Mediterranean Chickpea and Vegetable Soup Recipe
A hearty and flavorful Mediterranean soup packed with chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and aromatic herbs, perfect for a comforting and nutritious meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- 2 cans (14oz – 400 gr each) chickpeas, drained
- 1 can (14oz – 400 gr) whole or diced tomatoes
- 2 ½ cup (600 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 6 oz (170 grams) fresh spinach (or 3 oz frozen)
- 1 to 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add Spices and Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic, paprika, oregano, and thyme. Cook until fragrant, around 1 minute, to release the flavors.
- Simmer the Soup: Add the drained chickpeas, tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves after simmering.
- Thicken and Add Spinach: In a jar with a lid, combine the flour and ¼ cup cold water, shaking until emulsified. Stir this mixture into the soup. Add fresh spinach gradually, stirring each handful until wilted. If using frozen spinach, increase cooking time slightly. Turn off the heat once spinach is incorporated.
- Season and Finalize: Add fresh lemon juice to taste, then adjust the seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice until the flavors balance perfectly.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired. Optionally, top with grated parmesan cheese for a non-vegan version. Serve with crusty bread and enjoy your warm Mediterranean soup.
Notes
- You can adjust the thickness of the soup by varying the amount of flour and water mixture.
- Frozen spinach increases cooking time by a few minutes compared to fresh.
- Adding lemon juice brightens the flavors but is optional based on preference.
- To keep the soup vegan, omit the parmesan cheese.
- Use low-sodium broth to better control the saltiness of the soup.
- For a richer flavor, you may sauté the spices briefly before adding liquids.
Keywords: Mediterranean soup, chickpea soup, healthy soup, vegan soup, spinach soup, vegetable broth soup
