Tomato Couscous Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup pearl couscous
• 1/2 Cup chickpeas (canned or pre cooked)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 small size celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 medium size onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 8 - 10 cherry tomato cut into halves
• 1 Cup mixed vegetables (carrot, peas, zucchini)
• 1 litre vegetable stock or water combined with stock cube
• 1 teaspoon cooking salt or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed black pepper or to taste
• Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
• Handful of Italian basil leaves, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Begin by heating a large stockpot over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add olive oil, followed by finely chopped garlic, celery, bay leaf, and onion. Sauté until they are soft and translucent approximately 30 - 40 seconds. No need to brown them.

3. 3

   Add diced tomatoes and tomato paste, vegetables, and cook for a 1 – 2 minutes, ensuring tomatoes start releasing their juices.

4. 4

   At this stage, add the seasoning, stock cube and water/stock also.

5. 5

   Add the chickpeas, and couscous then reduce the heat to low.

6. 6

   Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes, or until the couscous is cooked and absorbs all the flavour of soup.

7. 7

   Add chopped fresh herbs. Taste, the soup and if required add more seasoning.

8. 8

   Serve tomato couscous soup warm with a toasted bread slice.