A hearty winter cavolo nero kale and lentil soup with parsnips. A comforting and warming meal for any time of the day.

Easy & Hearty Winter Cavolo Nero Kale & Lentil Soup

Name: Easy & Hearty Winter Cavolo Nero Kale & Lentil Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6-8
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; I onion, finely diced; 2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely grated; 2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated; 3 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped; 265g green lentils (400g / 14 oz can of lentils drained), drained and rinsed; 200g (1 cup) red lentils, rinsed; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1½ litres (6 cups) vegetable stock (I use 3 vegetable stock cubes to make the stock with boiling water in a jug); A large handful of cavolo nero, cleaned and the inner stalk cut out (it can be tough), then shredded by hand or cut with a knife; Salt & black pepper to season

It's definitely soup weather (-2 c here in Scotland right now), and what can be better than a hearty bowl of comforting soup?

Especially after the excesses of Christmas and New Year, it can't be only me!

Time to start eating more veg again, and lots of healthy soups to get us through the rest of winter until Spring brightens up our lives again.

And this hearty winter cavolo nero kale and lentil soup is a doosie!

Full of all the good stuff and will warm the cockles of your heart as the saying goes.

What you need to make this hearty winter soup

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this chilly days soup.

Olive oil
Onion - white onion, but if you only have red, just use that
Garlic - add more if you like
Carrots
Parsnips - or for the parsnip haters, sweet potatoes would also work well
Cavolo nero
Green lentils - or brown lentils (I use canned green lentils for this soup), you could alternatively add white beans like cannellini beans
Red lentils
Cumin
Turmeric
Paprika
Vegetable stock cubes - or vegetable stock
Salt & black pepper - to season

The full printable recipe can be found at the bottom of the page (after the step-by-step photos) with ingredients, method, notes, and nutritional information.

Either keep reading, scroll down, or use the 'jump to recipe' button above.

What exactly is cavolo nero?

Cavolo nero is a dark leafy green from Southern Italy.

It is also called Tuscan kale, black kale, black cabbage, or even dinosaur kale, which I think is the name I like the most.

I think it does look rather Jurassic, I'm sure you will agree.

A mainstay of Italian cuisine, it's often added to soups or stews, including ribollita and minestrone.

Although they do also sometimes saute it in olive oil and garlic for a more tender green to serve with meals.

It's rich in nutrients, including vitamins A, B2, C & K, minerals like iron, manganese & calcium, and it's also high in fibre and antioxidants.

So an all-round good choice to add to our diets.

Preparing cavolo nero

Before adding this dinosaur kale to a soup, give it a really good wash.

Then I recommend you cut out the central stalk, which can be a bit tough.

Finally, you can either slice it with a knife or shred it with your hands.

Can I use kale instead of cavolo nero?

If you can't get hold of cavolo nero, you could use kale instead.

Kale is always a good option to add to soups, and I like that it lasts for ages in the fridge, so you can add it to all sorts of dishes.

Alternatively, you could add spinach, but I find it wilts way too quickly in the fridge, so I only buy it to add to dishes like this soup the day or day before I need it or use frozen spinach instead.

All three are healthy choices for adding more green goodness to your diet.

However, I still love dinosaur kale in a hearty soup like this as it looks so dramatic!

Also, try this Spiced Carrot, Lentil and Kale soup or this traditional Scotch Broth with Barley and Kale.

You can add cavola nero or spinach to these instead of kale

What to serve with this winter lentil soup

Here are a few ideas for serving this vitamin C-rich soup

Farinata - a type of Italian flatbread made with chickpea flour (gram flour)
Garlic bread - for a bit of luxury and for quickness, try this air fryer garlic bread
Homemade crusty bread - try this black olive beer bread or a pesto and garlic beer bread, both no yeast and no knead, super easy bread recipes
Cheese toastie - or grilled cheese, as our American friends say

Of course, any bread you have will be good for dunking and dunk you must!

Easy & Hearty Winter Cavolo Nero Kale & Lentil Soup in a large cast iron pan.

Storing a hearty winter soup

Spoon the soup into an airtight container to cool quickly, then secure the lid and store in the fridge for 3-4 days, reheating in a pot or the microwave before serving.

Once cool, you can also freeze it in portions in labelled and dated freezer bags or freezer-friendly tubs.

Take a portion out of the freezer the night before you need it and leave it in the fridge overnight to defrost, then reheat and enjoy!

The soup can be stored in the freezer for 3-4 months.

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Comforting cavolo nero & lentil soup, an easy and hearty veg packed winter soup.

Also, join my Facebook group Living on the Veg.

It's a very friendly community with lots of recipes and chat. I'm in there every day chatting with group members, many of whom have become friends over the years.

Remember and say hi. I'm always happy to chat and answer questions.

How to make cavolo nero, parsnip & lentil soup

A step-by-step photo guide followed by a full printable recipe.

Step 1

In a large saucepan or cast-iron pot (Dutch oven), sauté the onion and garlic in a little olive oil.
Once soft, add the chopped parsnips and grated carrot to the pan.
Sauté for a few minutes.

Step 2

Add the rinsed, cooked (canned) lentils to the pan, then the rinsed red lentils.
Next, add the spices (see the recipe card below for the full recipe).
Mix well.

Step 3

Add the hot stock to the pot.
Then add the cavolo nero and stir in.
Season with salt and pepper and cook on a medium heat.
Taste to check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Serve and enjoy!

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Lunch, Dinner

Italian

Yield: 6-8

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum