Spicy Chickpea Soup Recipes

APRIL'S SPICY CHICKPEA SOUP WITH KALE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium-sized pot until warm. Add cumin seeds and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic; cook and stir until onion is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, chickpeas, and kale.
• Bring soup to a simmer and cook until kale is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; stir in parsley. Remove from heat; top with Parmesan cheese.

MOROCCAN SPICED CHICKPEA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur. Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.
• Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
• Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.
• Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

MOROCCAN CHICKPEA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then fry the onion and celery gently for 10 mins until softened, stirring frequently. Tip in the cumin and fry for another min.
• Turn up the heat, then add the stock, tomatoes and chickpeas, plus a good grind of black pepper. Simmer for 8 mins. Throw in broad beans and lemon juice, cook for a further 2 mins. Season to taste, then top with a sprinkling of lemon zest and chopped herbs. Serve with flatbread.

SPICY SWEET POTATO & CHICKPEA SOUP

Steps:

• In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute onion until tender, 4-6 minutes. Stir in spices. Add potatoes, chickpeas, stock and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes., Puree soup using an immersion blender. Or cool slightly and puree soup in batches in a blender; return to pan and heat through. Top with bacon, green onions and, if desired, cheese.Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little stock or water if necessary.

RED LENTIL, CHICKPEA & CHILLI SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan and dry-fry 2 tsp cumin seeds and a large pinch of chilli flakes for 1 min, or until they start to jump around the pan and release their aromas.
• Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 chopped red onion, and cook for 5 mins.
• Stir in 140g red split lentils, 850ml vegetable stock or water and a 400g can tomatoes, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have softened.
• Whizz the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor until it is a rough purée, pour back into the pan and add a 200g can drained and rinsed chickpeas.
• Heat gently, season well and stir in a small bunch of chopped coriander, reserving a few leaves to serve. Finish with 4 tbsp 0% Greek yogurt and extra coriander leaves.

SPICED CHICKPEA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large lidded pan. Add the onion and garlic, put on the lid and cook for 5 mins, stirring halfway through. Stir the chilli, ginger, cumin, ras el hanout and cinnamon into the pan and cook for 1 min. Add the peppers, tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer, put on the lid and cook for 10 mins.
• Blitz the soup with a stick blender, or in a food processor until smooth. Return to the pan and add more liquid to thin the soup, if you like. Stir in the chickpeas, preserved lemons, honey and some seasoning. If eating straight away, add the couscous and heat through for 5 mins. (If taking to work, add the couscous just before reheating).

SPICY HARISSA, AUBERGINE & CHICKPEA SOUP

Steps:

• Soften onion in olive oil in a large saucepan. Add harissa and cook for 2 mins, stirring. Add aubergines and coat in the harissa. Add tomatoes, chickpeas and 500ml of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 mins. Stir through the coriander, season and serve.

SPICED CHICKPEA AND TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Using a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon, crush garlic, chiles, coriander, salt, and caraway to form a paste.
• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic mixture, and cook until just softened, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in chickpeas, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and stock. Simmer, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Working in batches, puree soup in a blender. Rewarm if necessary. Divide among bowls, and top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of parsley.

SPICED CHICKPEA STEW WITH COCONUT AND TURMERIC

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pot over medium. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, and the chickpeas, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, so the chickpeas sizzle and fry a bit in the spices and oil, until they've started to break down and get a little browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.
• Using a wooden spoon or spatula, further crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides. (This will help thicken the stew.) Add coconut milk and stock, and season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until stew has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. (Taste a chickpea or two, not just the liquid, to make sure they have simmered long enough to be as delicious as possible.) If after 30 to 35 minutes, you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you've reached your desired consistency. Determining perfect stew thickness is a personal journey!
• Add greens and stir, making sure they're submerged in the liquid. Cook until they wilt and soften, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on what you're using. (Swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.) Season again with salt and pepper.
• Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes and a good drizzle of olive oil. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you'd like.