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This creamy chickpea soup is a cozy vegetarian favorite ready in under 30 minutes. With canned chickpeas, carrots, celery, kale, and Tuscan-inspired flavors, it’s hearty and comforting — no noodles or lentils needed! A weeknight staple in our house.
save this recipe!There’s a lot going for this soup—the protein-packed chickpeas, the toothy kale, and that aromatic base of veggies. But my favorite thing about this soup? The smoked paprika. It gives this soup that long-simmered rich flavor in about half an hour.
If you’re looking for a soup that:
- you can add to your weekly rotation
- is customizable to ingredients you have in the fridge
- finishes cooking in under 30 minutes
…then this chickpea soup is it! It’s vegetarian and gluten-free, with options for making it vegan in the recipe. We’ve also included a bunch of fun ways you can customize it below. Let’s cook!
Reader rating
“Such a quick and easy soup to make that is absolutely bursting with flavor! Next time I make it I will definitely need to double the recipe because this was gone before it was done cooling!” —Levi
The main Ingredients
- Chickpeas: We’re using canned, but you could also cook the chickpeas yourself.
- Mirepoix: The classic combination of onion, carrots, celery, and garlic! Sautéed in butter or olive oil, it creates a delicious base for our soup.
- Tomato Paste: This brings savory flavor without a lot of added tomato flavor. I love freezing my tomato paste ahead of time and just popping a frozen cube of it in!
- Broth: Vegetable broth, either from a carton, cube, or make your own broth!
- Cream: We used heavy cream, but you could use half-and-half for a lighter option, or canned coconut milk for vegan or dairy-free diets.
- Kale: Because we all need a veggie this time of year!
Got a cheese rind?
Do you have a parmesan rind hiding in the back of your fridge? Throw it in this soup for the entire cooking process to infuse it with even more flavor!
Sarah’s Tip
As a nutritionist, I’m a big fan of chickpeas as a source of plant-based protein and fiber! You could really use any type of beans in its place though, like white beans or pinto!
Pairing Ideas
This soup is best served with a generous garnish of fresh parsley, parmesan cheese, and a good slice of crusty bread. Aside from those, we love to serve it with:
- Cornbread Casserole, a bready casserole I loooove serving with this soup.
- Vegetarian Caesar Salad, a classic soup and salad pairing!
Love this chickpea soup? Try my thick and cheesy chickpea chowder next!
30-Minute Tuscan Chickpea Soup with Kale
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 28 g
- 2 ribs celery, 2 large or 4 small, finely diced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 28 g
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained
- 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 L
- 1 cup heavy cream, can sub half-and-half or coconut milk
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 15 mL
- To serve: parmesan
Instructions
- Flavor Base: Heat 2 Tbsp unsalted butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add 2 ribs celery, 2 carrots, 1 medium yellow onion, and 4 cloves garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until onion is soft and translucent.
- Spice It Up: Stir in 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, and ½ tsp salt. Continue cooking for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook: Add 2 15-oz cans chickpeas and 4 cups vegetable broth. Cover and cook at a simmer for 10 minutes, until hot.
- Finish: Remove from heat, then stir in 1 cup heavy cream and 2 cups chopped kale. Stir until kale is completely submerged and wilted, about a minute. Stir in 1 Tbsp lemon juice and serve hot, optionally topping each bowl with freshly grated parmesan!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist, and should be taken as an estimate. For the most accurate nutritional information, calculate it using the actual ingredients in your recipe.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
such a quick and easy soup to make that is absolutely bursting with flavor! next time I make it I will definitely need to double the recipe because this was gone before it was done cooling! so so so yummy
So happy to hear it, Livi! Thanks for letting us know how it went! 😀
Every chickpea recipe she has in top tier but this is definitely one of my favorites
Such a tasty one, right?! Enjoy!
Soup is my ALL time favorite food! And since you have introduced the world to “Marry Me” anything- I can’t get enough of this flavor! Yummmmmm!
By the way, I accidentally unsubscribed to the 31 day Challenge emails I think I resubscribe but just wanted to let you know that was totally a mistake. I pressed the wrong button. I fat fingered it.
Yay! So happy you liked it, Kari! And I fixed it for you 🙂
The flavors in this soup were wonderful. It was a little spicy for my kiddos, even with cutting the amount of crushed red peppers in half, but I liked it.
I made the Tuscan Chickpea Soup this weekend, and we loved it! I can’t believe how flavorful it is. I didn’t have any fresh rosemary, so I subbed in a small amount of dried. Otherwise, I followed the recipe to the letter. This is another keeper! I am working my way through your cookbook, and every recipe we’ve tried has been outstanding!
I’m so happy to hear it, Paula! And I love that you’re trying so many from the book! Happy eating! 😀
CAN I FREEZ AFTER USEING CREAM AND LEMON JUICE ?
It should freeze well!
I had nothing planned for dinner, but had most of the ingredients for this (thank heavens I cook my dried chickpeas in the instant pot and had plenty for this) and made it. Another absolute hit! Had to substitute steamed broccoli for the kale (mine was funky).
Best part is getting 2 more nights of dinner for the 2 of us. Wonderful flavors, easy and satisfying.
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit, Meegan!! Happy eating! 😀
Made this soup tonight for meatless Monday.
It was absolutely delicious – it is going into the ‘keep’ file.
Husband also loved it and had two bowls!!
Oh and it was made in 30 mins!
I’m so thrilled to hear it was a hit, Perri! Happy eating!
I just love your recipes. The marry me chickpeas are superb. I tried them with my homemade flatbreads. They are even better than with rice. I wish your cookbook was on sale in England through Amazon as I’m sure a lot of us english would liv3 to buy it. Thanks again for your superb recipes.
I wish it was too! But it’s a small self-published endeavor, so I’m not able to get it on Amazon UK. I’m so glad you loved the Marry Me Chickpeas (and homemade flatbreads sound amazing with them!).
We loved this! Recipe is easy to make and it’s a very satisfying meal. I didn’t have kale and used spinach instead and it was perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe, it’s a keeper!
Love hearing this Irene, thanks for being here!