Name: Easy Tuscan Chickpea Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil (use good quality—it makes a difference!); ½ onion, finely chopped; 1 carrot, finely chopped; 1 celery rib, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary); ½ cup tomato passata (or crushed tomatoes work great too); 4 cups vegetable stock; 2 bay leaves; 2 cans (about 800g/28oz) chickpeas, drained; 2 cups spinach or kale (fresh or frozen—both work beautifully); Salt and pepper, to taste

Description

This authentic Tuscan Chickpea Soup recipe creates a creamy, comforting bowl of Italian goodness in just 50 minutes. Naturally vegan and gluten-free!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil (use good quality—it makes a difference!)

½ onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 celery rib, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary)

½ cup tomato passata (or crushed tomatoes work great too)

4 cups vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

2 cans (about 800g/28oz) chickpeas, drained

2 cups spinach or kale (fresh or frozen—both work beautifully)

Salt and pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Step 1: Build Your Flavor Base

Heat oil in your pot on LOW heat – seriously, keep it low. Toss in chopped onion, carrot, celery, and rosemary. Cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring now and then. You want everything soft and golden, smelling incredible. This step makes or breaks the whole soup, so don’t rush it.

Step 2: Add the Aromatics

Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Watch it carefully – burnt garlic tastes awful and will ruin everything.

Step 3: Build the Soup

Pour in tomato passata and mix it around. Add stock, chickpeas, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down and simmer 20-25 minutes. This is when everything starts smelling like an actual Italian kitchen.

Step 4: Create That Creamy Magic

Here’s the game-changer: blend about one-third of the soup until smooth, then stir it back in. Use an immersion blender if you have one – so much easier. This makes the soup creamy without any dairy.

Step 5: Finish with Greens

Add spinach or kale and cook until it wilts – just a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If you’re doing the rosemary oil (do it!), fry a rosemary sprig in olive oil until crispy and drizzle over each bowl.

Notes

Flour is everything here. Tried cornstarch instead once because I ran out – soup turned into thin, weird slime.

Grate your own cheese from a block. Those shredded bags have powder coating that makes soup grainy and gross.

Soup too thick? Add milk slowly while stirring. Too watery? Let it bubble longer on low heat.

Different cheese brands have different salt levels, so taste before adding more salt.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian