Moroccan-Inspired Chickpea Soup

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This chickpea soup is incredibly easy to make with just a handful of ingredients! Comforting, loaded with flavor, and hearty enough for a meal, this crave-worthy soup can be on the table in just over 30 minutes!

This chickpea soup is my new go-to lazy soup recipe. It’s one of the easiest homemade soups I’ve ever made, and also one of the most delicious.

Since coming up with the recipe I’ve made it a bunch of times, and that doesn’t happen often when you develop new recipes day-in day-out for a living. And just about every time I make it, my husband declares it to be the best soup ever.

What You’ll Need

• Olive oil. Just about any high-heat oil can be substituted, but olive oil will give your soup the best flavor.
• Onion.
• Garlic.
• Spices. We’re using cumin, paprika, and cinnamon. You could substitute a tablespoon of Ras El Hanout (Moroccan spice blend), but I stuck with these three because most cooks keep them on hand.
• Vegetable broth. I used Better Than Bouillon’s roasted vegetable flavor.
• Chickpeas. Make sure to use canned or precooked.
• Tomato paste.
• Harissa paste. This is a spicy chili paste that you can find in the international foods section of your supermarket. Feel free to leave it out for a milder soup, or substitute another hot sauce that you have on hand, such as sriracha, or even just a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Lemon juice.
• Salt & pepper.
• Fresh parsley or cilantro. These are optional, but they make great toppings!

How to Make Chickpea Soup

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d prefer to skip right to the recipe.

1. Heat up some oil in a large pot, then add diced onion. Sweat the onion for about 5 minutes, until it begins to soften up and become translucent. Add the garlic and spices. Sauté them with the onions for about a minute, until the mixture becomes very fragrant.
2. Stir in the broth, chickpeas, and tomato paste.
3. Bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the soup to simmer for about 20 minutes, just long enough to soften up the chickpeas a bit.
4. Remove the pot from heat and blend about half of the soup using an immersion blender, or by transferring it to a blender or food processor. Always be super careful when blending hot liquids.

Now you can season your soup with some lemon juice, harissa paste, salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a sprinkle of parsley or fresh cilantro.

Chickpea Soup Tips & FAQ

• Is this soup gluten-free? It is!
• Shelf-life & storage: Leftover soup will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
• Can I make this soup with dried chickpeas? Sure! You’ll need to soak and cook them first though. Try this method. You’ll need about 6 cups of cooked chickpeas to make this soup.
• Is this soup spicy? The harissa paste gives it a slight kick. Leave it out for a milder version, or use a little extra for more heat.
• How can I reduce the sodium content of this soup? Try using low sodium broth and chickpeas.
• Add some veggies if you’d like to switch things up! I recommend adding them after blending, then letting them simmer in the soup for a few extra minutes, until they’re cooked through. Cauliflower, spinach, green beans, and peas would all be great choices.