Easy Mediterranean Chickpea Soup Recipe
Comforting and nutritious, this chickpea soup is filled with sweet potatoes, vegetables, and warm spices. It's even better the next day, making it a delicious make-ahead meal. I've got all the tips for using dried chickpeas instead of canned, and instructions for a hands-off slow cooker version, too!
Servings: 6 people (up to)
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
- Kosher salt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, more or less to your liking
- 2 15- ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric
- Dash red pepper flakes, I used Aleppo pepper
- 1 15- ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- Juice of 1 to 2 limes
- 1 cup packed chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the sweet potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, and bell peppers. Season with kosher salt. Cook, tossing regularly, for 7 minutes or until the sweet potatoes have softened. Add the garlic, ginger, chickpeas, and spices. Cook for another 5 minutes, tossing regularly.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot part-way and cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes or until the flavors meld.
- Turn the heat off. Add the lime juice and fresh cilantro or parsley, and a little more fresh ginger. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- To make this soup from scratch using dried chickpeas: You would need about 1 cup of dried chickpeas to yield the same amount as two 15-ounce cans of chickpeas (drained). Start by soaking the chickpeas overnight or at least for 8 hours in a large bowl of water, or for a quick soak, add the chickpeas to a large pot cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and allow the chickpeas to soak for about 1 hour or until softened. From there, you can cook the chickpeas, adding water and a big pinch of salt and boiling them for about 1 to 2 hours until they are tender. Follow my how to cook chickpea guide for more details. Drain and use in this recipe.
- Slow cooker method: For a hands-off dinner, you can also prepare this soup your slow cooker. You can add all the ingredients (except the lime juice and parsley) in the bowl of your slow cooker. Season with Kosher salt and the spices. Pour in vegetable broth, then cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on the low setting for 6 to 7 hours or so. To finish, add in the lime juice and fresh parsley, and a little more ginger, if you like. Note, dried chickpeas do not need to be soaked for the slow-cooker method, but you may add an extra cup of broth.
- Leftovers and storage: Leftover chickpea soup will keep for 4 to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat and stir occasionally until warmed through.
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils and spices (like the cumin, coriander, turmeric, and Aleppo pepper used in this recipe).
Nutrition
Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.5g | Protein: 6.9g | Fat: 2.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 403.9mg | Potassium: 680.5mg | Fiber: 7.9g | Sugar: 9.6g | Vitamin A: 10890.9IU | Vitamin C: 49.9mg | Calcium: 98.4mg | Iron: 3.4mg
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