Tomato Chickpea Soup
Tomato and Chickpea Soup is a hearty flavorful dish, with a rich taste of tomatoes and nutty chickpeas with warm aromatic spices. This soup is both filling and nutritious, it is a delicious choice for a cozy lunch or a satisfying dinner.
This simple tomato and chickpea soup recipe comes together effortlessly with just a handful of ingredients and easy-to-follow steps. In under 30 minutes, you’ll have a warm, hearty, and nourishing soup packed with flavor. One of the best things about this recipe is its versatility—it’s naturally vegan, dairy-free, and made with wholesome pantry staples.
If you prefer a creamier texture, you can easily customize it by stirring in a splash of coconut milk or a dollop of cream. No matter how you make it, this soup is filling, comforting, and perfect for any time of the year. If you enjoy this recipe, you might also love my Lentil and Tomato Soup for another cozy and satisfying option.
Ingredients
Detailed quantities are on the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chickpeas canned
- Tomatoes Canned
- Lentils
- Vegetable stock
- Onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Olive oil
- Garlic (minced)
- Ground Cumin
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Salt and pepper
How to make Tomato Chickpea Soup
- Begin by preparing the vegetables. Chop the celery into small, even pieces. Peel the carrot, then dice it into small cubes. Do the same with the onion, ensuring all the vegetables are cut to a similar size so they cook evenly.
- Place a large, deep pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Pour in a generous amount of olive oil and allow it to warm up. Once the oil is heated, add the chopped onion, celery, and carrot to the pot. Stir everything together and let the vegetables cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Next, add the minced garlic along with the oregano, paprika, and ground cumin. Stir well to coat the vegetables in the spices. Let the mixture cook for a short while, just until the spices release their aroma, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Open a can of crushed tomatoes and pour the contents into the pot. Stir well to combine everything. Leave the pot uncovered and allow the tomatoes to cook for about 5 minutes so their flavor deepens and some of the excess liquid evaporates.
- Add the lentils to the pot, followed by 3 cups of vegetable stock. Stir everything together, making sure the lentils are well distributed in the liquid. Increase the heat slightly to bring the soup to a boil. Once it starts boiling, lower the heat to medium and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes. Stir the soup every now and then to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- While the soup is simmering, open a can of chickpeas and drain the liquid. After the lentils have simmered for 20 minutes, add the drained chickpeas to the soup. Stir well and allow the soup to continue simmering for another 5 minutes so the flavors blend together.
- Once the cooking time is up, take the pot off the heat. Use a stick blender to puree the soup directly in the pot, or transfer it to a regular blender and blend until smooth. If the soup is too thick for your liking, return it to the pot and gradually add more vegetable broth, stirring continuously, until you achieve your preferred consistency. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes to ensure the flavors are well incorporated.
- Taste the soup and decide if it needs any additional seasoning. If necessary, add salt and pepper to enhance the flavor. Once everything is well blended and seasoned to your liking, your tomato and chickpea soup is ready to serve.
Tips and mistakes to avoid for beginner cooks
- If for some reason the liquid content is too much in the pot or you would just like to thicken the soup, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Depending on the situation on hand its a great idea to start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 2 tablespoon of water ratio.
- If you decide to use store-bought broth like me, please do a taste test before you add seasoning that contains salt because broths are salty on their own unless you bought a low-sodium one.
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How to store leftover smooth tomato chickpea soup
This recipe yields a generous amount, making enough to serve 4 to 8 people. If you have leftovers, you can store them easily in the fridge or freezer by following these simple steps.
First, allow the tomato chickpea soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. In the refrigerator, it will stay fresh for up to 4 days. If you want to freeze it, you can use an airtight container or try a space-saving method. Pour the soup into zip-lock bags, squeeze out any excess air before sealing, and lay them flat in the freezer. If you’re storing multiple portions, stack the bags neatly on top of each other. This method helps the soup freeze and thaw more quickly due to the thin, even layers.
Reheating
When you’re ready to reheat the soup, let it thaw in the fridge overnight or until it softens. You can warm it up in the microwave or on the stovetop in a saucepan. If the soup has accumulated extra liquid from freezing, let it simmer uncovered over medium heat until some of the excess moisture evaporates and the consistency returns to normal.
Tomato chickpea soup
Ingredients
- ½ cup Lentil
- 15 oz Chickpeas canned
- 15 oz Tomatoes Canned
- 3 cups Vegetable stock
- 1 Onion (medium)
- 1 Carrot (medium)
- 2 stalks Celery
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Oregano
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables. Chop the celery, peel the carrot then dice it and the onion as well.
- In a deep, large pot, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. When it is warm, add the chopped veggies: onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté these for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, oregano, paprika, and ground cumin. Let these toast for a little while or just till they are fragrant.
- Add a can of crushed tomatoes and let it cook for 5 minutes with the lid off.
- Add the lentils followed by 3 cups of vegetable stock. Bring it to a boil then let it simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Open the chickpeas can and drain the liquid then add them to the soup then simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Remove from heat then use a stick blender or normal blender to blend the soup until it is smooth. If you would like to have a runny consistency then return it to the pot and gradually add broth while stirring until you reach your desired consistency. Simmer on medium heat for 5 more minutes.
- Do a taste test then and add salt and pepper if you feel that it is needed then your tomato and chickpea soup is ready to be served.
Notes
- If for some reason the liquid content is too much in the pot or you would just like to thicken the soup, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Depending on the situation on hand its a great idea to start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 2 tablespoon of water ratio.
- If you decide to use store-bought broth like me, please do a taste test before you add seasoning that contains salt because broths are salty on their own unless you bought a low-sodium one.
