A regular on our menu! This hearty Italian Chickpea Soup recipe (vegan) is a simple and satisfying soup that relies on pantry staples. 292 calories and 3 Weight Watchers SP
Once my husband polished off his first bowl of this Italian Chickpea Soup (vegan), he said, "This needs to be a regular on our dinner menu!" The next day for lunch, he heated up the leftovers for lunch, stirring in some leftover chicken and a handful of spinach, making it into more of a stew.
This hearty, stick-to-your-ribs dish appears to go through a sort of identity crisis. It wants to be a soup, it wants to be a stew, it wants to be a pasta dish. Whatever you want to call it, it's delicious! The earthy flavor of the rosemary compliments the chickpeas beautifully. We couldn't stop eating it!
WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS ITALIAN CHICKPEA SOUP RECIPE:
These are the main components need for this recipe (affiliate links included)…
- Chickpeas: To keep things easy, I used canned chickpeas. Be sure to drain and rinse the chickpeas. A fine mesh sieve works well for this.
- Vegetable broth: If you have homemade on had, by all means use that. I typically keep some store-bought vegetable broth on hand for quick soups. If you don't have vegetable broth and aren't following a vegetarian or vegan diet, chicken broth can be used.
- Orzo: I used whole wheat orzo because that's what I had on hand. Regular orzo or another small pasta, such as ditalini, can be swapped in.
- Rosemary: Either fresh or dried rosemary works. The general rule is to use three times the amount of fresh herbs compared to dried herbs. In this recipe, 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary can be used in place of 1 teaspoon dried rosemary.
- Vegetables: Basic aromatics are used as the base for the soup - onion, celery, carrot and garlic.
Tools used in this recipe:
- Large saucepan: Any large saucepan will do. I used the Le Creuset Dutch oven that I inherited from my grandparents. They may a little pricey, but they last forever!
- Blending tool: Immersion blenders work wonders for blending soups. A good blender (this one is, hands down, the best blender I've used) or food processor will also do the job.
Tips for making this chickpea soup (vegan):
The first step of this recipe calls for sweating the vegetables, which means that the vegetables are cooked slowly to soften them. In this method, the vegetables release moisture and cook until translucent (in the case of the onion) and soft.
For even sweating, dice the vegetables in even pieces and stir frequently.
Simmer the chickpeas and broth with the vegetables for about 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove half of the chickpeas, then puree the rest of the soup. Return everything to the saucepan and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Once the orzo pasta is added, SIMMER (don't boil) the mixture. If the heat is too high, the soup will start to stick to the bottom of the saucepan. If this is happening, lower the heat and stir frequently until the pasta is tender.
How long will this soup last?
This soup should last 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Transfer the soup to a glass or ceramic bowl, cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap. Alternatively, use a sealable glass container, like this one.
How to reheat the soup:
Regardless of how you're reheating the soup, you'll need extra liquid - either vegetable broth or hot water - to thin the soup. It thickens up significantly when refrigerated.
If reheating multiple servings, I find it easiest to transfer the soup back to the saucepan and reheating on medium heat, stirring frequently.
Alternatively, reheat the soup in the microwave in 30 second spurts, stirring each time.
Can chickpea soup be frozen?
Yes! Bean soups tend to freeze well. The soup will expand as it freezes, so leave about 1 inch of room between the soup and the top of the container.
Bean soup can frozen in one of two ways:
- Method 1: Transfer to a freezer proof container with a lid, such as these glass containers (affiliate link).
- Method 2: Transfer the soup to a freezer safe resealable bags, lay flat on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, store the bags in a flat pile or upright, next to each other like books on a shelf.
Other recipes with chickpeas:
Curried Sweet Potato Soup with Chickpeas {Cookin' Canuck}
Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Caramelized Onions & Chickpeas {Cookin' Canuck}
Vegan Moroccan Chickpea Skillet {Sweet Peas & Saffron}
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad {Eat With Clarity}
Printable Recipe
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Italian Chickpea Soup Recipe {Vegan}
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion chopped
- 2 large celery stalks diced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 (14 oz. each) cans chickpeas drained & rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth + more to thin, if desired
- 4 ounces whole wheat orzo (can substitute with regular orzo or ditalini)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper or to taste
- 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic and rosemary. Cover with a lid and allow the vegetables to cook down until softened, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The idea is to “sweat” the vegetables rather than browning them. Adjust the heat as needed if your burner runs hot.
- Stir in the chickpeas and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the chickpeas to a bowl. If you have an immersion blender, blend the remaining soup in the saucepan until smooth. Alternatively, allow the soup to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth, opening the lid (when the blender is NOT running) to release the steam periodically.
- Combine the blended soup and the reserved chickpeas in the saucepan. Add the orzo. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the orzo is tender, 7 to 10 minutes. While cooking, scrape the bottom of the saucepan with a wooden spoon to release any soup that starts to stick. Turn down the hit if it’s sticking too much.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley. Serve.
- If you prefer a thinner consistency, stir in additional broth or hot water.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on May 20, 2009 and updated with new photos and text on April 1, 2020.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Sabrina
greaat souo dish, havn't used chckpeas before usually pinto beans, etc so that was a nice change, lke tge veg tioo, thank you!