Cream of Chickpea Soup

This vegan cream of chickpea soup recipe combines savory vegetables and chickpeas pureed and topped with crispy air-fried chickpeas. It all cooks in one pan for 20 minutes.

Chickpeas are fabulous little balls of fiber and protein. Although part of the lentil family, chickpeas are perfect for sandwiches, soups, stews, and salads. But I've never considered making cream of chickpea soup before. Today, I decided to see if I created a vegan cream of chickpea soup recipe instead of simply adding chickpeas to a soup. And, I was pleasantly surprised. 

Jump to:

• The Nutritional Benefits of Chickpeas
• Cream of Chickpea Soup Ingredients
• Cream of Chickpea Soup Ingredient Substitutions
• Hungarian Paprika vs. Smoked Paprika
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• Enjoy More Delicious Vegan Soup Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Although my favorite room in my house, my kitchen is my test kitchen. Despite the numerous experiments gone wrong, a lot of the time, I hit a home run. My family, who I love dearly, are painfully honest. Without a doubt, my failures turn into carrying out a quick trip to a local restaurant. Today, however, my cream of chickpea soup recipe turned out perfect, and it was as easy to make. 

The Nutritional Benefits of Chickpeas

According to Healthline, chickpeas have an impressive nutrition profile.

They contain a moderate amount of calories, providing 46 calories per 1-ounce (28-gram) serving. Approximately 67% of those calories are from carbs, while the rest comes from protein and a small amount of fat (1).

Chickpeas also provide a variety of vitamins and minerals and a decent amount of fiber and protein.

A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving provides the following nutrients (1):

• Calories: 46
• Carbs: 8 grams
• Fiber: 2 grams
• Protein: 3 grams
• Folate: 12% of the RDI
• Iron: 4% of the RDI
• Phosphorus: 5% of the RDI
• Copper: 5% of the RDI
• Manganese: 14% of the RDI

Not only are chickpeas healthy, but they are also incredibly inexpensive. 

Cream of Chickpea Soup Ingredients

Despite the simplicity of this recipe, the flavors are incredible. Of course, the combination of onions, garlic, and leeks is the savory component. The chickpeas, for example, are nutty with a slightly grainy texture. Blended chickpeas have a creamy texture, perfect for a creamy soup. 

• White Onion: White onions, when caramelized, sweetens as it cooks, creating a warm flavor.
• Garlic: I prefer using fresh garlic whenever possible for the best flavor.
• Leek: Leeks taste like a mild version of an onion, with the same base flavor but far less intensity. They are delicate and sweeter than other members of its cultivar group. Traditionally, the white part and light green middle are eaten, while the green tops are often discarded.
• Carrots: Carrots add color and sweetness to the vegan cream of chickpea soup recipe.
• Chickpeas: Canned Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)
• Vegetable Broth: I prefer low-sodium vegetable broth. I buy in bulk at Whole Foods.
• Hungarian Paprika: Hungarian paprika is sweet paprika. The unique and favorable climate made Hungarian paprika so delicious that it became popular worldwide. It's not too hot but has a pleasant sweet taste. Authentic Hungarian paprika gives a one-of-a-kind flavor to many dishes. It doesn't have a smokey flavor like Spanish paprika and is milder than chili.

Cream of Chickpea Soup Ingredient Substitutions

• Use dried chickpeas and soak overnight, covered in water. Follow the Instant Pot of slow cooker options in the Tips section below.
• Yellow onion is an excellent substitute for white onion in recipes.
• Green onions or scallions are a natural replacement for leeks.
• Any parsnips replace carrots or try sweet potato or butternut squash.
• Choose smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika for a smokier flavored soup.

Hungarian Paprika vs. Smoked Paprika

However, the difference between Hungarian paprika and regular paprika is flavor. For instance, normal paprika is sweet made from crushed dried chilies. Smoked paprika, on the other hand, uses chilies that are smoke-dried and then crushed. Typically smoked with oak, smoke-dried chilis have a stronger flavor. For example, some people think it tastes a little like liquid smoke in powder form. 

One of my favorite parts of this recipe is it has few ingredients, but it is also cooked in one pan for 20 minutes. As with many of my other soup recipes, I cook in layers.

• First, cook the onions, garlic, and leeks in a large soup pot over medium heat until the onions are translucent, and the leeks soften and break down.

• Then add the chickpeas, carrots, and smoked paprika.
• Notice, salt is not added at all.
• The salt, which is already in the vegetable broth, is the perfect amount.
• On the other hand, the smoked paprika provides a natural smoky taste with a slight hint of spice. 

• Once the vegetable broth is added, bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer, and cover.
• Next, the soup is blended in batches with a high-speed blender. 
• Or use an immersion blender if preferred.

Of course, since I made cream of chickpea soup, I topped the soup with my air-fried chickpeas recipe. 

• While the soup simmers, make the air-fried chickpeas to garnish the soup and add another layer of texture.

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• Leeks are very dirty and generally have dirt in between their layers. Cut them and rinse them thoroughly to remove any excess debris.
• When using a blender to puree soups, carefully vent the blender slowly before opening the blender with hot ingredients. This will prevent burns that often occur when blending hot ingredients in a blender.
• Use a blender, such as Vitamix, designed to blend hot soup ingredients.
• Try an immersion blender as a shortcut for removing the blender, preventing additional cleanup.
• If using dry chickpeas instead of canned, soak them overnight, or minimally 6-8 hours. Like other beans, chickpeas benefit from soaking in water, especially if you plan to boil them on the stovetop.
• However, if you plan to cook them in the slow cooker or instant pot, you do not need to soak them, although you can if you have the time.
• Soaking dry beans or chickpeas with a teaspoon of baking soda helps them soften.
• If cooking the chickpeas in an Instant Pot, drain and rinse the chickpeas well, then add to Instant Pot and cover with just enough water to submerge (1 cup soaked chickpeas to require ~2 – 2 ¼ cups water).
• Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes or up to 17-18 minutes for super buttery, tender chickpeas. For chickpeas with some bite, try 13-14 minutes.
• The benefit of cooking dried chickpeas in a slow cooker is there is no soaking step — everything is added to the slow cooker, and you turn it on and walk away. Pretty easy. Add 1 pound of dried chickpeas and 7 cups of water to a slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours.

Try this simple vegan cream of chickpea soup to warm you on a cold winter's night.

Enjoy More Delicious Vegan Soup Recipes

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