Creamy Chickpea & Tomato Soup With Sizzled Shallots and Basil

This chickpea based soup is spicy, hearty and full of spinach. The added texture from the sizzled shallots and basil make it feel like so much more than a bowl of soup. We enjoyed it with a slice of sourdough bread, toasted on the stovetop in some olive oil. comfort in a bowl!

Active Time - 45 minutes / Inactive Time - 1.5 hours + soaking

Yield — 8 servings

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• 1lb dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (one cup cooking liquid reserved)*

• 1/4 cup olive oil 

• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced 

• 2 celery stalks, finely diced 

• 6 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 cup tomato paste

• 2 cups chicken broth, or 2 cups water + 3tsp chicken or vegetable bouillon

• 16oz coconut cream 

• 2 tbsp Calabrian chili, optional

• 1 shallot, thinly sliced 

• 1/3 cup grapeseed oil , or other neutral oil

• 1 large bunch (approx. 1 cups) basil leaves, divided

• 2 cups spinach, Swiss chard, or large pea shoots 

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Olive oil, for serving

Method

Cook chickpeas according to package directions – for a quicker cooking time and more consistent texture, do not skip the overnight soak! Leave chickpeas aside to cool and reserve the cooking liquid.

In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil and add onions with a large pinch of salt. Sauté until translucent, approximately 7 minutes. Add celery and garlic and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup tomato paste, black pepper and sauté until intensely red, 10 minutes. Add coconut cream and chicken stock and stir to combine.

Add chickpeas, reserving 1/2 cup for topping. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to low, simmer for 30 minutes. Add half of the reduced soup to a blender with 1 cup of reserved cooking liquid and blend until smooth. Return the blended portion to the pot and stir to combine.

Add Calabrian chili, if using, and spinach. Cover with a lid until wilted and stir to combine. Coarsely chop half of the basil and stir to combine – reserve the smallest leaves for the topping. Remove from heat and cover with a lid until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, make the toppings. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, thinly slice one shallot into rings. Add shallots to a small pot, followed by the grapeseed oil, and fry over medium heat. Once the shallots have reached a medium brown**, approximately 15 minutes, remove and let drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with kosher salt. 

Add the remaining basil to the hot oil and fry until crisp, about 30 seconds. Be careful - fresh herbs splatter when the hit hot oil. Remove and allow to drain with the shallots. 

Optional, add reserved chickpeas to the oil and fry until the exterior has slightly darkened and the chickpeas have shrunk in size, remove and allow to drain on a paper towel.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with a healthy glug of olive oil, reserved chickpeas, shallots, basil and fresh black pepper.

*Canned chickpeas can be used in place of dried, the amount needed is equivalent to 3 cans, drained and rinsed.

**Shallots darken quickly, so remove the while they are a light to medium brown or they will burn.