Lemon Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

• 0.333 cup long-grain white rice (65 to 70 g; rinse until almost clear and drain)
• 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil (plus a little good-quality olive oil for drizzling on each bowl; quantity for drizzle not specified)
• 4 carrots (medium, scrubbed and finely chopped)
• 1 yellow onion (large, finely chopped)
• kosher salt (a few pinches for the vegetables, plus ¼ teaspoon for the soup and 1 teaspoon for the puree; more to taste)
• black pepper (freshly cracked; to taste, plus more to taste for puree and finishing)
• 425 g chickpeas (15-ounce cans; drain and rinse; use one can in the soup and the other in the puree)
• 0.75 cup fresh dill (chopped, without thick stems; divide in half)
• 5 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 0.5 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
• 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (¼ to ½ teaspoon; use ½ teaspoon for a kick)
• 4 cups vegetable broth (use a splash for deglazing if needed)
• 3 oz baby spinach or baby kale (roughly chop; more can be added)
• 0.5 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (creamy; such as full-fat oat milk or canned lite coconut milk)
• 1 lemon (large; zest it and use 3 to 4 tablespoons juice divided between the puree and finishing)
• 0.25 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp white miso

Steps

1. 1

   Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve several times, until the water runs almost clear. Drain well.

2. 2

   Drain and rinse one can of chickpeas; set it aside for adding to the soup. Drain and rinse the other can, then place those chickpeas in a food processor or small-capacity blender for the puree.

3. 3

   Heat the measured olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chopped carrots and onion, then season with a few pinches of salt.

4. 4

   Cook the carrots and onion, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until softened and lightly browned.

5. 5

   Add the chopped garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

6. 6

   Add the tomato paste, oregano, coriander, turmeric, and red pepper flakes. Stir almost constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until the tomato paste turns a darker brick red. If it sticks or begins to burn, lower the heat and deglaze with a splash of broth.

7. 7

   Add the rinsed rice and toss for 1 minute to coat it in the aromatics and oil.

8. 8

   Add one can of drained chickpeas, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Toss to coat.

9. 9

   Pour in the vegetable broth, then add half of the chopped dill. Bring the soup to a boil.

10. 10

    Reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer and cover the pan. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the rice is soft.

11. 11

    While the soup simmers, roughly chop the spinach.

12. 12

    Make the chickpea puree: add the plant-based milk, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, nutritional yeast, white miso, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper to taste to the chickpeas in the food processor or blender.

13. 13

    Blend until creamy and pureed, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed.

14. 14

    Stir the chickpea puree into the soup until combined.

15. 15

    Add the chopped spinach and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the soup thickens and the greens wilt slightly.

16. 16

    Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the remaining dill and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

17. 17

    Taste and adjust with salt, black pepper, or additional lemon juice as desired. Ladle into bowls and drizzle each serving with a little good-quality olive oil.

Notes

The source gives olive oil as a measured amount for cooking and additionally recommends a little drizzle on each bowl, without specifying its amount. The lemon juice quantity is described as 3 to 4 tablespoons total; the instructions specify 2 tablespoons in the puree and 1 tablespoon at the end, with more to taste. Prep time is listed as 20 minutes, though the page comments that actual preparation may take longer.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main
• vegan
• vegetarian
• dairy-free
• gluten-free
• stovetop
• comfort food