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My Chickpea Chowder is so rich and creamy, packed with potatoes, protein-rich chickpeas, and finished with cheddar cheese. What’s not to love? It’s a vegetarian comfort soup that’s fancy enough for a dinner party but still weeknight-approachable.
save this recipe!This is the kind of veggie-loaded soup I make when I want something classic and satisfying without babysitting a pot all night. It has that old-school chowder vibe, but is built entirely around vegetables and chickpeas instead of seafood or chicken. 😎 (But serving it with some vegan bacon bits wouldn’t hurt…)
Reader rating
“10/10 – one of the best soups I’ve made this winter! I swapped the heavy cream for coconut milk cause I can’t do dairy and it turned out perfect!! SO cozy, creamy and delicious. I’ve never been a fan of chowder until now – if you haven’t tried this I absolutely recommend. Insanely good.” —Brittany
this chowder is…
- Ready in 30 minutes
- Perfect as a “clean out the fridge” meal
- Totally gluten-free and vegetarian
here’s what you’ll need
Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Chickpeas: Add plant-based protein and a hearty bite that makes the soup feel substantial. I used canned for convenience, but dried that’s been cooked first works too.
- Potatoes: These naturally help thicken the soup for that classic texture while absorbing flavor from the broth. I prefer russet potatoes because they can withstand the cooking time.
- Heavy Cream: Provides richness that every chowder needs! We mix a little cornstarch into the cream to help everything thicken nicely (no roux or flour required).
- Cheddar Cheese: Extra sharp cheddar provides more cheesy flavor for less cheese. It’s important to shred your cheese yourself because preshreded is coated in an anti-clumping powder that also prevents it from melting well in this cheddar potato soup.
- Smoked Paprika: Brings subtle warmth and a hint of smokiness without overpowering the chowder. Sweet paprika will work in a pinch.
- Carrots, Celery, Onion: This is the base of building a truly flavorful soup! A little sweet, a little savory helps all the other flavors pop.
Salt is critical
I cannot overstate just how important salt is when cooking both sweet and savory. If you make this creamy chickpea chowder and feel like it’s not flavorful, add a pinch of salt. Add slowly and taste in between until the flavors are what you want.
For Perfect Thickening
This recipe relies on cornstarch to thicken it, but cornstarch only works and expands when heated enough. In order for the soup to thicken, the liquid should be fully simmering. This will activate the cornstarch’s thickening properties.
chowder is delicious with…
I mean, it’s perfect just on its own. That’s the beauty of a veggie-packed chowder – it has all those yummy bits included, so you don’t need anything else. However, I do love some crispy greens with my soup, like smashed brussels sprouts or this maple dijon brussels sprout salad!
Cheddar Chickpea Chowder (Thick & Creamy!)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, 15 mL
- 1 cup diced carrots, about 3 carrots
- 1 cup diced celery, about 4 stalks of celery
- ½ cup diced yellow onion, about ½ an onion
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 L
- 2 cups peeled and diced potatoes, about 2 potatoes, we prefer Russet
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained, 425 g cans
- ½ tsp each salt, ground black pepper, smoked paprika
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, best to use a block of cheddar that you grate yourself*
- To serve: Italian parsley, cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Flavor Base: Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 cup diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery, ½ cup diced yellow onion, 1 red bell pepper (diced), and 4 cloves garlic (minced). Saute until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Simmer: Stir in 4 cups vegetable broth, 2 cups peeled and diced potatoes, 2 15-oz cans chickpeas (drained), and ½ tsp each salt, ground black pepper, smoked paprika. Cover and gently simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until carrots are fork-tender.
- Thicken: In a separate bowl or cup, whisk together 1 cup heavy cream and 2 Tbsp cornstarch. Reduce heat of the soup to medium/low, then pour the cream into the soup. Let simmer until it thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Serve: Remove from heat then stir in 1 cup grated cheddar cheese. Serve warm, topped with Italia parsley, shredded cheese, and crusty bread!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
This soup is so easy, delicious, and filling! Thank you so much for the recipe. I already had all the ingredients in my house except for the red bell pepper, so I just went for making this recipe as soon as I read it. I’ll definitely make it again and will try it with the red bell pepper next time.
Oh my gosh, I’m so thrilled to hear that you already tried and loved the recipe, Rachel! Thanks so much for letting us know how it went. Happy eating!
I wish you had the nutritional information
Oops! Adding it now. Thanks for letting us know that was missing, Rebecca 🙂
This is a great recipe. My vegetables were oversized so I ended up with a big batch. The minor chowdery additions I made were a little Old Bay, some seaweed powder, nutritional yeast, and a tiny splash of white wine vinegar. Plus I subbed potato starch for corn starch. This is a very creative and delicious recipe. Thank you!
Oh my gosh, all of those additions sound amazing. I’m going to have to try it with Old Bay for sure next time. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review, Andy! Happy eating!
I made this soup today and it’s tasting a little flavorless and thin. I added some more salt, pepper, and paprika and plan on adding cheddar cheese each serving. Do you recommend doing anything else to thicken it and make it less flavorful?
If it’s not thick enough, you probably just need to bring it to a full bubbling simmer to activate the cornstarch. And you’d be surprised by what just adding a pinch of salt can do for enhancing all of the flavors!
Made this tonight after seeing it on IG this morning. So delicious! I used coconut milk instead of cream because my spouse can handle some cheese, but not cream, and it worked super well! Thank you so much for this recipe.
I’m so thrilled to hear it was a hit, Debbie! Happy eating.
I was wondering if this soup would freeze well? My husband and I freeze leftover soup to have an easy meal at a later date. Has anyone ever frozen this soup before?
Yes, this one freezes pretty well!
The recipe was easy to understand and it came together quickly. I followed the recipe and when I served it I added a little bit of tobasco sauce to my serving. Next time I am going to try adding a little corn
I loved it
So glad it hit the spot Rebecca, thanks for sharing!
My family loved this!
I’m so thrilled to hear it was a hit, Catherine! Happy eating!
Delicious! A hit with the whole family.
Thanks for the sweet review Stephanie, happy cooking!
Couldn’t not leave a review for this soup. This was SO delicious and I cannot wait to make it again
I’m so thrilled to hear that you loved it, Amber. Thanks so much for dropping in to leave a review! Happy eating!