Mediterranean Chickpea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 large potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 small red bell pepper, cored and finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 (15-ounces) cans chickpeas, (see Chef's Tips)
- 1 (15-ounces) can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- Fresh lemon juice, about a tablespoon
Optional
- Fresh chopped parsley, about a tablespoon
- Red pepper flakes to taste, to taste
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, stir in the onion, celery, carrots, potatoes and bell pepper. Saute stirring frequently for 5-7 minutes or until the onions are translucent and the potatoes begin to soften.
- Stir in the garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, ground coriander, turmeric, ground ginger, salt and ground black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Add the chickpeas, crushed tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Optional but Highly Recommended:
- To give this soup a thicker consistency, remove about ½ cup of the soup and blend it until smooth. Return the blended soup to the pot and stir to combine. Alternatively, for convenience, use an immersion blender. Blend the soup for a few seconds, stir to combine. Make sure to leave most of the veggies and chickpeas whole.
Before Serving:
- Remove soup from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, chopped parsley and red pepper flakes (optional). Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.
Notes
- Draining the garbanzo beans in this recipe is optional. To be honest, I rarely drain beans when making soup. The bean broth they are packed in is flavorful and packed with nutrients.
- If you prefer using dried chickpeas, I suggest you soak them for at least 12 hours to shorten their cooking time. If you plan on making this soup in an Instant pot / pressure cooker or in a slow cooker, soaking the chick peas is not necessary.
- Cut the potatoes into small even pieces so they become tender quickly.
- For a flavor boost, season the soup with vegetable bouillon or chicken bouillon
- Store cool leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- To freeze, store cool soup in a freezer -safe container or resealable bag in the freezer for 2 months. Thaw out in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat the soup on the stove, in a pot over medium-low heat or in the microwave in small intervals, stirring after each interval.
Nutrition
Calories: 399 kcal, Carbohydrates: 67 g, Protein: 14 g, Fat: 10 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g, Sodium: 1593 mg, Potassium: 1245 mg, Fiber: 14 g, Sugar: 17 g, Vitamin A: 7629 IU, Vitamin C: 58 mg, Calcium: 139 mg, Iron: 6 mg
