This brothy soup calls for 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, and it’s entirely up to you and your affinity for it how many you use. No one is going to tell you that you can’t use more or less, if that’s where your taste is. It is, however, a flavor that plays well with the other definitive elements of this soup: chickpeas, spinach and lemon.
Active time: 20 mins; Total time: 50 mins
Storage Notes: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Servings: 4 - 6 When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.
When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.
Tested size: 4-6 servings; makes 8 cups
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 large yellow onion (about 10 ounces), roughly chopped
- 4 to 5 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 3/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Two (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained with liquid reserved (may also use 3 cups cooked chickpeas with 1/2 cup of cooking liquid)
- 4 cups vegetable broth, store-bought or homemade (see related recipe)
- 2 cups (2 ounces) baby spinach
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Juice of 1 large lemon, divided
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese (may substitute vegan parmesan cheese) (optional)
- Crusty bread, for serving
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Directions
In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic and salt and cook, stirring regularly, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper and stir to incorporate.
Add the chickpeas and stir to coat in the spices. Use a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to roughly mash the chickpeas, just enough to break some of them up a little. Add the broth and the reserved chickpea liquid, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pan with a lid and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach and parsley. Let the soup sit for 1 minute, then add half the lemon juice. Taste, and season with the remaining lemon juice and/or more salt, as needed.
Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and top each bowl with 1 tablespoon of the cheese, if using. Serve hot, with crusty bread.
Recipe Source
Adapted from “The Mediterranean Dish” by Suzy Karadsheh (Clarkson Potter, 2022).
Tested by Jim Webster.
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