When you're feeling under the weather or in need of some comfort food, it's time for Chickpea Soup for the Soul! This filling, hearty soup is made with carrots, celery, chickpeas and healing spices to instantly warm up everyone who tries it.
My favorite thing to do with a healing batch of chickpea soup is make it when someone in my family is feeling under the weather. It's full of simple flavors that do wonders for a sick body, similar to this Italian Penicillin Soup!
It's also a wonderful recipe to take to a friend who's sick, grieving, or welcoming a new baby into the family. It feeds everyone and gives them energy to keep going! It tastes even better with lots of love baked in. I will often make a double batch and tuck some away in my freezer to have on hand for a sick day!
Why You'll Love this Chickpea Soup
- Comforting
- Satisfying
- Healthy and nutritious
- Loaded with fresh veggies, herbs and spices
- Easy recipe using simple ingredients
- Delicious!
Ingredients
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh vegetables: yellow onion, celery stalks, carrots and fresh garlic cloves (using an entire head of it!)
- Chickpeas: grab a can of chickpeas or cook dried chickpeas from scratch!
- Herbs and seasonings: bay leaves, turmeric, dried thyme, dried parsley, red pepper flakes and fresh parsley
- Low-sodium vegetable broth
- Fine salt
To give it more bulk, feel free to add dry pasta, brown or white rice or orzo.
How to Make Vegan Chickpea Soup
- Preheat dutch oven over medium heat while you prep your ingredients. Add oil, onions and salt and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add celery, carrots, garlic and garbanzo beans and sauté for 7 minutes.
- Add bay leaves, turmeric, chili flakes and stir to evenly coat the ingredients with the ground spices.
- Add broth or stock and bring to a rolling boil. Add pasta if using. Cover with the lid slightly off-center to allow a little steam to escape. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and the veggies to get tender. You can simmer for longer if desired but do not overcook the veggies.
- Serve while steamy hot garnished with the diced parsley. Add cashew cream if desired (I love to add this to make it creamy and add some body to the broth).
Store leftover chickpea soup, once cooled to room temperature, in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 1 week (or in the freezer for 2-3 months). If freezing, allow one inch of space at the top of a freezer-safe container for expansion. To thaw from frozen, place the container in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours to become liquid again. Then reheat on the stove.
Vegetables to Add Into Chickpea Soup
This recipe is such a great base for any and all of your favorite vegetables! The following are also great options:
- Mushrooms
- Riced cauliflower
- Zucchini or zucchini noodles
- Sweet potatoes
Why I Love Chickpeas
This brothy chickpea soup is so comforting because it tastes just like a classic chicken soup. Chickpeas replace the chicken while keeping the protein content and flavor profile high. They are one of my favorite pantry staples I use to whip up last minute recipes because they are so easy to work with, versatile, inexpensive and nutritious.
Chickpeas are considered a legume, which means they contain plant-based protein, fiber and complex carbs. They are also an excellent source of folic acid, are low in fat and contain no cholesterol. They will digest slowly (keeping you fuller longer) and are satisfying without making you feel stuffed.
See my complete guide on chickpeas for more nutrition and and health information.
Health Benefits of Carrots
I love including carrots in healing soups like this one! Not only do they add gorgeous, bright color, they're really good for you, too. Carrots are low in calories and offer dietary fiber. They’re high in beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A. This is good for eye health but also your immune system as well as healthy skin.
Health Benefits of Garlic & Turmeric
I love that this Chickpea Soup is loaded with so much garlic and yet the garlic somehow doesn't overpower the dish. Garlic is great for boosting immunity and has anti-inflammatory properties.
There's also vibrant turmeric in this soup! Turmeric has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for many conditions, including breathing problems, rheumatism, serious pain, and fatigue. Modern medicine has even begun to recognize its importance. Many use it as a dietary supplement for inflammation, arthritis, stomach, skin, liver, and gallbladder problems. Learn more about turmeric as traditional and modern medicine.
This delicious and filling chickpea soup recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, soy-free, nut-free, and refined sugar-free.
More Cozy Vegan Soups (All Gluten-Free Too)
- Vegan Thai Curry Soup with Zoodles
- Toddler and Kid-Approved Creamy Vegan Carrot Soup
- Creamy Split Pea-Turmeric & Red Lentil Vegetable Soup
- Simple Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup
- Creamy Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup
- Moroccan Tomato & Chickpea Soup
I hope you enjoy this easy chickpea soup!
Print
Chickpea Soup for the Soul (Vegan)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
When you're feeling under the weather or in need of some comfort food, it's time for Chickpea Soup for the Soul! This filling, hearty soup is made with carrots, celery, chickpeas, and healing spices to instantly warm up everyone who tries it.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoons fine salt (or more to taste)
- 4 large celery stalks, thinly diced
- 3 carrots, thinly diced
- 10 large garlic cloves, minced (yes, 10! use an entire head of garlic)
- 1, (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed and dried (or cooked from scratch)
- 2 bay leaves (remove before serving)
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric (or 1 tablespoon freshly grated turmeric)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes
- 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ¼ cup diced fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
- optional: 1 cup dry pasta, gluten-free if desired or ¼ cup dry rice or gluten-free orzo
- optional: ½ cup cashew cream
Instructions
- Preheat dutch oven over medium heat while you prep your ingredients. Add oil, onions and salt and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add celery, carrots, garlic and garbanzo beans and sauté for 7 minutes.
- Add bay leaves, turmeric, chili flakes and stir to evenly coat the ingredients with the ground spices.
- Add broth or stock and bring to a rolling boil. Add pasta if using. Cover with the lid slightly off-center to allow a little steam to escape. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and the veggies to get tender. You can simmer for longer if desired but do not overcook the veggies.
- Serve while steamy hot garnished with the diced parsley. Add cashew cream if desired (I love to add this to make it creamy and add some body to the broth).
Notes
Store leftovers once fully cooled in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 2-3 months. If freezing, allow one inch of space at the top of the container for expansion. To thaw from frozen, place the container in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours to become liquid again. Then reheat on the stove.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
Richard says
Great recipe, Elaine. I followed it close to a T and my omnivore family thought it tasted wonderful.
For myself, the clear soup tasted great, but I had some extra chickpeas & my son doesn’t like too many carrots. So I puréed the beans and a bunch of soup ( especially carrots). The taste was the same, the soup was creamy.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Richard! I'm so happy you and your fam enjoyed this one and were able to put your own spin on it! Pureeing beans in soups is a great way to add creaminess and thickness. Sounds yummy! Thank you for the five star review! Best, Elaine
Amy A says
Great soup!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Amy! So happy to hear you enjoyed this one too!