Chickpea Soup

Chickpea soup is a delicious and comforting dish, typical of Italian cuisine. Here is a basic recipe you can follow, but remember that you might need some additional ingredients not listed here.

Ingredients

• 400 g of dried chickpeas or 800 g of already cooked chickpeas
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 liter of vegetable broth or water
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chili pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. If you’re using dried chickpeas, soak them in cold water the night before. The next day, drain and rinse them.
2. In a large pot, sauté the finely chopped onion and crushed garlic in extra virgin olive oil. If you like a spicy touch, you can also add a chopped chili pepper.
3. Add the chickpeas, rosemary, and bay leaf. Sauté everything for a couple of minutes.
4. Cover the chickpeas with the vegetable broth or water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the chickpeas are tender, which will take about 1-2 hours if they are dried, or 20-30 minutes if they are already cooked.
5. Once cooking is finished, remove the sprig of rosemary and bay leaf. With an immersion blender, blend a part of the chickpeas to thicken the soup, leaving some whole for texture.
6. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer for a few more minutes.
7. Serve hot with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and, if you like, some slices of toasted bread.

Curiosity

Chickpea soup has a rich history, already known in ancient Rome. Interestingly, some prefer a more brothy consistency, while others love a thicker and creamier soup. Depending on the Italian regions, variations can be found with the addition of short pasta or rice, but the key is that the flavor of the chickpeas always remains the star of the dish.