Tuscan Tomato Chickpea Soup Recipe

Tuscan Tomato Chickpea Soup in a bowl with two slices of sourdough dunked in.

Tuscan Tomato Chickpea Soup Recipe

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.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Mediterranean

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Creamy Chickpea Soup, Tomato Chickpea Soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings Hearty Servings

Calories 504kcal

Author Traci York

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:

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