Easy Chickpea Soup Recipe (Gluten-Free & Vegan)
Oct 22, 2020 • Updated Feb 07, 2024
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A cozy and comforting Chickpea Soup that warms the soul. Made with simple ingredients in one pot, this dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free soup is a filling and satisfying dish that’s easy to make!
What Makes This Recipe Great
There are few things more comforting than a bowl of nourishing and soul-warming soup, and this Chickpea Soup is just that! It’s simple and unassuming, made with ingredients you probably already have at home, and it’s the perfect meal to make when you’re short on ingredients and don’t know what to make. Every time I make this, it looks slightly different because I’ll include veggies I have on hand to put them to good use before they go bad. I’ll share some examples of recommended add-ins below, or of course, feel free to wing it and put your spin on it!
This is an adaptation of the popular Tofu “Chicken” Noodle Soup recipe I’ve shared but made with slightly less processed ingredients (e.g., rice instead of noodles, chickpeas instead of tofu). It’s a great option if you don’t enjoy tofu, for example, or just want to keep it basic.
As with most soups, the flavor develops with time as well. In other words, this soup makes for great leftovers! Just be wary that rice will soak up the broth quite a bit over time, but you can always add more broth to the mix when re-heating. This simple recipe is vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, nut-free, and can be made oil-free if you prefer.
Ingredient Notes
This delicious vegan soup recipe calls for pantry staples to make a protein-packed, comforting soup that is perfect for a chilly day or when you’re fighting off a cold! See printable recipe card below for ingredients amounts and full recipe.
- Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans → Both cans of chickpeas or home-cooked chickpeas will work. Take your pick! This adds amazing plant-based protein to this soup.
- Long grain rice → I find that long grain Basmati rice works best for a soup like this. You can also use leftover rice if you prefer, or experiment with brown rice or wild rice.
- Flavor builders → Onion, fresh garlic cloves, carrots, and celery.
- Avocado Oil or Olive Oil → For sauteeing. Omit for oil free.
- Vegetable broth → Homemade or store-bought vegetable stock will work. More as needed (you can also use vegan chicken broth).
- Fresh herbs → Thyme, rosemary, and sage.
- Poultry Seasoning → I like this brand.
- Salt and Black pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, sauté carrots, celery, and onion with olive oil or a splash of veggie broth. Cook down for roughly 2 minutes to lightly soften, then add garlic, seasoning, fresh herbs, and bay leaf. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add dry basmati rice to the pot and sauté for a few minutes to gently toast, then add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover the pot halfway, and let it cook for 15-20 minutes, or until carrots are tender and rice is soft.
- Stir in the chickpeas, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with fresh parsley to garnish if desired.
Secrets to Success
- The key to great pot of soup is to season as you go and keep tasting! You can adjust the saltiness, herby-ness, and also play around with the ingredient-to-broth ratio if you prefer more broth or more of a hearty stew-like consistency.
- If you’d like to use leftover rice, add this in a few minutes before serving just to soften and cook down instead of at the beginning of the cooking process. This will preserve the texture of the rice, but if you prefer a congee/porridge style texture, you can also add it earlier on in the process and cook it down for more time. Totally up to you!
- Fresh herbs are wonderful, but if you can’t find them, dry-ground herbs work just as well.
- I love this recipe because it’s super easy to use what you have on hand. If you want to spice it up, garnish with red pepper flakes. Want to make it heartier? Add sweet potatoes or additional beans. Need some cheesiness? Garnish with vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast. More veggies? Throw in some kale or spinach!
- Make a big batch for meal prep throughout the week. Store in individual containers and grab-and-go for an easy lunch or dinner.
Storage Tips
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or stovetop. To freeze, let the soup cool completely. Then, store in a freezer-safe container or bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat!
Recipe FAQs
This soup is made with protein-packed chickpeas, veggies, broth, and long-grain rice for a hearty and delicious recipe. A big bowl of soup never tasted so good!
More Easy Vegan Soup Recipes
If you try this recipe out, tag me on Instagram @veggiekins so I can see your delicious re-creations and feature them! As always, I love when you share your star rating and reviews in the comments below, and if you make any fun substitutions, let me know how it worked out below too.
Easy Chickpea Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup carrots sliced or minced
- 1 cup celery thinly sliced
- 1 onion diced thinly
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp poultry seasoning or all purpose seasoning of choice
- 1-2 sprigs thyme
- 1-2 sprigs rosemary chopped finely
- 2-3 sage leaves finely chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2/3 cup basmati rice
- 5 cups vegetable broth more as needed (you can also use vegan chicken broth)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas roughly 1 can, rinsed and drained
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, sauté carrots, celery and onion with oil or a splash of veggie broth. Cook down for roughly 2 minutes to lightly soften, then add garlic, seasoning, fresh herbs and bay leaf. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add dry basmati rice to the pot and sauté for a few minutes to gently toast, then add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover the pot halfway and let cook for 15-20 minutes, or until carrots are tender and rice is soft.
- Add chickpeas, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with fresh parsley to garnish if desired.
Notes
Secrets to Success
- The key to great pot of soup is to season as you go and keep tasting! You can adjust the saltiness, herby-ness, and also play around with the ingredient-to-broth ratio if you prefer more broth or more of a hearty stew-like consistency.
- If you’d like to use leftover rice, add this in a few minutes before serving just to soften and cook down instead of at the beginning of the cooking process. This will preserve the texture of the rice, but if you prefer a congee/porridge style texture, you can also add it earlier on in the process and cook it down for more time. Totally up to you!
- Fresh herbs are wonderful, but if you can’t find them, dry-ground herbs work just as well.
- I love this recipe because it’s super easy to use what you have on hand. If you want to spice it up, garnish with red pepper flakes. Want to make it heartier? Add sweet potatoes or additional beans. Need some cheesiness? Garnish with vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast. More veggies? Throw in some kale or spinach!
- Make a big batch for meal prep throughout the week. Store in individual containers and grab-and-go for an easy lunch or dinner.
Storage Tips
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or stovetop. To freeze, let the soup cool completely. Then, store in a freezer-safe container or bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat!Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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