Description
This Easy Mediterranean Chickpea Soup is a comforting, nutritious dish packed with sweet potatoes, vegetables, and warm spices. Perfect as a make-ahead meal, it melds vibrant flavors from fresh ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and red pepper flakes into a hearty broth. Ideal for a wholesome dinner, it can be made using canned or dried chickpeas and features a hands-off slow cooker option as well.
Ingredients
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 3 tablespoons 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, to taste
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 cup packed chopped fresh parsley
Legumes
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Spices
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric
- Dash red pepper flakes (Aleppo pepper recommended)
Liquids and Others
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- Juice of 1 to 2 limes
Instructions
- Sauté the Vegetables: In a large Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the sweet potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, and red bell peppers, seasoning with kosher salt. Cook while tossing regularly for about 7 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes have softened.
- Add Aromatics and Spices: Stir in the minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, and drained chickpeas. Sprinkle in the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 5 minutes, tossing regularly to evenly distribute spices and flavors.
- Simmer the Soup: Pour in the can of crushed tomatoes and the 6 cups of vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and let boil for 5 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot partially. Allow the soup to simmer gently for 25 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Finish and Serve: Turn off the heat and stir in the juice of 1 to 2 limes along with the chopped fresh parsley (or cilantro if preferred). Add more grated fresh ginger if desired. Serve warm and enjoy your comforting Mediterranean chickpea soup.
Notes
- For a hands-off approach, use a slow cooker by sautéing the vegetables and aromatics first, then transferring everything to the slow cooker and cooking on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- If using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight and cook separately before adding them to the soup.
- Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level.
- The soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld.
- Serve with a side of crusty bread or a fresh green salad for a complete meal.
