It seems to be turning into soup month around here. I have another GREAT one for you today. Do you like hummus? If so, I’m pretty sure you’ll love this Garbanzo Bean Soup! I think it’s fantastic and a snap to throw together as well.
Ok, wait…don’t run off! You’re probably thinking Garbanzo Bean Soup? Really? That doesn’t sound very appetizing! I know, I did. Every time my mom would tell me how good it is and I should make it, I was like, “nah, that doesn’t sound that appealing”. Well, its cold outside and I had three cans of garbanzo beans eating up space in my tiny pantry so I thought, why not? I’ll give it a try.
I’m not sure why I was so hesitant to make it, I love hummus after all, and it’s made from garbanzo beans (chickpeas). To make this soup I thought I’d use my favorite homemade hummus as my inspiration and see what all the hullabaloo was about. Boy am I glad I did. You know something’s good when you find yourself going back for “just a tiny bit more”. Yup, that was me.
Now here’s the important part.
DO NOT OMIT THE TOPPINGS
Sumac is a reddish spice, popular in the Middle East and Mediterranean region. It’s frequently used as a tabletop condiment and has a fruity sourness to it. I recommend you try to use sumac if you can. Otherwise, you may substitute paprika but it’s not the same, and you might need a bit more lemon for the tartness.
And don’t forget to grab some pita bread for dunking in this Garbanzo Bean Soup if you like!
PrintGarbanzo Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 3 15 1/2oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained
- 4 C. chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 4–5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 Tbls. olive oil (plus more to drizzle on top)
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 2 tsp. coriander
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- 1 Tbls. tahini (optional, I added it but if you don’t have any, don’t use it)
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
To drizzle on top your bowl of soup:
- sumac – a hefty pinch
- squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- olive oil
- chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbls. olive oil in soup pot. Add onions, celery, salt (about 1/4-1/2 tsp.) and several grinds of fresh ground black pepper. Saute until soft and golden. Add garlic and sauté a minute or so more.
- Add cumin, coriander and cayenne. Stir to combine and coat the vegetables..
- Add stock, garbanzo beans, parsley and tahini (if using) and simmer about 10-15 minutes for flavors to combine.
- Blend soup with immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender (careful with hot liquids in a blender!).
To serve:
- Top each bowl with some fresh squeezed lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, a hefty pinch of sumac and some chopped fresh parsley