Easy to pull together with pantry ingredients, this Tomato Chickpea Soup is garlicky, and rich with a hint of rosemary. Made in one pot and cooked on the stovetop, it’s on the table in 55 minutes. Make it creamy or chunky with a sprinkle of parm and my Pesto Grilled Cheese with Gruyere or this hearty Vegetarian Kale Caesar Salad. This recipe is vegetarian, easily vegan and gluten free.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review: “My family loved your recipe! I ran across it just by chance and so glad I did. Once I saw it I wanted to try it right away, especially since I was looking for something I could throw together rather quickly and it was all ingredients I keep on hand…” ~Melissa
A Pantry Soup
We all need a soup recipe we can rely on with comforting flavor yet made with simple ingredients. This simple soup is one of those recipes. Made with minimal ingredients, without compromising flavor, it relies on canned cooked chickpeas (or you can use home-cooked chickpeas) and canned fire roasted tomatoes for ultimate convenience.
It’s loaded with rich flavor from onions, eight cloves of garlic (!!), a light treatment of rosemary and finished with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar for a little complexity. Share with Parmesan cheese if you’re feeling cheesy!
This Recipe Is
- made with simple ingredients
- make it chunky or smooth
- 15 minute prep time with a 40 minute cook time
If you love hearty homemade Soup Recipes, then you’ll enjoy this delicious simple soup!
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How to Make Tomato Chickpea Soup
step by step
Creamy or Chunky? Texture is everything! If you’re in the mood for a chunky soup, simply puree only a portion of the soup. This can be done in a blender or with an immersion blender.
Share with crusty bread, Garlic Chickpea Croutons, Crunchy Garlic Butter Croutons or Sourdough Croutons, a sprinkle of Parm and a big salad.
Traci’s Tips
- Make it Vegan! This soup calls for parmesan cheese. For a dairy free and vegan soup, leave the parm off or share it with vegan parmesan.
- A note on Rosemary: Rosemary tends to be a loud herb, so if not a fan, adjust the rosemary down, but keep it in there for interest. At 1 1/2 teaspoon (fresh) it’s subtle and lovely. I’ve included notes about using fresh or dried in this recipe.
Tuscan Tomato Chickpea Soup Recipe
Servings:4 Hearty Servings
Calories:504kcal
Easy to pull together with pantry ingredients, this Tomato Chickpea Soup is garlicky, and rich with just a hint of rosemary. Made in one pot and cooked on the stovetop, it’s on the table in 55 minutes. Make it creamy or chunky with a sprinkle of parm This recipe is vegetarian, easily vegan and gluten free. *See Notes for a Chunky Version*Garlic Chickpea Croutons, Crunchy Garlic Butter Croutons or Sourdough Croutons, are a delight with this soup.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 cups (230 grams) Yellow Onion medium dice – about one large onion
- 8 Plump Garlic Cloves smashed – see note if sharing the soup chunky
- 5 1/4 cups (930 grams) Cooked Chickpeas about 3 cans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (411 grams) Can of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
- 3/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves can be reduced/omitted to taste / may sub 1/4 tsp dried – see note if sharing the soup chunky
- 4 cups (910 grams) Water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar preferably aged *see note
- 1/4 – 1/2 Fresh Lemon juiced, optional *see note
- Grated Parmesan Cheese optional, for serving
Instructions
- *See notes for a chunky version* In a 4 Quart Dutch oven or soup pot, add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Turn the heat to medium to medium low and stir in the onions. Saute for about 7-9 minutes or until slightly softened. Stir in the garlic and cook an additional 4-5 minutes, adjusting the heat down as needed so the onions and garlic do not burn.
- To the pot add the chickpeas, tomatoes and all their juices, salt, pepper, rosemary and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Lid the pot and cook, stirring occasionally for about 25 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until the rosemary is broken down and soup is creamy. Alternatively, transfer 2-3 cups at a time to a blender and blend until creamy. Transfer the puree to a large bowl and repeat as needed until all the soup is pureed. Transfer pureed soup back to the soup pot and heat on medium low until warmed through if needed.
- Stir in the balsamic vinegar, taste, then if needed add a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir and taste to adjust salt. If a thinner soup is desired, add 1/2 C water at a time.
- Ladle into soup bowls, add a sprinkle of parmesan and plenty of fresh ground black pepper. Share with crusty bread, or croutons, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a big salad.
- To Freeze: allow the soup to cool completely. Store in lidded containers (I like Mason jars) for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Gently rewarm on stovetop.
Notes
*Balsamic Vinegar: Brands vary widely in characteristics. I’ve made this recipe with rich, sweet and thick aged Ritrovo brand balsamic vinegar and thin, sharp and tangy varieties. If using an aged sweet, syrupy balsamic like Ritrovo, I do recommend the added lemon. If using a thin, watery balsamic, taste before you add the lemon. The soup probably won’t need it.
**For a Chunky Soup:
Recipe inspired by and given to me by my Aunt, but after doing a quick search on Google, I found this recipe may have been adapted from Cooking Light’s recipe, perhaps in an earlier print version.
- Mince the rosemary and garlic before adding it to the soup pot so you don’t get a large piece all in one bite. Also, reduce the garlic saute time to about one minute.
- Instead of pureeing the entire soup, only add a cup or two of the soup to a blender, then add it back to the soup pot. Adjust creaminess to taste by pureeing more if desired.
- For a thinner soup, adjust with 1/2 C water at a time.
Recipe inspired by and given to me by my Aunt, but after doing a quick search on Google, I found this recipe may have been adapted from Cooking Light’s recipe, perhaps in an earlier print version.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 627mg | Potassium: 793mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 477IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 8mg
Made It? Leave a comment below! The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications and/or helping other commenters. On Instagram? Take a snap of your make and share, tagging @VanillaAndBean #VanillaAndBean!
Hi, I used rosemary but I found it was a bit overpowering? Also it might be my fault cause some of the fresh rosemary might have been a bit spoiled and in turn created a bitter flavour. Overall I loved the recipe. I might try just basil next time instead of the rosemary.
Hi Evy! Basil would be delicious in this. The rosemary shouldn’t be overpowering… rather just a mild background note (I’ll add a note about reducing to taste). Thank you for your note and giving the soup a go!
I rarely follow the recipes, but use them to make something with what I have on hand. Only had 2 cans of beans, added baby spinach, added some chicken broth, and some sundried tomatoes in oil. Added bottle of tomato passata, basil, and thyme, Himalayan salt. Pureed. Yum. Will add some slices of sea-salted cheese after reheating for lunch tomorrow.
Hi Emily! Thank you for sharing your notes and five star rating. Reheating for lunch is the best!
What portion does the 511 calories represent?
Hi Toni… one serving. Note this is an estimate.
Delicious! I used veg broth instead of water. The chickpeas make it very creamy.
Hi Leanne! Super happy to hear. Thank you for coming back and leaving a note and rating! Veggie broth sounds soooo good. I’ll try it next time!
Hello, I also halved this recipe, I made it as directed, just leaving out the vinegar. Excellent! Such a luxurious velvety consistency! I added nothing to first bowl, to second I added a pinch of Aleppo crushed chilies which added, for me, a perfect pop! Thank you for the outstanding recipes that have greatly enriched my 60+ years of searching for the next culinary challenge!raf
Please join me in keeping the Ukraine in Your positive thoughts and prayers!
Hiii BertaAnne! Thank you for your note, giving the recipe a go and sharing your tip on the crushed chilies (yum!). SO happy you’re enjoying the blog, and yes, of course Ukraine <3
Instead of Rosemary I added fresh basil and thyme, I also added chicken stock. Definitely a hearty soup, I like how you can alter it. The lemon and Parmesan really make the soup come together!
Hi Bri! Thank you for your note and sharing your subs. Basil and thyme sound fabulous!
I made this tonight, using what I had on hand. Added carrots and zucchini. Used beef broth instead of water. Used regular tomatoes and a touch of smoked paprika because I didn’t have fire roasted tomatoes. Didn’t have lemon, so finished with a splash of wine. I like how the recipe is adaptable to what is already in the pantry and fridge.
Hi B! Thank you for your note and sharing your tips! The smoked paprika sounds like the perfect stand in for those smoky fire roasted tomatoes. So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
I don’t think I can buy fire roasted tin tomatoes. Would I be better to use ordinary tin tomatoes or roast fresh tomatoes in the oven ?
Hi Kristen! Either will work! I hope this helps… let us know how it goes!
I made it this delightful soup today. So delicious!!!! I did add a little fresh parsley at the end. It’s a wonderful combination of flavors. I love the bright pop the acidity of the balsamic vinegar & lemon provide in the finish. Thank you for sharing!
SO happy to hear Angela! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! That balsamic and lemon well bring all the flavors together.
This looks so good…thank you for all your great recipes!
Hi Brenda! Thank you so much for your note and sending a smile!
Lovely recipe!
I cut the recipe in half and it was perfect for one. I made far too many chickpeas the other night and was looking for a way to use the extra ones. I roasted fresh tomatoes I had on hand in the oven and subbed them in. I didn’t have rosemary, but used oregano instead. It turned out great! <3
So happy to hear K! That oregano sounds lovely. Thank you for your note!
My family loved your recipe! I ran across it just by chance and so glad I did. Once I saw it I wanted to try it right away, especially since I was looking for something I could throw together rather quickly and it was all ingredients I keep on hand. Honestly, since we are not a vegan family and I have to cook to please the masses (3 hungry kids and a husband!) I subbed the water for chicken stock as I thought it would add just a bit of depth to the flavor and since we love rosemary I upped the amount a little bit. I am sure these changes were not needed at all, it was AMAZING! My kids aren’t very picky, thankfully, but I think when this is blended out it would be a great way to sneak some extra vegetables into picky kids even! Thank you for sharing. We will be making this again!
Thank you for your note, Melissa and giving the recipe a go! Hooray for a happy family at meal time :D Not always an easy feat!
Looks so good! If you’re making a creamy version do you think you could use a can of crushed roasted tomatoes rather than diced? That is all I have on hand and I don’t think plain diced would be as good
Hi Leslie! That would be lovely. You’ll blend it all up anyway… the roasted notes will be a win! I hope you enjoy it!
Everything about this soup is perfect for this time in our lives…the comfort it invokes, the shelf stable ingredients, and the visual treats of your photography. I’m thrilled to hear that your shoulder is in recovery mode. What a relief for you. Enjoy tending to your herbs. I know they will make their way into some fine recipes soon. Stay well.