I am a self-proclaimed soup queen and have no shortage of soup recipes, but this my Lemony Chickpea Soup might just be my favorite-ever soup because it’s deceptively delicious.
It’s made with simple ingredients, most of which you likely already have on hand, but the flavors and texture are shockingly good. I’m talking a rich, savory, creamy soup that will have your tastebuds asking “how is this dairy-free??”
It’s especially perfect for cool, sunny spring days, but honestly, you’ll catch me enjoying it all year round. (Yes, even during the summer when warm soups make me sweat a bit. It’s that good!).
Table of Contents:
1. Why this recipe works
2. Ingredient notes
3. Step-by-step instructions
4. Tips for making this recipe
5. Frequently Asked Questions
6. Recipe card with notes
Why this recipe works
Simple ingredients get upgraded
The secret to this soup’s delights is treating chickpeas a little differently. Instead of tossing in whole chickpeas right from the can, half of the chickpeas get pureed with heavy-hitting ingredients like lemon zest, miso, and nutritional yeast into a rich puree.
The puree is stirred into the soup, making every spoonful creamy and super flavorful. Long-grain white rice also naturally thickens the soup, adding seriously luxurious body.
And while this soup is rich, it’s still bright and fun, thanks to a very generous amount of dill and fresh lemon juice.
Wholesome comfort food you can make ahead of time
Let’s be honest—we’ve all been burned by the words “wholesome” and “comfort” used together (like when your bestie promised you healthy mac ‘n cheese and it tasted 100% healthy and 0% cheesy). But I promise you, this soup is truly both.
The chickpea puree and olive oil add creamy and rich notes (no heavy cream needed!), while spinach and chickpeas pack in the nutrients. With 16g of fiber and 20g protein per serving, this soup really is wholesome and comforting.
It’s also a meal prep game-changer. The leftovers last for at least 5 days, plus it’s freezer-friendly. For the quickest thawing experience, I freeze leftover soup in single-serve Souper Cubes, then plop them into a saucepan to reheat (affiliate link).
Easy to customize
While I’d love for you to try the recipe as written the first time, there are so many ways to put your own spin on its flavors, consistency, and textures:
- Add more veggies for a boost of nutrition and flavor, like celery or fennel along with the carrots and onions.
- Replace the chickpeas with white beans for extra creaminess.
- Use a mix of fresh herbs instead of just dill (think parsley and dill, or dill and basil), or replace the dill entirely with fresh parsley.
- Top your soup bowls with something crunchy, like croutons or the crispy lentils from my Butternut Squash Soup!
Ingredient notes
Chickpeas
My pantry is always stocked with canned chickpeas because they’re one of the fastest starting points for an emergency meal, like my 20-Minute Chickpeas Tacos.
Pro tip: You can also cook your beans from scratch if you have time. It’ll make your soup even more delicious! I loved loved loved how this soup tasted when I used freshly cooked chickpeas, but canned chickpeas are definitely more convenient and still taste fantastic here.
This soup uses two cans’ worth of chickpeas in two different ways: (1) one can is simmered in the soup, and (2) the other is pureed with lemon zest and juice, nutritional yeast, miso, and plant milk to make the creamy chickpea puree. This puree is how you get that cheesy creaminess that makes this soup positively divine and still wholesome.
Long-grain white rice
A small amount of rice is added to the soup as it simmers, naturally thickening it and further transforming it into a hearty complete meal. Any long-grain white rice works well, but I’m partial to jasmine.
Substitute: Swap the white rice for long-grain brown rice instead, but not if time is of the essence (and let’s be honest—we’re all way too busy). Brown rice takes much longer to cook, so you’ll need to pre-boil it in a separate pot. Head to the recipe card for instructions.
Lemon
A very generous amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice and grated lemon zest add a pop of refreshing tartness and brightness. For the quickest prep work, you’ll need a microplane for zesting and a citrus juicer for juicing (i.e., essential kitchen equipment in my book).
Dill
Lemon + dill = the perfect pairing for a fresh, springy soup! The dill is citrusy and grassy, while the lemon is tart and zingy. It’s a flavor bomb of a combo.
If you end up with leftover dill, whip up a batch of my Vegan Ranch Dressing for the best salads ever, or make this Asparagus Galette that’s also perfect for spring.
Substitute: If you can’t find good-quality fresh dill, substitute with fresh basil or fresh flat-leaf parsley. Or, to mix up the flavors, use a blend of all three!
Miso + nutritional yeast
This umami-packed duo makes the soup feel savory and cheesy, giving it that lovely comforting edge that truly sets it apart. And nutritional yeast is your best friend whenever you need cheesy plant-based notes in the kitchen, especially for my Easy Vegan Pesto.
Tip: Make sure you use white or mellow miso paste, not red or brown miso. While these other miso varieties are lovely, only white miso is appropriately mild in flavor for this soup.
Step-by-step instructions
Start by rinsing the rice in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the carrot and onion and cook until they’ve softened, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring often. Stir in the tomato paste, oregano, coriander, turmeric, and red pepper flakes. If needed, deglaze the pot with a splash of vegetable broth.
Add the rinsed rice and toss to coat. Next, add one can of chickpeas, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
Pour in the vegetable broth and half of the chopped dill. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the chickpea puree.
In a food processor, blend together until smooth: one can of chickpeas, plant milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, miso, salt, and pepper.
Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Stir the chickpea puree and chopped spinach into the soup. Simmer until thickened and the spinach is wilted.
Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and remaining dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve the soup in bowls with crusty bread on the side for dunking. Enjoy!
Tips for making this recipe
Adjust the flavors to your liking
Once the soup is finished simmering, give it a taste and adjust the flavors however you want.
Love big lemony flavor? Add more fresh lemon juice or zest. Want some spice in just about everything? Add an extra pinch of red pepper flakes. There’s always room to sprinkle in more fresh herbs or a dollop of vegan pesto. Or keep it simple, and drizzle every bowl with good-quality olive oil for richness.
Want to add more veggies? Go ahead!
Looking for more nutrients? Add some sliced celery, fennel, or cabbage after sautéing the onions and carrots.
Or, add a handful of small cauliflower florets when you add the broth and chickpeas.
For even more green goodness, use a bit more baby spinach (5 ounces/140g or 1 standard-sized bag).
Multitask efficiently
To make this chickpea soup recipe come together as efficiently as possible, you’ll want to do a little multitasking. Here’s what I do.
1) Since the onions and carrots sauté for about 10 minutes and don’t need to be stirred very often, use that time to chop the garlic and measure out the tomato paste and spices.
2) While the soup simmers, make the chickpea puree and chop the baby spinach.
Frequently Asked Questions
While an immersion blender works well when you’re blending soup, here, the blending that happens is with the chickpea puree. It has pretty minimal liquid (just ½ cup milk) so an immersion blender won’t be able to blend things smoothly.
Stick with a food processor or a small-capacity blender cup.
Once you’ve let the soup cool to room temp, transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 5 to 6 days. Reheat your leftovers on the stove over medium or medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent the rice from sticking together.
To brighten up the leftovers as needed, top the reheated soup with a pinch of lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a drizzle of good-quality extra virgin olive oil for richness.
Although I find this lemon chickpea soup plenty hearty and filling on its own, I never say no to crusty bread for dunking.
Gluten-free? Opt for simple roasted potatoes, or go the fancy (but easy) route with my Crispy Smashed Potatoes!
Absolutely! Freeze the soup in a few airtight containers for 3 to 4 months. We love to freeze soup in these handy Souper Cubes (affiliate link) for single-serve portions that are quick to defrost. Let the leftovers thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stove the next day.
If you love this Lemony Chickpea Soup recipe, please be sure to leave a rating and review below! And tag me on Instagram – I love seeing your photos!
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Lemony Chickpea Soup
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (65 to 70g) long-grain white rice (see Note 1)
- ¼ cup (56g) extra virgin olive oil
- 4 medium carrots, scrubbed and finely chopped
- 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 (15-ounce / 425g) cans chickpeas, divided
- ¾ cup (12g) fresh dill (no thick stems), chopped and divided
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (½ tsp for a kick)
- 4 cups (960 mL) vegetable broth
- 3 ounces (85g) baby spinach or baby kale (can add more, see Note 2)
- ½ cup (120 mL) creamy unsweetened plant-based milk, such as full-fat oat milk or canned “lite” coconut milk
- 1 large lemon zested + 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
- ¼ cup (20g) nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon white miso
Instructions
- Add the rice to a fine-mesh sieve and rinse a few times until almost clear, then drain.
- Drain and rinse one can of chickpeas and set aside for step 5. Drain and rinse the other can of chickpeas and transfer to a food processor or small-capacity blender for step 8.
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the carrots and onion. Season with a few pinches of salt. Stir occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste plus spices (oregano, coriander, turmeric, and red pepper flakes). Stir almost constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the tomato paste is a darker red brick color. If it sticks or starts to burn, lower the heat and deglaze with a splash of broth.
- Add the rinsed rice and toss to coat in the aromatics and oil for 1 minute. Add one can of drained chickpeas, plus ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. Pour in the vegetable broth, followed by half of the chopped dill. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer and cover the pan. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, or until the rice is soft.
- While the soup simmers, roughly chop the spinach and make the chickpea puree.
- Chickpea Puree: To the chickpeas in the food processor or blender, add the milk, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, nutritional yeast, miso, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Blend until pureed and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt or lemon juice as needed.
- Stir the Chickpea Puree into the soup to combine, then add the chopped spinach. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the soup thickens and greens slightly wilt.
- Off the heat, stir in the remaining dill and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste, adding salt/pepper or more lemon juice as desired. Transfer to bowls and drizzle each bowl with a bit of good-quality olive oil for richness.
Notes
- If using brown rice, you’ll need to quick-boil it first. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and season with a pinch of salt. Stir in the brown rice and gently boil without stirring for 10 minutes. Drain the rice in a fine mesh sieve and set aside.
- For a nutrition boost, feel free to go up to 5 ounces (140g) of baby spinach (1 standard-sized bag).
Thank you so much Nisha for sharing this recipe! My family and I love this soup! I also love the way you explain everything and the options you offer. I have prepared it several times and have twisted the recipe a little bit over time . I use a mix of cilantro and parsley instead of dill, and while I like the flavor the lemon juice and lemon zest give to the soup, I think the soup is perfect without them.