This flavorful Moroccan Chickpea Soup recipe combines warming spices with tomato and chickpeas for a hearty vegan meal. A great high-protein soup to make on a busy weeknight or for meal prep during the week! Ready in just 20 minutes.
I'm a year-round fan of soup. It's just so easy, nourishing and you can make myriad varieties!
This Moroccan Chickpea Soup recipe is a firm favorite in my house. Simple ingredients come together into a bowl of goodness. Perfection!
Moroccan food is one of my favorite cuisines. The gentle warming flavors with a hint of spice always play so well together which is why I love making dishes like this simple chickpea soup.
It's perfect with Maakouda - Moroccan potato cakes that are often served in sandwiches. Also with Moroccan Carrot Fritters. Yum!
A few years ago, I had a wonderful holiday in Marrakesh, Morocco. I love that even at home, I can invoke the memories of the bustling Bazaar just by cooking with the same spices that I saw piled high while I was there.
I get the same food memory of Morocco when I smell freshly squeezed orange juice! There were so many vendors selling it to quench thirsts in the hot, dusty air.
In this soup, onion and garlic are sauteed until aromatic along with cumin, cinnamon, and ginger to infuse the soup with a gentle Moroccan flavor.
A tomato base is added using tomato paste and chopped tomatoes which get cooked in with chickpeas and fresh green kale for a pop of nutrient density.
The soup simmers together for 10 minutes for a vegan soup that’s hearty, comforting, and great for a fall or winter weeknight!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Great for anyone following a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle.
It comes together quickly with the help of canned tomatoes and canned chickpeas.
It's a healthy meal that's ready in 20 minutes.
You can prep a batch and enjoy it for lunch all week.
This soup has a classic Moroccan flavor that you can easily adjust to your tastes.
You can customize it by changing up the protein to tofu, lentils or tempeh if desired.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil - Helps to cook down the onion and garlic and releases the flavor of the spices.
- Onion & Garlic - Infuses this vegan soup with the fresh flavor of onion and garlic.
- Seasonings & Spices - You’ll need ground cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and ginger to create a classic Moroccan flavor.
- Vegetable Stock & Water - Thins out the soup while adding vegetable flavor.
- Chopped Kale - Adds a boost of nutrition from fresh greens. Swap it for spinach or other greens if you'd like.
- Canned Tomatoes & Tomato Puree - Gives the soup its red base with acidity and tomato flavor.
- Canned Chickpeas - Adds protein, fiber, and texture to the soup. You can also use prepped dried chickpeas.
- Lemon Zest & Juice - Brightens up the flavor of the soup with fresh citrus.
- Garnish - Serve with a side of flatbread and a handful of chopped cilantro on top.
Please see the recipe card for full quantities.
Instructions
Wondering how to make this Moroccan-inspired Chickpea Soup Recipe? It's easy! Just follow these step-by-step photo instructions and then scroll down to the recipe for the full recipe.
Saute the aromatics: Add the olive oil to a soup pot over medium-high heat. The onion gets sauteed until soft for about 8 minutes. Add the garlic in along with the dry spices and saute for 1 minute or until garlic becomes fragrant but not brown.
Add the stock and simmer: To the soup pot with the garlic, onion, and spices, add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste along with the vegetable stock and water. Stir to combine, then bring the soup to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, bring it down to a simmer for 10 minutes to bring the flavors together.
Add the greens: Add in the chopped kale and stir until wilted for about 2 minutes.
Season & serve: Then, add in the lemon zest and juice, give it a stir and remove from heat. Serve with flat bread (try my 15-minute naan bread recipe) and top with freshly chopped cilantro.
Serving Suggestions
This soup pairs well with a toasted piece of Naan Bread.
Moroccan Chickpea Carrot Fritters make a great side dish for this soup.
Serve it for lunch with one of these tasty Vegan Sandwich recipes.
Add some Moroccan Potato Cakes on the side as an appetizer.
Serve with a Vanilla Mango Soda for a refreshing palate cleanser.
Variations
Make this soup with Mushroom Broth, or Vegan Chicken Broth to enhance the flavor.
Change up the greens by using spinach, collard greens, beet greens, or even carrot tops.
Chickpeas are the main source of protein in this soup, but feel free to use any other beans, tofu, lentils, or tempeh to change it up.
Give this soup a bit of spice by adding cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, or sauteeing diced jalapenos with onions and garlic.
Storage
Storing: Store this soup in an airtight container or jar with a lid for 5-7 days in the fridge before reheating and serving.
Freezing: Cooled soup can be stored in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag with as much air removed as possible. Store for up to 6 months before thawing in the fridge overnight.
Top tips
When buying canned tomatoes, you can use crushed tomatoes for a chunky consistency, or crushed tomatoes for a smoother soup. Either way, make sure you are adding the full can along with the juices to the soup.
When sauteing the onion and garlic, do so until the vegetables are soft but not browned or burned as this could create a bitter flavor.
The Moroccan soup is finished cooking when all the raw tomato flavor is cooked out of the canned tomatoes. This could take 10 minutes or up to 20. Taste test while you’re cooking the soup.
Make sure the chickpeas are fully drained and rinsed before adding to the soup mixture.
If your soup looks too thick, add a bit more stock or water depending on the desired consistency you enjoy.
FAQs
Yes! Saute the ingredients using the saute function, then add everything but the kale and lemon and cook on manual HIGH for 6 minutes. Release the pressure and stir in the kale and lemon.
White beans, kidney beans, tofu, and tempeh make a great plant-based addition to this soup.
You can add a variety of vegetables including mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, or butternut squash.
Soup Recipes
I hope you love this vegan Moroccan chickpea soup as much as we do! Be sure to check out these other soup recipes, plus my epic list of Vegan Soup Recipes.
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📖 Recipe
Moroccan Chickpea Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 cups 750ml vegetable stock
- 1 cup 250ml water
- 1 cans (15-ounce 400g can) chopped tomatoes
- 2 cans (15-ounce 400g cans) chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons tomato purée/paste
- 2 cups 150grams kale roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Zest and juice ½ lemon
To serve (optional)
- Handful cilantro/coriander
- Flatbread
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a soup pot over a medium/low heat, then add the onion and fry for 8 minutes until soft but not browned. Add the garlic, cumin, cinnamon and ginger and cook for a further minute.
- Add the stock, tomatoes, chickpeas and tomato paste, stir well and increase the heat to bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Season with the pepper to taste, and stir in the kale and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and juice.
- Serve topped with cilantro/coriander.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Beth
This chickpea soup was so delicious and full of so much flavor. My husband and I absolutely loved this for our dinner the other night! Excited to make this again!
Gina
Think I found the soup I'll be making on repeat all winter long. Delicious!
Elle @ Spice and Life
With the cold season not-so-slowly approaching, I am starting to collect soup recipes to keep me warm and I am really looking forward to making this one! The mix of spices sounds delicious and the recipe very straight forward!
Jeannette
Adding spices is perfect for taking this soup to the next level for dinner. But it's also fantastic for when I want to use up all the other beans I have at home. Yum!