Tuscan Chickpea Soup Recipes

TUSCAN MASHED CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Pour the chickpeas into a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Drain well. Place the chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the chicken stock and pulse until the chickpeas are coarsely pureed.
• In a medium (10-inch) saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomato and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tomato is softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the chickpeas, stirring to combine with the tomatoes and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and taste for seasonings. Pile in a serving bowl, drizzle with extra olive oil, and serve with shards of grilled country bread.

TUSCAN CHICKPEA SOUP

Steps:

• Soak dried garbanzo beans in water to cover overnight.
• Rinse and inspect the beans and set aside.
• In a skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the garlic and onion and cook of 10 minutes stirring frequently.
• Put the onion mixture, garbanzo beans, and next 5 ingredients in your crockpot.
• Simmer in the crockpot for 2 to 4 hours.
• (I will start this on low in the morning, and turn up the heat when I come home for lunch).
• To make the soup thicker, blend 4 cups of the soup in a blender, 1 cup at a time (very carefully, this is hot soup!) then place all 4 cups back into the soup.
• Stir in the balsamic vinegar and let the soup simmer another 15 minutes.
• (this is the perfect time to throw together a salad).
• Place the soup in bowls (1 1/2 cups for 6 servings) and sprinkle with parmesan (1 tbs).