This delicious spicy chickpea and lentil soup is warming and hearty and so very comforting. It is probably one of the best soups I’ve ever made and I want to share it. I made it for the first time this year in the middle of winter and its satisfaction scale just blew me away.
Using home cooked chick peas is definitely preferred over tinned. If you haven’t already seen my post on cooking chick peas, make sure to check it out. Chickpeas are easy to find in bulk whole food stores or supermarkets, are inexpensive and once cooked, can be frozen to use as you need them.
Spicy chickpea and lentil soup
Heartwarming comfort food at its best. You can leave the chilli out if heat’s not your thing.
6
generous bowls20
minutes45
minutesClick for the screen to stay active while you cook
You will need
2 small 2 onions, chopped
5 cloves 5 garlic, chopped
2 tsp 2 coconut oil
2 2 fresh red chillies, chopped, or 1 tsp chilli powder(optional)
1 1/2 cups 1 1/2 cooked brown lentils
1 1/2 cups 1 1/2 cooked chickpeas*
1 litre 1 chicken or vegetable stock*
1/2 cup 1/2 cooked chickpeas, extra
1/2 1/2 red capsicum, chopped
1 medium 1 zucchini, sliced
1/2 head 1/2 broccoli, washed and broken into florets (about 1-2 cups)
1 tsp 1 ground cumin
1 tsp 1 ground coriander seed
1 tbsp 1 grated fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp dried)
2 tbsp 2 soy sauce or tamari
Salt & pepper, to taste
Chopped coriander to serve
Here’s what to do
- Heat coconut oil in a large pot and sauté the onion and garlic until softened – about five minutes. Add cumin and coriander to the pot and stir for 30 seconds, then add capsicum, chopped chilli and zucchini and continue to sauté a further five minutes.
- Pour the stock into the pot and add soy sauce or tamari, then bring to the boil and add the lentils and chickpeas.
- Turn the heat down so the soup gently simmers for about 30 minutes and finally, add the broccoli.
- Simmer a further 15 minutes for the broccoli to cook, then remove from heat to cool before whizzing.
- When the soup has cooled slightly, use a stick blender to purée, or wait for it to cool completely and blend to a super smooth soup in the blender.
- Add some extra chickpeas to the soup for texture before serving.
Tips and tricks
- For some extra creaminess to the texture, add 1-2 cups coconut milk after it’s cooled, but before blitzing.
- Use vegetable stock for a fabulous vegan soup.
- You can also use drained tinned chickpeas
More about this delicious spicy chickpea and lentil soup
During winter I like to make soups in bulk batches. They’re perfect for freezing in meal sized containers and easy just to heat up for a healthy home-made dinner. They’re also perfect to take to work, because frozen soup doesn’t spill, does it!
When I first made this soup, it was a cold winter’s evening and I was hooked. Its warmth, the texture and the flavour was so comforting, full of flavour – deep, rich and with just the right amount of spice. I found it hard to stop going back for more, so wrote the recipe down.
This soup uses my own home-made chicken stock, which is super easy to make, freeze and use as and when I want. Home made stock gives the soup a flavour freshness that you simply can’t achieve from bought stocks, so I encourage you to try making your own.
I also don’t use tins of beans, but soak, bulk cook and freeze chickpeas and lentils for quick and easy meals. It kind of goes with my own mantra that:
The freezer is your friend
This is a soup I love making and having it in portion-size containers in my freezer to eat when I’m in the mood.
Remember, if you make it, do share on socials and leave a comment below.
Enjoy!
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