Name: Spicy Chickpea Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp sunflower oil; 1 onion (diced); 4 carrots (diced); 2 sticks celery (diced); 1 leek (finely chopped); 2 cloves garlic (finely sliced); 1 tin chickpeas (drained); 1 dsp medium curry powder; 1.5 ltr vegetable stock; salt & pepper

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Spicy chickpea soup, flavoured with mild curried spices. This simple broth is quick to cook and suitable for vegetarians and vegans alike.

Spicy chickpea soup is simple and quick to cook. A vegetable based broth packed full of vegetables, chickpeas and flavoured with curry powder for added spice!

I first tried a version of this simple soup at a local cafe and decided I'd like to recreate it. The soup I tried was a carrot and chickpea soup, and whilst delicious I wanted something with a bit more bite and a lot more spice.

So I decided to take this carrot and chickpea soup recipe and make it my own by adding the extra vegetables and a nice hit of spice.

This spicy chickpea soup recipe uses the simplest of vegetables, those I generally have in my weekly shop. However, feel free to adapt and add in any other vegetables that you and your family enjoy eating.

What I like most about this spicy chickpea soup is that it can be prepared cooked and on the table in less than 30 minutes. This makes it ideal for a midweek supper dish alongside some crusty bread.

2 bowls of curried chickpea and vegetable soup on a blue background

Table of Contents

How to make spicy chickpea soup

Soup ingredients laid on a wooden chopping board. — Look out ingredients and prepare vegetables.

Onions, leeks and carrots diced in a frying pan sauteeing. — Heat a large stock pan over a medium head. Pour in the sunflower oil and add in the vegetables. Saute the vegetables gently for 5 minutes to soften.

A tin of chickpeas drained and added to sauteed vegetables in a frying pan. — Add the chickpeas to the pan and stir through the vegetables.

A hand adding a spoon of dried curry powder to sauteed vegetables and chickpeas. — Now add the curry powder to the stock pan and stir through the vegetables and chickpeas. Cook for 30 seconds.

Finally add the vegetable stock and simmer the soup gently for 15 minutes and serve.

Recipe ingredients & substitutions

Chickpeas

I like to use chickpeas as my family all love this pulse. However, you could also substitute with quinoa or any other tinned bean, like cannellini or borlotti, if you would prefer.

Lentils

In the past I have also added a handful of red lentils to make a lentil and chickpea soup. The added lentils thicken the soup, giving it a thicker texture that you would expect from a lentil and chickpea soup.

Vegetables

When making spicy chickpea soup I like to keep it simple adding carrot, celery, onion, leek and garlic to flavour the soup. However, you can easily add other vegetables to this simple broth.

Here are some suggestions of vegetables that would work well in this spicy chickpea soup:

bell peppers
courgette
green beans
butternut squash
sweet potato
spinach or kale (added towards the end of the cook)

Spice

The spicing for this spicy chickpea soup is really simple. I usually use a medium strength curry powder, something like a madras curry powder. However, you could also use mild curry powder which will give you the same taste without the chilli heat.

Soup as a main meal?

I know there are those who just don't think that soup makes a proper main meal, seeing it more as a lunch dish or starter for a larger dinner.

However, this chickpea soup recipe is packed full of vegetables and the added chickpeas make it a filling meal.

Serve this soup simply with some crusty bread and you have a great vegetable laden meal for those meat-free days I like to include in my weekly diet!

Why you should add soup to your weekly diet?

If you keep soup low, or completely free of dairy as I have done here, you can produce a really healthy dish. Given the high water content, soup is great for hydration. The chickpeas and vegetables used in this soup are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Furthermore, chickpeas are high in protein so make a great replacement for meat in our diets. Add a handful of lentils to make a lentil and chickpea soup and you have a great high protein bowl of soup.

Can spicy chickpea soup be prepared in advance?

Spicy chickpea soup is a great make ahead dish. Simply make the soup, allow to cool completely, before covering and popping into the fridge. This soup will keep for 3 days in the fridge.

Can I freeze spicy chickpea soup?

As with most soups, spicy chickpea soup can be frozen. Once cooked, simply decant the soup into containers suitable for the freezer and allow to cool completely. Once cold pop into the freezer where you can store this soup for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to eat, remove from the freezer and defrost, before heating to piping hot and serving.

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Additional recipe suggestions

This spicy chickpea soup is a nourishing bowl of soup. Why not try another of delicious soup recipes:

Vegetarian Soups

Vegan Soups

For some great hints and tips on how to make a great bowl of soup, have a read of my 20 Simple Soup Recipes post. This features some delicious soup recipes for you to try!

Spicy Chickpea Soup

How to make spicy chickpea soup