Smoky Mediterranean Chickpea Soup

Bowl of chickpea pepper soup with feta and herbs.

5 from 5 votes

Elevate your weeknight dinners with this mouthwatering Mediterranean-inspired chickpea soup, crafted from convenient pantry staples to burst with flavor in every spoonful!

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Servings: servings

Calories: 261kcal

Author: Karishma Pradhan

Ingredients

6 cloves garlic
1 medium carrot
1 stalk celery
1 small onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon red chili flakes or ¾ teaspoon aleppo chili flakes, plus more if desired
Salt and black pepper
16 ounces jarred roasted red peppers drained and rinsed well (should yield 11 to 12 ounces of drained peppers, or a little less than 1 ½ cups)
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika not spicy | plus more if desired
1 teaspoon ground cumin plus more if desired
1 teaspoon ground coriander plus more if desired
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 quart vegetable broth
1 ½ cups water
½ cup semi-pearled farro rinsed
15.5 ounce can of chickpeas drained and rinsed well
A generous handful of parsley
½ cup feta cheese preferably sheep's milk feta in brine (or vegan feta), crumbled into small pieces

Instructions

Prep the aromatics: Finely mince 6 cloves garlic. Finely chop 1 medium carrot, 1 stalk celery, and 1 small onion.
Cook the aromatics: In a large dutch oven or heavy pot, add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and the minced garlic. Set over medium-low heat, then saute the garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in ½ teaspoon red chili flakes; once they sizzle, add in the onion, carrot, and celery.
Increase the heat to medium and cook the aromatics until softened and slightly shrunken in size, about 8 - 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
Blend the roasted red peppers: While the aromatics are cooking, use a small blender to blend the drained 16 ounces jarred roasted red peppers into a smooth and homogeneous paste.

Note: The red peppers may resist blending for the first few seconds, but just keep going and they'll eventually puree!

Build the rest of the soup: Add the roasted red pepper paste to the pot, and stir to combine over medium heat. Saute for about 3 - 4 minutes, until the paste begins to stick to the sides of the pan.
Stir in 1 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon ground coriander, and cook for 1 minute. Add in 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 quart vegetable broth, 1 ½ cups water, and ½ cup semi-pearled farro. Season with salt and pepper (though keep in mind, the feta garnish will add some more saltiness).
Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until farro is just barely al dente, about 20 - 25 minutes.
Finish the soup: Just before the farro is cooked, stir in a 15.5 ounce can of chickpeas, drained, and half of the parsley. Continue simmering until farro is tender but still has a slight bite in the center.
Taste the soup, and adjust with seasonings, adding the remaining ½ teaspoons smoked paprika if desired, and additional amounts of the other spices as needed. If the soup is too thick, you can thin it out with a bit of water.
Serve the soup: Divide the soup into bowls, and top with crumbled feta cheese and more parsley.

Video

Notes

Farro: Look for a semi-pearled farro (or one with an estimated cooking time of about 25 - 30 minutes); do not use whole farro.

Serving Suggestions: Serve with crusty bread or pita to sop up the broth.

Storage Instructions: Store leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Make-Ahead Instructions: Prepare the soup 1 - 2 days ahead, reheat as needed (adding more liquid if it thickens), and consider cooking farro separately if you prefer to maintain a more toothsome texture.

Nutrition