: For a thicker, richer broth, stir in a tablespoon or two of tomato paste.

Soup cooking in a large stockpot

Serving

Fresh herbs: Garnish your bowl with herbs such as flat leaf parsley or cilantro before serving.

You could also add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, black pepper, or tamari/soy sauce for salty, umami flavor.

It's great served with a simple salad or whole grain bread on the side.

Storing

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. We find they keep well for 4-5 days. So it's a great meal to enjoy throughout the week.

Make it ahead for meal prep, take-along lunches, or a quick dinner. Simply reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.

Instant Pot note: I have not tested this in the pressure cooker, but I'm guessing it would work well. I'd suggest sautéing the onion and carrot first. Then add the remaining ingredients, seal the lid, and pressure cook on high pressure for about 10 minutes. (Reserve the apple cider vinegar to stir in after cooking.)

Vegan lentil and cabbage soup in a white bowl with spoon

For more inspiration, also browse all vegan soup recipes or lentil recipes.

Vegan lentil and cabbage soup in a white bowl with spoon

Lentil Cabbage Soup

An easy cabbage soup that can be made with brown, black, or red lentils. So satisfying and filled with nourishing ingredients and protein + fiber.
5 from 15 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Course: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1-2 carrots
  • 4-5 cloves garlic
  • 1 lb. green cabbage*
  • 28 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (or regular diced)
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 3/4 cup lentils (red, brown/green, or black)
  • 1 cup cut green beans (I use frozen)
  • 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar (or more)
  • 2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Instructions

  • Dice onion and carrot. Mince garlic.
  • In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, sauté onion for 7-8 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil sauté method, adding more as needed.)
  • Meanwhile, chop cabbage and set aside.
  • When onion is translucent, add carrot, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Stir and sauté 1 minute.
  • Then add cabbage, diced tomatoes, and broth. Rinse lentils and add to pot.
  • Bring to a light boil. Then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes. (Or until lentils and cabbage are tender.)
  • Stir in green beans and apple cider vinegar during the last 5 minutes of cook time. Salt and pepper to taste if desired.

Notes

*Cabbage: 1 lb. equals about 6 cups chopped.
Herbs & spices: Instead of Italian seasoning, change up the flavor with ground cumin, smoked paprika, basil, oregano, etc.
Other veggies: Add celery, cauliflower, bell pepper, spinach, kale, broccoli, mushroom, potato, etc.
Make it spicy: Add medium diced green chiles, jalapeno, red pepper flakes, chipotle, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce.
Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts
Lentil Cabbage Soup
Amount per Serving
Calories
161
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Potassium
 
724
mg
21
%
Carbohydrates
 
32
g
11
%
Fiber
 
12
g
50
%
Sugar
 
10
g
11
%
Protein
 
9
g
18
%
Vitamin A
 
2576
IU
52
%
Vitamin C
 
46
mg
56
%
Calcium
 
114
mg
11
%
Iron
 
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.

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If you are enjoying this vegan red lentil cabbage soup recipe, also check out:

  • Vegan Tomato Soup
  • Coconut Curry Lentil Soup
  • Mushroom Barley Soup with Kale
  • Lentil Stuffed Pepper Soup

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Comments

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    Recipe Rating:




  1. Jennifer says

    April 16, 2025 at 8:16 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! We enjoyed this soup this evening for dinner. I used black lentils, added celery and used 1 tsp each of salt and pepper like many suggested. I also added a splash of vegan Worcestershire sauce. This is such a delicious and nourishing soup! I will definitely make this again! Thanks so much, Kaitlin!!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      April 17, 2025 at 4:27 pm

      This is so fantastic, Jennifer! Your additions sound spectacular, and I'm glad it was enjoyed enough to make again. Thanks for sharing your helpful feedback!

      Reply
  2. Shari Solomon says

    January 18, 2025 at 12:44 pm

    5 stars
    Wonderful recipe, thanks! I doctored it up by adding can of crushed tomatoes instead of broth, adding Worcestershire sauce too and it was so good!!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      January 18, 2025 at 1:01 pm

      Excellent additions, Shari! So fun to hear how you made this your own. Glad you enjoyed and thanks for sharing your kind and thoughtful feedback!

      Reply
  3. AH says

    December 21, 2024 at 10:41 am

    5 stars
    Delicious recipe! Despite having fewer ingredients than most this simple recipe is really excellent. I made it twice in one week. I found that 1 tsp each salt and pepper were just about right. The second go I upped the lentils by 1/2 a cup. I used fresh green beans.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      December 21, 2024 at 7:25 pm

      Wonderful to hear you made it twice! And I love your fine-tuning to get it just right for your taste. Thanks a lot for sharing - it's appreciated!

      Reply
  4. Marta says

    December 11, 2024 at 9:00 am

    5 stars
    I made this yesterday with red lentils and it turned out really yummy! I doubled the seasoning and added loads of black pepper as well. I love cabbage!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      December 11, 2024 at 9:40 am

      Hello, Marta! Fantastic to hear you enjoyed it with red lentils and extra seasoning - that's awesome. Thanks a lot for coming back to share your kind and helpful feedback. It's very appreciated!

      Reply
  5. holly says

    November 14, 2024 at 3:38 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! I shared the soup with two others. Both returned the same opinion. I have also shared the recipe with probably half a dozen people. For the recipe I used fresh green beans, a full cup of lentils, and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. I’ve made the soup twice and both came out awesome. This will be a go to soup for me.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      November 15, 2024 at 8:13 am

      So wonderful to hear you're enjoying it and sharing with others, Holly! Great call with fresh green beans and slightly more lentils for extra heartiness. That's fantastic. I appreciate your kind and thoughtful feedback, and hope you continue to enjoy it!

      Reply
  6. Anthony says

    February 08, 2024 at 2:29 am

    5 stars
    Can this recipe be canned in quart jars.
    Thanks Anthony

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      February 08, 2024 at 7:52 am

      Hello Anthony! I personally don't have experience with pressure canning so I'd suggest consulting a reliable source on how to safely go about it. (I wish I had better guidance for you, but canning's not a method I've yet attempted!)

      Reply
  7. Patricia J. Powers says

    August 31, 2023 at 8:11 am

    5 stars
    This is one of the best soups I have ever made. I meant to add oregano, but realized I had misread the label and added organic mint... and it was great. Thank you for this recipe and I have bookmarked you.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      August 31, 2023 at 2:58 pm

      Hello, Patricia! Thrilled to hear you enjoyed this soup and thanks for your kind words. Fun to know it worked with your accidental mint as well - neat! Thanks so much for bookmarking the site and hope you enjoy any other recipes you try!

      Reply
  8. Sheila says

    May 18, 2023 at 9:57 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is GREAT - and easy! The apple cider vinegar really "makes" it. I also tried it as a "pantry" recipe, using onion and garlic granules and dehydrated vegetables and it was still terrific - a winner for sure!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      May 18, 2023 at 1:44 pm

      Hi Sheila! So wonderful to hear this worked with your pantry staples - that's fantastic! And I agree, adding a splash of vinegar to soups gives it that something special. Thank you so much for sharing your kind and helpful feedback. It's very appreciated!

      Reply
  9. donna says

    September 11, 2022 at 9:55 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is awesome. I can't eat tomatoes. However, I added zucchini and lentils to the mix. Delicious.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      September 12, 2022 at 10:08 am

      Hi Donna! So glad you were able to adjust this to suit your diet. The zucchini addition sounds fantastic. Thanks for giving it a try and sharing your kind feedback!

      Reply
    • Anthony says

      December 17, 2022 at 2:40 pm

      Does this cabbage soup with lentils freeze well?

      Reply
      • Kaitlin says

        December 18, 2022 at 12:57 pm

        Hello Anthony! I haven't tried freezing this yet, but I'm guessing it would do very well for up to 2-3 months in the freezer. Just be sure to let the soup cool completely before storing in the freezer. Hope you enjoy if you give it a try!

        Reply
  10. Erika says

    March 08, 2022 at 4:58 pm

    5 stars
    A real life saver! This recipe can be adjusted to suit the veggies you have available and takes less than an hour to make.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 08, 2022 at 7:32 pm

      So glad you enjoyed, Erika! Thanks for sharing your helpful feedback!

      Reply
  11. Laureen Granger says

    December 16, 2021 at 12:07 pm

    5 stars
    I made this in my instant pot, and cooked for 15 minutes, then added green beans and zucchini, and cooked for 1 more minute, it was perfect, but I like the veggies in my soup to be nice and soft (not mush, but well cooked).

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      December 16, 2021 at 1:31 pm

      Wonderful, Laureen! So glad this worked for you in the Instant Pot, and I love your zucchini addition. Thanks for sharing your kind and helpful feedback!

      Reply

Hello, I'm Kaitlin!
I live in Montana and share vegan recipes that are easy and healthy. About Me →

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