Mediterranean Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• 2 celery stalks (finely chopped)
• 2 large carrots (peeled and finely chopped)
• 1 large potato (peeled and cut into small cubes)
• 1 small red bell pepper (cored and finely chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
• 2 (15-ounces) cans chickpeas ((see Chef's Tips))
• 1 (15-ounces) can crushed tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
• Fresh lemon juice (about a tablespoon)
• Fresh chopped parsley (about a tablespoon)
• Red pepper flakes to taste (to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Sauté veggies and aromatics: In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, stir in the onion, celery, carrots, potatoes and bell pepper. Saute stirring frequently for 5-7 minutes or until the onions are translucent and the potatoes begin to soften.

2. 2

   Add garlic and spices: Stir in the garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, ground coriander, turmeric, ground ginger, salt and ground black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn.

3. 3

   Add remaining ingredients and simmer: Add the chickpeas, crushed tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.

4. 4

   --- Optional but Highly Recommended: ---

5. 5

   Blend for the right consistency: To give this soup a thicker consistency, remove about ½ cup of the soup and blend it until smooth. Return the blended soup to the pot and stir to combine. Alternatively, for convenience, use an immersion blender. Blend the soup for a few seconds, stir to combine. Make sure to leave most of the veggies and chickpeas whole.

6. 6

   --- Before Serving: ---

7. 7

   Last touches: Remove soup from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, chopped parsley and red pepper flakes (optional). Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.