This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.
It’s cold outside in London, so I’m sharing this warming, smoky lentil chickpea soup. It’s one of my favorite soup recipes, full of flavor and plant-based protein.
It’s perfect for cozy, cold winter nights when you’re craving something hearty and comforting yet healthy. It’s also vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.
This recipe starts with a solid flavor base by sautéing onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and spices, then adding legumes, potatoes, and vegetable broth. Adding a few handfuls of green leaves, such as spinach, in the last minute of cooking time provides extra texture and nutrients, but it’s optional.
Smoked paprika and curry powder are the secret to this soup’s deliciousness. They work like a charm, providing an amazing depth of flavor.
Serve it with easy , quick , or easy , and garnish with extra for added flavor, if you wish. Make a big batch because it tastes even better the next day!
List of the ingredients
- Dried lentils (brown or green)
- Canned chickpeas
- (onion, garlic, celery)
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Spices (, )
- Potato
- Spinach (optional)
- Salt & pepper
How to make this lentil chickpea soup
(Note: the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Sauté diced onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil.
- Add garlic and spices and give a good stir.
- Then add chickpeas, lentils, potato, and tomato paste.
Recipe Notes
Ingredients & substitutions
This soup recipe is pretty flexible. As long as you get the spices right, you can play around with your leafy greens and whatever legumes you have in the cupboard:
- Legumes: Black beans, white beans, and pinto beans (canned) work just fine. You can also use only lentils, but adjust the amount of broth accordingly.
- Leafy greens: You can swap Swiss chard or kale for spinach. Remove the stems, chop the leaves, and cook until tender.
- Soffritto: onion, carrot, and celery make a flavorsome base called . If you don’t have these veggies, skip this step and start the recipe with garlic and spices instead.
- Broth: I use this , but you can use only hot water or regular vegetable or chicken broth. Adjust the seasoning accordingly at the end, as you never really know how strong the salt from the broth is.
Looking for more lentil soup recipes?
Looking for more chickpea soup recipes?
If you make this smoky chickpea and lentil soup or have any questions, let me know! Leave a comment, send me a message, or rate it.
I would love to hear from you!
Lentil Chickpea Soup
This warming smoky chickpea and lentil soup is packed with flavor, plant-based protein, and requires just 1 pot. It’s also vegetarian, vegan and gluten free for all to enjoy.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 celery stick, diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
- ¾ Tbsp mild curry powder
- ¼ – ⅛ tsp chili flakes, or to taste
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained
- ¾ cup (140 grams) dried lentils, clean and rinsed
- 1 (200 grams) potato, cut into cubes
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste (or ⅓ cup canned diced tomatoes)
- 4 cups (960 ml)
- fine salt, to taste (see notes)
- black pepper, to taste
- 4 oz (120 grams) baby spinach, washed (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add diced onion, carrot and celery. Saute' for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic, curry powder, smoked paprika and chili flakes. Cook for about 1 minute stirring constantly.
- Add lentils, chickpeas, potato cubes, tomato paste and give a good stir. Pour the broth over the muxture and stir again to combine.
- Raise the heat, bring to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Stir occasionally.
- After 25-30 minutes, try smash the potato cubes with the back of a spoon to thicken the soup. Add a touch of water if you want to adjust the consistency, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper (see notes).
- At this point, add the spinach, a handful at a time, stirring until wilted. It takes a couple of minutes.
- Serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil and crusty bread.
Comments (0)