Chickpea Soup
Cozy up with a warm bowl of tuscan Chickpea Soup that is a great recipe for the cooler months. It combines Mediterranean flavors like sundried tomatoes and fresh herbs with hearty chickpeas for a creamy soup that will be one of your new favorites!
This creamy chickpea soup has a fun Mediterranean twist with hints of tomato and fresh basil. If you’ve never had chickpeas in soup, you will be surprised that it not only creates texture to the soup, but also a creaminess to the broth when blended. This is an easy chickpea soup for a weeknight meal!
Other delicious easy vegan soup recipes:
- Lemony White Bean Soup
- Miso Dumpling Soup (15 minutes)
- Creamy Tomato Gnocchi Soup
- Lentil Barley Soup
- Potato Leek Kale Soup
- Creamy Carrot Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans): You need two cans of chickpeas for this recipe but you can also use dried chickpeas. You will just have to simmer your soup for 1-1.5 hours (soak your chickpeas overnight for faster cooking time). Chickpea lovers need to check out my list of 25+ unique vegan chickpea recipes!
- Minced garlic: This adds great flavor to the soup (as well as contains health benefits!). If you don’t have fresh garlic, use garlic powder (2 cloves garlic = 1/4 tsp powder)
- Sundried tomatoes in oil: I like to use the sundried tomatoes that are packed in oil for more flavor, but you can use the other sundried tomatoes if you prefer.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
📝How to Make Chickpea Soup
Step 1: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Step 2: Add the chickpeas and tomato paste to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth. Give it a good stir. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
Step 3: Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, carefully blend 1/3-1/2 of the soup until it’s smooth and creamy. (Blend to preference for texture. I personally like to only blend 1/3 so I still have some chickpeas for texture in the soup).
Stir in the chopped sundried tomatoes, lemon juice, cup of coconut milk, and spinach. Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together and the spinach to wilt.
Step 4: Ladle the Tuscan Chickpea Soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
How to Serve this Chickpea Soup Recipe
I love to serve this soup with toasted bread, sourdough crackers, or a flavorful bread like this olive bread recipe!
You can also serve it with a fresh salad like this refreshing Spring mix salad!
▶︎Cozy up with another delicious soup. Sage and Apple Harvest Pumpkin Soup is a great autumn soup that tastes amazing in a bread bowl!
How to Store Chickpea Soup
To store leftover chickpea soup, let it cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3-4 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the soup for longer-term storage, ensuring it’s in a freezer-safe container and labeling it with the date for up to 2-3 months.
❓Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use them in this recipe. You will have to simmer your soup for 1-1.5 minutes or until chickpeas are fully softened. To decrease cooking time, soak chickpeas overnight before you make the soup.
You can carefully spoon 1/3-1/2 of the soup into a blender. The chickpea soup will be hot so be cautious when doing it with this method.
▶︎There’s lots of delicious ways to use full-fat coconut milk. Not only is it great in soup, but it also adds a lot of flavor to stews likes this Chana Masala with Coconut Milk. You can also use it in drinks like this taro milk tea (a flavorful sweet Taiwanese drink).
Pro Tips
- For less calories and fat in this chickpea soup, use lite coconut milk and sundried tomatoes NOT in oil.
- Top each bowl with freshly grated Parmesan cheese (dairy-free if vegan) and a pinch of red pepper flakes for more heat. *You can omit red pepper flakes completely from this recipe if you want no heat*
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Tuscan Garbanzo Bean Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 15 oz canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes in oil* chopped
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk from a can*
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add the chickpeas and tomato paste to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth. Give it a good stir. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 15 oz canned chickpeas, 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, carefully blend about half of the soup until it's smooth and creamy. This will help thicken the soup while leaving some chickpeas intact for texture.
- Stir in the chopped sundried tomatoes, lemon juice, cup of coconut milk, and spinach. Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together and the spinach to wilt. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.1/3 cup sundried tomatoes in oil*, Juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 cup full-fat coconut milk from a can*, 3 cups fresh spinach, Salt and black pepper to taste
- Ladle the Tuscan Chickpea Soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve with toasted bread.Fresh basil leaves
Video
Notes
- You can add in other veggies if you would like! Mushrooms, diced red pepper, zucchini and more. This soup is easily customizable.
- You can omit red pepper flakes completely from this recipe if you want no heat/spiciness.
I’m so glad I found this recipe for Tuscan Chickpea Soup! I was looking for a comforting, one-pot meal to make for dinner and this one did not disappoint. This recipe is now in regular rotation for my weekly meals. I love having a go-to soup I can rely on for busy days. Thank you 🙂
I saw this recipe on a Facebook group and wanted to try it. My stepkids can be picky, and I was unsure if they would like it. They loved it and asked me to make it again! It was super easy to make, and the sun-dried tomatoes add so much flavor. Thank you for a great recipe.
This recipe is so good. It was easy to make and very filling. It was perfect for a fall day. Everyone in the family liked it which is a rarity!!
So glad you enjoyed it Leah! ❤️
I’ve never made soup from scratch before, but this was really quick, easy and SO delicious. Thanks so much for a wonderful comforting fall recipe! – broke college student
So happy you enjoyed it Nicole!! 🙂
I never leave reviews but had to for this recipe… it was so good! My grocery store was out of sun dried tomatoes so I used sun dried tomato paste instead and it was delicious so flavorful!!
Thanks so much Jackie – glad you enjoyed it and love the idea for sun-dried tomato paste as a substitute 🙂
I love this soup so much, especially the full fat version! It’s so comforting and nourishing. I usually eat it with toast, but I like the sound of sourdough crackers. Going to try that next.
It’s super easy. I added some roasted cherry tomatoes and a third can of chickpeas. It was a big hit. Will definitely make it again!
What a good idea with the cherry tomatoes!! Happy you liked it Lianne 🙂
To suit my tastes, this recipe needed “more”. I added another 1/3 cup of sun-dried tomatoes, about ten cherry tomatoes cut in thirds for color and texture, and some cumin. Always looking for more ways to use chickpeas, so thank you.
This soup was hearty and even my picky kids loved it. It was so simple to make, yet the flavors were complex and comforting.
I tried adding red pepper flakes like you suggested for added heat and it turned out perfect!
I tried making Tuscan Chickpea Soup for the first time, and it was an absolute winner! The rich, hearty flavors and comforting warmth made it the perfect soup for chilly nights. My family and I couldn’t get enough of it, and I got so many compliments!
Happy you enjoyed it Bea. It’s a great cozy soup! 🙂
Aaahhh, I’m in love with this recipe! Really creamy and flavorful — truly a comfort food! It’s easy to make too… I already listed it on my “Fav comfort food recipes” list so I can make it over and over again! Thank you for this wonderful recipe <3
This was such a great soup recipe. My kids asked me to pack leftovers in their Thermos to take to school! Yummy!
Thanks Sandi! Glad to hear the kids enjoyed it too 🙂
Fantastic! This recipe is ideal for the current weather! I made this yesterday and it was excellent with red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese. I enjoyed how cheesy and spicy it was!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Ally 🙂
This one’s delightful! I consider this as a comfort food now, really creamy 🙂 Definitely on my favorite comfort food recipes list. :))
Thanks for your review Kylie 🙂
The broth was so flavorful and the chickpeas added a nice texture. I added a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little kick and it was perfect for a chilly evening. I loved how healthy yet so delicious this chickpea soup was! – thanks
Really good! Easy too!
Thanks Anne- So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
This soup turned out so creamy! My family and I LOVED it! Good thing I always keep chickpeas in my pantry.
Will cannelloni beans work as well? I only have one can of garbanzo beans. Maybe mix the two?
Yes you can do that! Cannellini beans are a little softer and will blend well!
Cooked the soup for the second time today! It tastes so wonderful, I love the flavors. I will keep coming back to this.
First time I followed the recipe exactly as written, but it turned out a bit too watery for my taste (I prefer thick, chunky soups). So this time I only used 3 cups of broth and added a tbsp of cornflour and now it’s perfect for me 🙂
So delicious and so easy. I was really hungry when I got home from work and I remembered seeing this recipe on Pinterest. Reading through it again, I had all the ingredients in the fridge and pantry and saw it wouldn’t take too long to make. What a delicious soup/stew!! I will make this again and again. It was so good I came to this website to explore more recipes. New fan here! Many thanks for these wonderful recipes. I am excited to cook them all!
Nancy, your review means SO much – thank you! I’m really happy you enjoyed it and I know you’ll find more delicious recipes here 🙂 Have a lovely day!
What a fantastic recipe! After finding this recipe I went to buy sun-dried tomatoes which was the only ingredient I didn’t have, and immediately made this recipe. Let me tell you, this chickpea soup is delicious. Packed with flavor, filling, and made with basic ingredients that we already had.
Glad you enjoyed it Laura! Thanks for your review. 🙂
Oh man this chickpea soup was so good! I loved the flavor the sun-dried tomatoes addend the kick of the red paper flakes. Even my hubby liked it which says a lot lol!
Hi Wendie- thanks so much! Yes- those husbands can be hard to please – haha 🙂 Glad he liked it too.
Soooooo delicious. I’m newly vegan and looking for big batch recipes. This one was easy to make, and it’s so flavorful! The coconut milk with lemon juice with sun-dried tomatoes create such a divine flavor.
I picked up some fennel seeds for a different recipe and threw a little bit in this one which also tasted great! Can’t wait to try more recipes from this site.
Thanks so much Alex!
Is there a substitute for sun-dried tomatoes. Can I use canned, diced tomatoes instead?
Sun-dried tomatoes give it some tanginess and slight sweetness – diced tomatoes aren’t an exact substitute but will work! If you can get your hands on some sun-dried tomatoes in the future I’d highly recommend 🙂
Yum! Yum! Yum! Rarely leave reviews but this is delicious! I tasted it before adding the coconut milk and decided it was so good it didn’t need it! I cooked my beans from dry, no soak, in the instant pot for 28 minutes with natural release. And I was bummed bc they were very soft… but turns out they are melt-in-your-mouth soft and I’ll always overcook them! Such a delicious recipe! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it Alison!!
This was a great soup and the flavors came together nicely. I love a good soup and also love chickpeas. Will definitely make this again.
Thank you TJ!