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This amazing Tuscan Tomato Chickpea Soup is loaded with fabulous flavor, healthy ingredients and will transport you to the lovely Italian countryside!
Imagine relaxing in a village café, overlooking the enchanting, picturesque Italian countryside, enjoying warm sun and soft breezes while you savor the soup du jour; a perfect tomato-basil soup -or is it? It's thick and rich, loaded with classic flavor... yet there's something more. Something different, unique. In fluent Italian (we're imagining, remember?) you ask the waitress and she clarifies;" though the soup does include tomatoes and basil, it's actually a Tuscan Tomato Chickpea Soup, common and beloved throughout this region of Italy".
Yes, and most likely the most delicious chickpeas you'll ever taste!
I'm not sure how they make this Tuscan Tomato Chickpea Soup in Italy but I added carrots, celery, onions and garlic along with the chickpeas for lots of great nutrition. I roasted the all the veggies until golden and caramelized before a slow simmer in a bath of chicken broth, fire-roasted tomatoes and fresh herbs. The final step was a whirl with my stick blender, pureeing the fragrant mixture until smooth and silky.
The result? Fabulous!
It was lunchtime. I floated a bit of fresh mozzarella on top of my Tuscan Tomato Chickpea Soup and made a quick gremolata (an Italian condiment/garnish made from finely minced herbs, garlic and lemon zest). For just a minute, I imagined myself, relaxing in a village café, overlooking the enchanting, picturesque Italian countryside, enjoying warm sun and soft breezes while I savored the soup du jour; a perfect tomato-basil soup. Or is it?
Tuscan Tomato Chickpea Soup
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, peeled
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped in two-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, chopped in two-inch pieces
2 medium onions, peeled and cut in quarters
2 cans chickpeas (15 ounces, 425g), drained
2 teaspoons sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
8 cups low sodium chicken broth, more if needed to thin (can use vegetable stock to make the soup vegetarian)
2 28-ounce cans canned tomatoes (I like to use Italian plum tomatoes or diced, fire-roasted tomatoes)
4 4-inch sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
ÂĽ cup fresh basil, packed
4 ounces fresh mozzarella
Ingredients for the gremolata:
1 tablespoon finely minced rosemary
1 tablespoon finely minced parsley
zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, finely minced
a pinch of crushed red pepper
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400ËšF.
2. Place first 7 ingredients on a large rimmed baking sheet. Toss to coat all veggies with oil. Sprinkle liberally with freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, or until chickpeas and veggies are beginning to turn golden and caramelize. Stir every 10 minutes during roasting time.
3. While veggies are roasting combine chicken broth, tomatoes, rosemary and bay leaves in a large dutch oven or stockpot. Bring to a simmer. Add veggies when they are finished roasting.
4. Simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Veggies should all be super tender. Remove from heat, pull out rosemary stems and bay leaves. Add fresh basil. Puree with either a stick blender, a traditional blender or a food processor. If using a traditional blender or food processor, allow soup to cool down before blending. If soup is too thick, add a bit more chicken broth to thin to desired consistency.
5. For the gremolata combine the rosemary, parsley, lemon zest, crushed red pepper and garlic in a small bowl.
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6. Ladle hot soup into bowls. Break mozzarella into small pieces (about the size of a sweet cherry). Working with two or three at a time, place pieces of cheese on a small plate at microwave on power level 5 for about 10 seconds or just until cheese is beginning to soften. Pick up one piece of cheese, stretch it out a bit and lay it in a circular pattern on top of the soup. Sprinkle with gremolata (herb mixture) and a bit of freshly ground black pepper. Repeat with other servings of soup, warming more cheese as needed. Enjoy!
Notes:
This recipe makes a fairly large pot of soup but it freezes well and, honestly, it won't last long. It's perfect for lunch but also makes a hearty dinner along with a simple green salad and a loaf of warm, crusty bread.
8-10 main course servings
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I've just made this, on a snowy New Hampshire day. The ingredients and preparation are fabulous, as is the taste right out of the pot, even though I've skipped the gremolata (am avoiding dairy for a bit). I suspect that letting this sit while the flavors cozy up to one another will be even more tasty. A wonderful soup and great photos! Thanks for posting.
This would be the perfect soup for a snowy day. I'm a bit jealous of your snow! So glad you like the soup!
Just made on a snowy day in New Hampshire. Great ingredients, wonderful addition of the roasted veggies ... smells divine. I've skipped the cheese (trying to keep my dairy intake down), so can't comment on that. CAN say this has a very definite tomato basil flavor to it and I suspect that giving the flavors a little more time to cozy up to one another will mature it to an even better taste than I've got right out of the pot. Thanks for posting (and for the fabulous photos!).
I just adore this soup Chris with its unctuous melting cheese and blast of flavour. Can't forget the hidden protein as well with the chickpeas. I would love to have tasted it in the Tuscan hillside.
I love a soup that sticks to the ribs and the chickpeas will definitely give this staying power. Gorgeous soup and I'm lovin' the gremolata
Hi, this soup look so appetizing... I'm sure it taste heavenly. Lovely presentation and nice click. Always enjoy visit your blog to see your gorgeous pictures.
Wish I can try some now, slurrrpppp......LOL
Have a nice day.
Gosh, this looks so fantastic, I could eat it for breakfast!!! So full of delicious and healthy ingredients...can't beat that!
Just the name of this recipe made me hungry! It looks & sounds amazing, Chris! It's definitely time to start enjoying soups, again!
I'm hungry like a scavenger
Have to make this too! Looks so warming and soothing.
Las sopas son mi adicciĂłn en toda Ă©poca las tomo te ha quedado de lujo muy tentadora,abrazos hugs,hugs.
This looks fantastic! Definitely will be trying it. And sooner rather than later!
Ditto what Kitchen Riffs said!!!
Saw this on FB this morning and I've thought of it nearly all day. I think you are right, a good way to get more of these healthy ingredients into the kids, or rather my husband!
This is beautiful and so autumn like, now all I need to do is have it in Italy!
This is a seriously good looking soup. Its color is amazing.
I am so travelling with you 🙂 can't wait to try that soup...
Did the waitress seat you at a table with room for one more? I'd like to join you please!
A wonderfully & tasty comforting good for you soup & I love the gremolata, especially in here! 🙂
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
Ohh yes please to the whole fantasy!! but especially the soup - I would happily live on this :))
Mary x
Oh my---I love everything about this soup. I love chickpeas, but I have to say I've never had them pureed in a soup. And that swirl of mozzerella? And the gremolata? I could seriously eat this for a week.
From looking at your delicious looking soup I would never have guessed there were chickpeas in it. I love chickpeas and I love tomatoes and I don't know why I haven't had this classic Italian soup. I'd love to give this a go xx
This is terrific. I love soups, and bean soups in particular. I don't do enough with chick peas, though, for some reason. This recipe will certainly get me using them and out of my rut. The rosemary gremolata is a nice touch. Good stuff - thanks.
Gorgeous soup, I love the melting mozzarella and gremolata!
What a beautiful presentation! This would be a popular soup at our house and I love that you roasted everything first...sounds really filling... I spied a lovely loaf of bread in the background....mmmmm.
All the good for you goodness is hidden in this extremely flavourful soup.
A fantastic piece of art that you can eat too - looks wonderful to eat.
I totally agree Tricia, I'm crazy about this time of the year as it brings soup, cool crisp days,sweatshirts and long walks under magical colored trees!
You've painted a beautiful picture and created an amazing soup. Slow roasting the veggies is the way to go. Very tasty!!
I love addding legumes in my soups... I do it quite often since last year! Love you soup and with the gremolata, I'm sure it is really really good!
I like soups and this contains a lot of delicious ingredients. Love it!
I adore chickpeas and your post is wonderfully enticing! I am loving soup this time of year. It's like talking to a long lost friend. Can't wait to make this one - and yes - a large chunk of bread too please!