Chickpeas and tomato soup: A protein-packed twist
Tomato soup is probably the most neutral soup in the world. It appeals to everyone. It is made with vegetable broth and is suitable for vegetarians. In the traditional broth version, meat pieces are included. It is most often served with pasta or rice. However, it's sometimes worth replacing these with more nutritious ingredients.
This soup addition was inspired by Moroccan harira, which has a wonderful aroma of cumin and is full of legumes. However, the idea is not to change the taste of the traditional tomato soup. You can easily prepare it with your favourite recipe. Instead of pasta or rice, add cooked chickpeas to it.
You can add chickpeas in 2 ways
The simpler way is to add canned or jarred chickpeas to the tomato soup. You don't need to cook the chickpeas since they're already suitable for consumption, but it's worth doing so to ensure the addition is warm.
The second method involves roasting chickpeas, which enrich the soup with plant-based protein and fibre and add a delightful crunch. You can roast the chickpeas in the oven or an air fryer. First, drain them and coat them with olive oil and your favourite spices.
Recipe for tomato soup with chickpeas
Below is a recipe for soup with vegetable broth, which you can easily prepare from homemade frozen cubes.
Ingredients:
- 1 onion
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- A tablespoon of olive oil
- 400 grams of canned tomatoes
- Approximately 1 litre of vegetable broth
- 60 grams of tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 400 grams of cooked chickpeas
- A few fresh basil leaves
Instructions:
- Finely chop the onion and garlic, then sauté them in a pot with a tablespoon of olive oil.
- When they start to smell fragrant, add the canned tomatoes. After a moment, pour in all the vegetable broth.
- Add the tomato paste, salt, and pepper, and mix. Cook on low heat for about 20 minutes.
- Finally, add the drained chickpeas. Heat for another 5 minutes and serve with fresh basil leaves.
