I don’t know why it is, but one of my favorite meals to remember is a grilled-cheese sandwich with a bowl of hot tomato soup. I’m sure we used that processed cheese food” and canned soup, but it was delicious to me. On a cold day, that’s still what I think about.
This is a guest recipe from Laura D. She is a fantastic home chef and shares awesome slow-carb and paleo recipes at
This tomato soup is a lot more satisfying and gives more kick than a traditional tomato soup. The chickpeas provide protein and fiber to fill you up, and they give it a nice creamy texture. The chili peppers are what make it special and give it a little punch.
The original recipe uses white cannellini beans, but I opened the wrong can of beans by accident and used chickpeas. What was really a mistake ended up being an improvement. In addition to the creamy texture, there are no white bean skins” floating in the soup, like I found with the original recipe.
This is a great food to make in bulk at the beginning of the week and divide it out into smaller containers for later. I enjoy it with a salad, and while it does have lots of protein, you may desire a side of grilled chicken breast. You could even add some shredded chicken breast right into the soup itself.
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped – more if you like garlic!
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken or veggie stock – make sure to check for sugar and other hidden additives if using store-bought stock!
- 1 1/2 teaspoon, minced or dried rosemary or a dried Italian herb blend
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes ~ more if you like things spicy!
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Lemon zest (optional)
Put olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, rosemary (or Italian herbs) and red pepper flakes.
Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, covered.
Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you can puree the soup in a blender in batches, but be careful – it will be hot and messy!
Return the soup to a soup pot and keep warm over low heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or this will keep for a few days in the fridge.
You can serve with a bit of crème fraiche and lemon zest to add even more zing.