Ingredients
- Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons (for sautéing)
- Yellow Onion: 1 large, finely chopped
- Carrots: 2 medium, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- Celery Stalks: 2 medium, diced (about 1 cup)
- Garlic: 4-5 cloves, minced
- Ground Cumin: 2 teaspoons
- Ground Coriander: 1 teaspoon
- Smoked Paprika: 1 teaspoon (sweet or hot, to your preference)
- Turmeric Powder: ½ teaspoon
- Dried Oregano: 1 teaspoon
- Vegetable Broth: 6 cups (low sodium recommended)
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: 1 can (14.5 ounces or 400g), undrained
- Canned Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans): 2 cans (15 ounces or 425g each), rinsed and drained
- Fresh Spinach: 5 ounces (about 4-5 packed cups), roughly chopped (or kale, de-stemmed and chopped)
- Lemon Juice: 2 tablespoons, freshly squeezed (from about 1 medium lemon)
- Salt: To taste (start with 1 teaspoon)
- Black Pepper: To taste (start with ½ teaspoon)
- Optional Garnish: Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped; a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream; extra squeeze of lemon; crusty bread for dipping.
Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent.
- Add Garlic and Spices: Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric powder, and dried oregano to the pot. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes until the spices are fragrant. This step is crucial for “blooming” the spices and maximizing their flavor. Be careful not to burn the garlic or spices.
- Build the Soup Base: Pour in the vegetable broth and the can of undrained diced tomatoes. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (this is where a lot of flavor lies!).
- Add Chickpeas and Simmer: Add the rinsed and drained chickpeas to the pot. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for at least 20-25 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully and the chickpeas to absorb the savory broth. For an even deeper flavor, you can simmer for up to 40 minutes.
- Wilt the Greens: Stir in the roughly chopped fresh spinach (or kale). Cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted down into the soup. If using kale, you might need a few extra minutes for it to become tender.
- Finish and Season: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed. The lemon juice brightens all the flavors, so don’t skip this step!
- Rest and Serve: Let the soup rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to settle and marry even further. Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: One Normal Portion
- Calories: 250-300