Easy to pull together with pantry ingredients, this Tomato Chickpea Soup is garlicky, and rich with just a hint of rosemary! Share it creamy or chunky with a sprinkle of parm and my Grilled Cheese with Gruyere. This recipe is vegetarian, easily vegan and gluten free.
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Food Memories
I first had this creamy chickpea soup in the late 1990s at my Aunt’s house in San Antonio Texas. Rob and I were visiting from Corpus Christi, joining family for a birthday celebration. I remember this recipe fondly as it made more of an impression than the cake!
I still have the scribbled notes I wrote as my Aunt shared how she made it. I was struck by the simple ingredients, yet how flavorful and rich the soup is. I’ve been making this easy chickpea soup ever since, sometime puréed, sometimes chunky, but always shared with crusty bread.
How to Make Tomato Chickpea Soup
Pantry ingredients come together with ease in this flavorful soup. Use canned or home cooked chickpeas. Here’s how to make it:
- First, sauté the onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil, until fragrant and soft.
- Next, stir in the chickpeas, tomatoes, rosemary (fresh or dried), salt, pepper and water. Simmer for about 25 minutes.
- Third, blend the ingredients in batches. Puree only a few cups for a chunkier soup or all the ingredients for a creamy chickpea soup.
- Last, stir in the balsamic vinegar and lemon.
Share with crusty bread, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a big salad.
A Few Recipe Notes
- Freezer Friendly? Yes please! This easy chickpea soup freezes with ease. Simply cool completely, store in a lidded container and freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and gently rewarm stovetop.
- 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.
- Creamy or Chunky? Texture is everything! Make a chunky or creamy chickpea soup simply by pureeing all the soup or only a portion.
- 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 tsp (fresh) it’s subtle and lovely. I’ve included notes about using fresh or dried in this recipe.
- Soup Pot: I use a 4 Quart Dutch oven to make this soup, but a medium soup pot works beautifully too.
More Soups and Stews to Love
- Coconut Curried Lentil Soup
- Smoky Wheat Berry White Bean Stew
- Lemon Garlic White Bean, Kale and Fennel Soup
- White Bean Cabbage Potato Soup
Tuscan Tomato Chickpea Soup
Servings:4 Hearty Servings
Calories:511kcal
Easy to pull together with pantry ingredients, this Tomato Chickpea Soup is garlicky, and rich with just a hint of rosemary! Share it creamy or chunky with a sprinkle of parm. This recipe is vegetarian, easily vegan and gluten free. *See Notes for a Chunky Version*
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 C (230g) Yellow Onion medium dice - about one large onion
- 8 Plump Garlic Cloves smashed - see note if sharing the soup chunky
- 5 1/4 C (930g) Cooked Chickpeas about 3 cans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (411g) Can of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
- 3/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 1/2 - 2 tsp Fresh Rosemary Leaves or 1/4 tsp dried - see note if sharing the soup chunky
- 4 C (910g) Water
- 1 1/2 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/2 Lemon
- Grated Parmesan Cheese 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 occassionally for about 25 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until 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 and squeeze in the juice from 1/2 a lemon. 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 garnish with fresh rosemary if desired. Serve with crusty bread.
- 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
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.
Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 704mg | Potassium: 786mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 512IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 7mg
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!
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!
Thank you for sharing your auntie’s wonderful recipe! I have everything I need to make this beauty, and I couldn’t be happier! xo
I can’’t wait to try this recipe, Traci. I have all the ingredients. Working from home – so have more time to make lunch – so this is going on my lunch list this week. Will report back! Hope you are well!
I have to try this soup Traci! It’s got my name written all over it. Easy, full of flavor, healthy and oh so comforting! I know this recipe is destined to be one of my favorites too. So happy your Aunt shared the recipe with you!
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.