Chickpea Soup (Easy and healthy!)

Healthy, hearty, and delicious, this Chickpea Soup is easy to make and so satisfying!

There is nothing better than a big pot of soup on a chilly day. That’s why I have different soup recipes on repeat throughout the fall and winter. I don’t think you can have too many, so I’m going to keep creating and sharing new healthy soup recipes. Okay with you?

This Chickpea Soup is easy to make and full of nourishing ingredients. It’s perfect for a Meatless Monday meal or any day you’re looking for a light, yet filling, soup. This soup is actually vegan and super filling! It’s the best way to get a lot of healthy veggies into your meal.

I hope you give hearty chickpea soup a try. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need to make it.

Recipe Ingredients–What You’ll Need

Like many of my recipes, this soup calls for simple ingredients that are easy to find. It’s filled with my favorite pantry staples!

Chickpeas:

Chickpeas are the star ingredient in this soup. They are also known as garbanzo beans and are part of the legume family. They are a great source of plant-based protein, fiber, and minerals like iron and magnesium. I use 2 cans of chickpeas, but you can absolutely start with dry chickpeas and cook your own. Go for about 3 cups cooked beans.

Carrots:

Carrots are a good source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that the body converts to vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for vision, immune function, and cellular growth. It’s also what gives carrots their characteristic orange color and gives a nice pop of color to this soup. It is one of three vegetables used for the classic mirepoix flavor base.

Celery:

Celery is a good source of antioxidants and contains vitamins and minerals like potassium, folate, and vitamin A. It’s also a good source of fiber. This is the second vegetable used in the mirepoix flavor base.

Onion:

Onions are another member of the Allium family (which also includes garlic and leeks). They have a milder flavor than garlic and are often used as a base for soups and stews. Onions are a good source of fiber, vitamins C and B, and minerals like chromium and manganese. This is the third vegetable used in the mirepoix flavor base for this soup.

Garlic:

Garlic is a member of the onion family and is a staple for flavoring many different food dishes. It’s known for its distinct flavor and health benefits. Garlic has been shown to boost the immune system, improve heart health, and fight inflammation. It adds delicious flavor here, so don’t skip it! You can add some garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, but my preference is fresh.

Tomatoes:

Tomatoes are a source of lycopene, an antioxidant that has been shown to have several health benefits. These include reducing inflammation, boosting heart health, and fighting cancer.

Kale:

Kale is a nutrient-dense leafy green vegetable. It’s a good source of vitamins A, C, and K. It also contains minerals like copper, potassium, iron, and magnesium. Kale is a great addition to soups because it doesn’t wilt as much as other greens when cooked. Other greens you can use in its place include spinach, swiss chard, or cabbage.

Vegetable Stock:

I like to use vegetable stock when I’m making a vegan soup. It’s more flavorful than water and goes well with the flavor profile of this soup. It’s easy to find and usually inexpensive at the grocery store, but it’s also super easy to make your own. Chicken stock or chicken broth can be substituted if you prefer.

Fresh Parsley:

Fresh herbs as so much flavor to soups, so I love adding them when I can. Parsley Parsley is a good source of vitamins A and C. It also contains antioxidants and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Olive Oil or Avocado Oil:

Olive oil and avocado oil are my two favorite cooking oils. Avocado oil has a high smoke point, so it’s good for cooking at higher temperatures. It also has a neutral flavor, so it won’t alter the taste of your soup. Neither olive oil or avocado oil are inflammatory like vegetable oils.

Sea Salt and Black Pepper:

Salt and black pepper are for seasoning.

Tomato Paste:

This isn’t included in the photo above, but I highly recommend you use it here! Tomato paste is a thick, concentrated tomato product. It’s used to add flavor and depth to dishes. It brings out the umami flavor here.

How to Make Chickpea Soup

Step One: Prepare the Mirepoix

The first step is to prepare the mirepoix, which is a French flavor base made up of carrots, celery, and onion. If you’re in a rush, you can use a food processor to chop the vegetables so they are all the same size. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a sharp knife to chop them by hand.

Add the oil to a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium low heat. Add the carrot, celery, and onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes.

Step Two: Sauté the Garlic with Thyme, Salt, and Pepper

Next, add the garlic, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper to the pot and sauté for a minute until the garlic is fragrant.

Step Three: Add the Stock and Bring to a Boil

Add the stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low so that it gently simmers. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes.

Step Four: Blend half the Chickpeas and Tomatoes

While the soup is simmering, place half of the chickpea amount (1 can or 1 1/2 cups) and the tomatoes into a blender and blend until smooth. This is going to give a little bit thicker soup without having to add a roux.

It also gives the feeling of a creamy chickpea soup without having to add any cream. If you prefer to skip this step, you can add these ingredients unblended.

Step Five: Add the final Ingredients

Add the kale, blended chickpeas and tomatoes, the second can of chickpeas, and the tomato paste to the pot and stir well. Cook until the kale is bright green and wilted, about 5 more minutes. Serve and enjoy!

This chickpea vegetable soup is even better the next day, so you’ll want to make a big batch! Go ahead and double this simple recipe! It’s perfect for meal prep, lunch OR dinner. Add some crusty bread and you’ll be in heaven.

Any leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days. This soup also freezes well.

Recipe Variations:

1. To create a Greek chickpea soup, leave out the tomatoes and don’t blend the chickpeas. Add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice at the end for a delicious, lemony chickpea soup.
2. To change the flavor profile, leave out the thyme and fresh parsley and add a teaspoon cumin, fresh ginger, and top it with fresh cilantro.

I love cooking (and baking!) with chickpeas. Check out some of my favorite chickpea recipes:

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Buffalo Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Crispy Chickpeas Recipe

Coconut Curry Chickpea Lentil Soup

Peanut Butter Chickpea Energy Balls

Marinara Sauce with Chickpeas and Kale

Brownie Batter Dessert Hummus

Banana Chocolate Chip Blondies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

This is only a handful of all the chickpea recipes I have!

I can never get too many delicious soup recipes on my list to try! This Italian Wedding Soup is a must try!

If you try this chickpea soup recipe, or any of my other healthy recipes, please let me know! I’d love to see a photo–share it on Instagram and I’ll feature you. Please leave a comment and star rating below. It really helps other readers know which recipes are tried and true!

Chickpea Soup (Easy and healthy!)

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Maryea Flaherty of Happy Healthy Mama
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This delicious Chickpea Soup is healthy, comforting, and easy to make!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, ends removed and chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced (us up to 5 cloves if they are smaller)
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 cups vegetable stock/broth
• 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, divided and drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups packed chopped kale
• 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

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Instructions

 

1. Add the oil to a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium low heat. Add the carrot, celery, and onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes.
2. Next, add the garlic, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper to the pot and sauté for a minute until the garlic is fragrant.
3. Add the stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low so that it gently simmers. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes.
4. While the soup is simmering, place half of the drained and rinsed chickpeas (1 can or 1 1/2 cups) and the tomatoes into a blender and blend until smooth. This is going to give a little bit thicker soup without having to add a roux. It also gives the feeling of a creamy chickpea soup without having to add any cream. If you prefer to skip this step, you can add these ingredients unblended.
5.  Next, add the kale, blended chickpeas and tomatoes, the second can of chickpeas, and the tomato paste to the pot and stir well. Cook until the kale is bright green and wilted, about 5 more minutes. Serve and enjoy!

 

Notes

Any leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days. This soup also freezes well.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: soup recipes
• Method: stove top
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
• Calories: 235
• Sugar: 7.9 grams
• Fat: 7.9 grams
• Carbohydrates: 35.2 grams
• Fiber: 9.5 grams
• Protein: 9.2 grams