As you probably know by now, I love soup! Actually, I could eat soup all year long, regardless of the weather. But, as we all know, winter is soup time, and I can't get enough. Chickpea soup, for example, is loaded with veggies and is simply MM MM Good!
Although I love my crockpot, I decided to make soup on the stove because I was meal prepping, and chickpea soup all goes in one pot.
Despite my choice to cook stovetop today, I have supplied crockpot directions for those of you who prefer.
To make sure I included as many vegetables as possible, I used a combination of frozen and fresh vegetables.
And, of course, this is a great soup to pack and take to work for lunch as well.
CHICKPEAS, VEGGIES, AND BROTH OH MY...
To include as many veggies as humanly possible, I started with a bag of frozen vegetables. Unlike most combinations, this bag was the motherload of veggies; carrots, peas, green beans, edamame, and corn.
Then, I added my own potatoes, garlic, onion, celery, and Redbor kale. Of course, the chickpeas and roasted tomatoes are canned, but the soup is so easy to throw together, it's almost criminal.
What I like about this soup, along with the veggies, is the tasty tomato-rich broth. With the special blend of seasonings and the nutritional yeast, it is somewhat spicy with a thick cheesy flavor.
WHAT KALE IS THE BEST TO USE IN CHICKPEA SOUP
Although the most common kale found in the grocery store is curly kale, I chose to use Redbor kale for its beautiful purple color. Also, I think Redbor kale is best used in soups and stews.
In fact, I learned the hard way that some kinds of kale are good to eat raw, like curly kale, while Redbor kale needs to be cooked, or it causes stomach issues.
When eaten raw, some kales are so dense; they don't digest well.
But, cooked, Redbor kale is the perfect texture, flavor, color, and wilts perfectly when added to soups and stews.
COOKING CHICKPEA SOUP IN LAYERS FOR FLAVOR
Like my Vegan Minestrone Soup – No Oil Rachel Ray Copy Cat recipe, chickpea soup is best cooked in layers when cooking in a stockpot. Different vegetables, subsequently, cook at different rates.
And although it all cooks in one pot, to get the best flavors from the vegetables and seasonings, it's best to add a few ingredients at a time.
First, I start by sauteeing the onions and garlic with a little vegetable broth to avoid sticking in the pan.
Then, I add the seasonings, nutritional yeast, the potatoes, and enough vegetable broth to cover the potatoes.
Then, I reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. The potatoes, which take longer to cook, are also like sponges, absorbing the garlic's flavors, onions, and spices.
MAKING THE REST OF THE CHICKPEA SOUP IS EASY
Then, the rest is simple. Now, everything else is added except for the kale and bring to a boil again.
Next, it's time to reduce again to simmer and cover for 20 minutes, so the veggies and flavors brew.
Once cooked, remove the lid, and add the chopped kale to the piping hot soup. Even though the soup is done cooking, the broth's heat wilts the kale without having to continue cooking.
As a result, you end up with a chickpea soup filled with veggies in a thick and creamy tomato broth. Just ladle it up and eat!
If you love soup, as I do, check out some of my all-time favorites:
- Vegan Split Pea Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Hungarian Mushroom Soup
- Skinny Detox Lentil Vegetable Soup
- Creamy Butternut Squash and Potato Soup
- Crockpot Spicy Coconut Potato and Corn Soup
- Skinny Cream of Tomato Soup
- Very Veggie and Bean Soup
- Crockpot Spicy Coconut Potato and Corn Soup
- Fennel Tomato Soup
- Vegan Italian Wedding Soup
- Vegan Tom Kha Gai Coconut Soup
- Vegan Minestrone Soup – No Oil Rachel Ray Copy Cat
- Cauliflower Bisque Soup with Paprika and Chives
📖 Recipe
Chickpea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onions diced small
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 baking potatoes diced small
- 1 zucchini diced small
- 3 stalks celery diced small
- 16 ounces frozen mixed vegetables carrots, green beans, edamame, and peas or any variety chosen
- 1 bunch Redbor Kale stem removed and chopped
- 30 ounces chickpeas rinsed and drained
- ⅛ cup chili powder
- 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup nutritional yeast yes 1 cup
- 2 cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes 1 pureed and one not
- 8 cups organic vegetable broth.
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Saute garlic and onions in a small amount of vegetable broth until onions are translucent
- Puree one of the two cans of tomatoes; leave one can of diced tomatoes intact
- Add diced potatoes, seasonings, nutritional yeast, and enough broth to cover potatoes.
- Bring to a boil, and cover. Reduce heat to simmer and cover for 10 minutes.
- Now add all the other ingredients except for the kale.
- Stir, and bring to a boil again.
- Cover again, and reduce heat to simmer again.
- Cook for 20 minutes covered.
- Uncover the pot, and add kale.
- Turn heat off, stir to combine.
- Ladle into bowls
Notes
CROCKPOT DIRECTIONS:
- Add all ingredients to a crockpot
- Stir
- Turn on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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