Lentil, Cabbage, and Squash Soup

This easy, immunity-boosting lentil, cabbage, and squash soup is the perfect dish to enjoy after a period of indulgence or when you’re feeling under the weather. It’s hearty, nourishing, and restorative! 

If you celebrate, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! And if you don’t, I hope you still enjoyed some relaxing time off. The time period between December 23rd and December 27th is always a whirlwind since my birthday is on the 27th. It always feels like we get one event nicely wrapped up and then suddenly it’s time to make another special birthday supper and cake! I’m not complaining- I’m very grateful that I was at least able to celebrate with my parents since Ontario is in lockdown again- but needless to say, I have not had much time to sit down and publish any new blog posts in recent days! 

After several days of enjoying hearty, indulgent fare, I thought a simple soup was in order! To me, it’s the ultimate restorative/reset meal. I actually developed this soup recipe to clean out the fridge a few weeks ago, and it was so tasty, I just had to share it with you guys. Cabbage, butternut squash, onions, garlic, and lentils form the base of this soup, which is lightly seasoned with paprika, dill, and thyme to really allow the flavours of the ingredients themselves to shine. It makes a terrific light meal when served with bread and cheese or bread and butter… or maybe even just crackers if you want a very small midday meal to tide you over between brunch and dinner. 

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

• Olive oil, onions, garlic, celery, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, cayenne, paprika, thyme, dill, cabbage, butternut squash, lentils, vegetable broth, and apple cider vinegar. For a heartier soup, you can also add orzo, pasta, or rice. 

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Warm the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Add the celery and cook for a couple minutes more. 
2. Add the ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and thyme. Stir to incorporate  before adding the cabbage, squash, and uncooked lentils. 
3. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Loosely cover with the pot lid and turn down heat to medium-low. Simmer until the squash is very tender and the lentils are fully cooked and falling apart, 25-30 minutes. 
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar and fresh dill. Serve. 

MORE FLAVOURFUL SOUP RECIPES

• African Peanut, Chickpea, and Sweet Potato Soup
• Southwestern White Bean, Quinoa, and Sweet Potato Soup
• Vegan Spinach Potato Soup (aka Green Goddess Soup)

PIN THIS FOR LATER: 

I hope you love this lentil, cabbage, and squash soup! If you make it, let me know how you enjoyed it by leaving a comment and rating below the post. And if you share a photo to Instagram, tag it @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen. I love seeing what you’ve made. 

Finally, stay tuned for a fun New Year’s Eve recipe that I’ll be posting on Wednesday. Til then, enjoy! 

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Lentil, Cabbage, and Squash Soup

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5 from 1 review

• Author: Allison
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This easy, immunity-boosting lentil, cabbage, and squash soup is the perfect dish to enjoy after a period of indulgence or when you’re feeling under the weather. It’s hearty, nourishing, and restorative!

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Ingredients

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• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 5 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne or chili flakes
• 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 cups finely chopped green cabbage (from half of a medium head of cabbage)
• 3 heaping cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (½-inch cubes)
• 1 cup uncooked green or brown lentils
• 6–7 cups vegetable broth, or as needed
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 

 

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Instructions

1. Warm the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Add the celery and cook for a couple minutes more.
2. Add the ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and thyme. Stir to incorporate  before adding the cabbage, squash, and uncooked lentils.
3. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Loosely cover with the pot lid and turn down heat to medium-low. Simmer until the squash is very tender and the lentils are fully cooked and falling apart, 25-30 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar and fresh dill. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Serve.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Soup