Chickpea Soup

Zuppa di Ceci

Makes Servings

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 40

1 lb (450 g) dried chickpeas, or 4 (15oz/425g) cans
1 (1 ) onion, thinly sliced into half-moons or quarters
1 Tbsp (1 Tbsp ) olive oil, plus optional extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
1 tsp (1 tsp ) baking soda, (plus a pinch if soaking dried chickpeas)
2 (2) bay leaves (optional)
7 oz (200 g) tomatoes (canned or about 1 large fresh tomato), roughly chopped (in a pinch, you can substitute 1 Tbsp double concentrated tomato paste)
6 oz (170 g) pasta (ideally a small pasta shape like mezze penne, orecchiette, ditalini, broken spaghettini or maltagliati/cuttings of fresh pasta)
1 Tbsp (1 Tbsp ) fine sea salt
2 cups (500 ml) chicken broth, or water

KEY: pinch (⅛ tsp) | tsp = teaspoon (5ml) | Tbsp = Tablespoon (15ml)

Pre-Soak Dried Chickpeas (8 to 12 hours)

Sort through and remove any pebbles. To help the chickpeas soften and cook faster, soak in water with a pinch of baking soda. The water level should be at least 2" (5cm) above the chickpeas so they remain submerged as they expand.

Making the Soup

Sauté the onion in olive oil over medium heat in a large pot, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. If they start to brown too much, just add a little water.
Boil: In a colander, drain and rinse the chickpeas with cold water. Add them to the sautéed onion and cover with fresh water about 1" (3cm) above the level of the chickpeas. Add the baking soda and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that comes to the surface.
Simmer: Add the tomatoes and lower the heat to a simmer. If using dried chickpeas, simmer covered, with the lid slightly askew, for around 1½ hours, or until tender. (It's better to overcook than undercook them.) If using canned chickpeas, you only need to simmer them for around 10 minutes.
Stir in the salt.
Blend about 80% of the chickpeas: (You can also leave them whole, or blend up to 100% for a velvety soup). The most convenient method is with a stick immersion blender.
If using a food processor or blender, transfer the chickpeas with a slotted spoon in batches if necessary. Purée until smooth. If needed, add a little of the hot liquid to help blending. Stir back into the soup.
At this point you can refrigerate the base soup (or freeze in portions), to be finished later.
When ready to finish, add the chicken broth or water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, around 15 minutes. Add more liquid if needed to prevent sticking, or to get a thinner soup. For a thicker soup, cook it down a little further. Taste and adjust for salt to your liking.
Serve simply with a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil and a few rounds of black pepper. Or see variations for other ideas.

Storing - The base soup (without pasta) keeps well stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheating - To reheat, add broth or water to thin the soup to your desired consistency.

Variations:

Saffron - Stir 1 pinch of saffron threads, or 1 individual packet of powdered saffron, into the pot just before serving.
Chili powder - Add a pinch when sautéeing the onion.
Fresh Herbs - Add 1 teaspoon of chopped rosemary, sage, or thyme leaves, or mixture, when sautéeing the onion.
Greens or Green Vegetables - Add ripped or chopped beet greens or chard, or green vegetables such as chopped fennel at the beginning of simmering, or delicate greens such as ripped or chopped spinach in the last step.
Rustic Bread or Croutons - Serve as a topping or on the side, in place of pasta.
- Toast sliced bread from a rustic loaf or baguette, or pan-fry with a drizzle of olive oil. For added flavor, rub with a crushed garlic clove while bread is still hot.
- Make your own croutons in the oven out of stale bread: Cut into cubes or slices. On a rimmed sheet pan, toss with just enough oil to lightly coat. Toast in the oven at around 375°F/190°C for around 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Pancetta (pre-diced) or Bacon Lardons - To make lardons, cut bacon crosswise into 1/4 to 1/2” (15-20mm) wide strips, and sauté in a skillet until crispy and lightly golden. Set aside on paper towels to keep crisp. Sprinkle over each soup bowl just before serving.
Sausage - Sauté ground or link sausage, cut into rounds. Sprinkle on top before serving.
Crispy Prosciutto - Pan-fry until crisp and crumble on top.

Tools

Immersion Blender, food processor, blender or potato masher

Nutrition Information

Please keep in mind that nutritional info is an estimate and varies according to ingredients used.