Low-Fat Hearty Lentil Barley Cabbage Soup! Whether you’re looking for a healthy lunch or a wholesome dinner, this recipe checks all the boxes for comfort, nutrition, and incredible taste.
Looking for a comforting, nutritious, and low-fat soup that’s bursting with flavor? Look no further than this hearty Lentil Barley Cabbage Soup! Every spoonful is packed with wholesome goodness — tender lentils, hearty barley, crisp cabbage, and an array of fresh vegetables simmered in a rich, flavorful broth. Perfect for those cozy nights when you crave something satisfying yet light, this soup is a true stick-to-your-ribs meal that warms you from the inside out.
Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients.
Hi there, Ameera here!
I have to tell you, this tasty Lentil Barley Cabbage Soup is one of my go-to recipes during the chilly winter months and cool spring nights — it’s just the kind of warm, nourishing meal that hits the spot after a long day.
Not only is it low in fat and packed with veggies, but it also makes for an excellent meal prep option. I love how it freezes beautifully, so I always have a comforting bowl ready to go whenever I need it. Plus, it’s super versatile — you can customize it with your favorite vegetables or add a dash of herbs for extra flavor.
You gotta give this one a try!
Tips for Success:
- Flavor Profile: This Low-Fat Hearty Lentil Barley Cabbage Soup is full of delicious flavor, low-fat, and hearty to eat. The broth is flavorful and packed with lentils, barley, cabbage and veggies. It’s a stick-to-your-ribs type of soup!
- Low-Fat Dish Expectations: This soup was designed to be low in fat. Because it is low in fat, you are not going to experience that endorphin rush associated with eating high-fat foods when eating this soup. It is very tasty for what it is, and that is a low-fat soup. We just want to make sure that our Readers recognize this when contemplating making this recipe. If you wish to make it more indulgent, add the Vegan Parmesan Cheese on individual servings. The vegan parmesan cheese totally takes it over the top.
- Thickness of the Broth: The soup broth is thin, but packed with hearty veggies, lentils and barley. There isn’t a ton of broth so for those individuals that love a lot of broth, you may wish to wait until the end to see the end-result and, if needed, add more vegetable broth.
- Barley: There are several types of barley available. Hulled barley has been minimally processed to remove only the tough outer hull. Hulless Barley has the outer hull removed and retains all the bran and germ. Pearl barley is not a whole grain and is more refined through processing. Pearl barley is typically what you find in most grocery stores. Although it is not technically a whole grain, it is does contain fiber and some redeemable nutrients. We used pearl barley simply because we could not locate hulled barley. Feel free to use your favorite barley in this recipe. Adjust cooking times accordingly. Since hulled barley may take longer to cook, you may need additional liquids to compensate.
- Barley and Lentils Timing: Barley takes longer to cook than lentils; however, brown lentil can typically handle the longer cooking time. If using green lentils or a faster cooking lentil, then adjust the addition of the lentil timing accordingly.
- Gluten Free: Barley is not gluten free. Please feel free to replace the barley with cooked rice or another gluten-free grain, also take into account that you will need to adjust/reduce the liquids and cooking times accordingly.
- Simmer Lentils: Do not cook lentils at a rolling bowl, they will cook too fast and cause them to split and get mushy.
- Lentils and Sea Salt/Salt: Do not add the sea salt until Step 4. Salt tends to harden the outer shell of lentils which will extend the cooking time. If you forget and accidentally add sea salt with the lentils, don’t sweat it too much, just add a pinch of baking soda, this will help soften the outer shell of the lentils.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda is often used as a neutralizer for dishes that contain a lot of acidity, typically from tomatoes. We use it in this dish to remove some of the tomato acidity (from the tomato sauce) without losing the tomatoey flavor. When you add it, the mixture may bubble up, then settle down as it neutralizes the acidity. If you prefer that tinny taste that is typically associated with canned tomatoes, feel free to leave it out or only add a pinch.
- Regular Chili Powder: Chili powder is not a traditional ingredient in this soup. You won’t taste it; the purpose of the chili powder is to nicely round out the flavors. Feel free to use your favorite chili powder, just be sure to select a mild one and not one that has a lot of heat to it.
- Green Cabbage: We sliced the cabbage very thinly into long strips, then cut the strips into thirds.
- Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.
Leftovers and Freezing:
Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator. Store in a covered container.
This soup freezes well.
Pantry Products:
- Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients. Feel free to use your favorite vegetable broth.
- Lentils: We used Palouse Brand Small Brown Lentils. They are delicious. They hold their shape well and have a slightly nutty taste to them. Feel free to use your favorite brown or green lentils.
- Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Kitchen Equipment:
- Large stock pot
If you try this flavorful soup, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
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Low-Fat Hearty Lentil Barley Cabbage Soup
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 50 Minutes
- Total Time: 65 Minutes
- Yield: 10 Cups 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Looking for a comforting, nutritious, and low-fat soup that’s bursting with flavor? Look no further than this hearty Lentil Barley Cabbage Soup!
Ingredients
Base Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion, fine dice
- 2 medium carrots, sliced penny rounds
- 2 medium celery ribs, diced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 5 cups water
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cup pearl barley *
- ¾ cup dried brown lentils *
- 3 cups shredded green cabbage *
- 1 bay leaf
Other Ingredients:
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth *
- 1 – [ 15 oz. can ] tomato sauce
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda *
Spice/Herb Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder *
- ¼ to 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt (+/-) *
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
Finishing Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Optional Toppings and/or Serving Ideas:
- Crusty bread, naan, or pita
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese *
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, add the diced onions, carrots, and celery, sauté over medium-high heat for 7 to 10 minutes, add a splash of water, if needed to avoid burning.
- Then lower the heat to medium, add the minced garlic, sauté, stir constantly for one minute.
- Then add all the remaining Base Ingredients to the pot, stir to incorporate, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Next add all the Other Ingredients and the Spice/Herb Ingredients, stir well to incorporate. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Simmer for 15 to 20 more minutes or until the barley and lentils are perfectly tender.
- Finish with the red wine vinegar, stir well. Remove from the stove and allow to sit for 10 minutes undisturbed to allow the flavors to marry. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Serve with your favorite crusty bread, naan, or pita.
Notes
*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Servings: 10 cups
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