Chickpea Curry Soup

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This Chickpea Curry Soup will warm you up fast on a cold winter's day. It's hearty, protein-packed, and filled with savory flavor. Plus, it takes just 30 minutes to make and calls for simple ingredients.

I love having soup all year long because they are easy to make, budget-friendly, and so satisfying. But when it's cold outside I'm in full soup mode and make them more often.

This Chickpea Curry Soup is a great addition to your rotation and the whole family will love it. It has mild heat but it's easily adjustable to make it kid-friendly.

You can put this together with mostly pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients that are easy to find at your local grocer. It comes together so quickly too!

• Onion - red or yellow onion will work here. You can also use shallots if preferred.
• Garlic - lots of fresh garlic will add wonderful flavor to the soup.
• Ginger - fresh ginger adds a pop of brightness to the soup so try not to skip this. If you don't have it, you can use frozen or jarred or you can use ½-1 teaspoon of ground ginger.
• Tomato Paste - this deepens the flavor of the broth a bit and I highly recommend using it.
• Curry Powder - I used a quality store-bought brand, but feel free to make your own. Here is a simple curry powder recipe to try.
• Red Pepper Flakes - adds a mild heat, but it's completely optional.
• Canned Diced Tomatoes - I prefer fire-roasted petite diced, but you can use any type you like.
• Chickpeas - You can use canned or 1 ½ cups of home-cooked chickpeas.
• Coconut Milk - you'll want to use a full-fat canned variety to make the soup thick, rich and creamy.
• Vegetable Broth - I prefer Better Than Bouillon's low-sodium vegetable base because it's so flavorful, but any vegetable broth will work.
• Agave Nectar - It helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes and the spiciness of the dish. You can use any type of sweetener such as coconut sugar, brown sugar, and maple syrup or you can omit the sweetener altogether.
• Cilantro - if you don't like it, you can omit it altogether or replace it with parsley or basil.
• Lime - Fresh-squeezed is recommended here. Lemon will work too, but you may want to reduce the amount to 1 tablespoon.
• Salt + Pepper
• Oil

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Once shimmering, add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and ginger. Sauté until fragrant.
2. Now add the tomato paste, curry powder, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
3. Add diced tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, coconut milk, agave, and salt. Raise heat to bring to a high simmer, then cover with a lid and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. Remove the lid and simmer for another five minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.
5. Now remove from heat and stir in the lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.

• Add a little zing with a dollop of vegan yogurt or vegan sour cream
• For an extra pop of freshness, add chopped basil, mint, green onion, or chives
• Add a little crunch with roasted cashews or crispy air fryer chickpeas
• Spice things up with chili flakes or sliced jalapeños
• For added richness, add a swirl of coconut milk or cashew cream

More vegan soup recipes to try

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5 from 6 votes

Chickpea Curry Soup

This Chickpea Curry Soup will warm you up fast on a cold winter's day. It's hearty, protein-packed, and filled with savory flavor. Plus, it takes just 30 minutes to make and calls for simple ingredients.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Indian-Inspired

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 124kcal

Author: Melissa Huggins

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 2 tablespoons avocado oil or preferred oil
• ▢ 1 small onion , diced small (1 cup)
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic , minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon curry powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• ▢ 1 14-ounce can petite diced tomatoes , fire-roasted
• ▢ 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas , rinsed and drained
• ▢ 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
• ▢ 2 cups vegetable broth low sodium (more if needed)
• ▢ 2-3 teaspoons agave nectar or any sweetener
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon sea salt , more to taste
• ▢ Fresh cracked pepper to taste
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ▢ 1 lime , juiced

For Serving

• ▢ Chopped cilantro
• ▢ Lime wedges

Recommended Equipment

• 1 Large Pot

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the onion and sauté until translucent. About 2-3 minutes.
• Add garlic and ginger. Sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
• Now add the tomato paste, curry powder, and pepper flakes. Sauté until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
• Add diced tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, coconut milk, agave, and salt. Stir and scrape the bottom to release any browned bits. Raise heat to bring to a high simmer, then cover with a lid and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes to meld flavors. Stir occasionally.
• Now Remove the lid and simmer for another five minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.
• Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Serve with lime wedges and more cilantro.

Notes

This soup has a thinnish, brothy, and slightly creamy consistency. If you want a thicker consistency, you can reduce the broth in the recipe or cook the soup down longer uncovered on the stove. 

See the post above for extra tips, FAQs, and step-by-step photos.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cups | Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 409mg | Sugar: 5g

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