This Italian Chickpea Soup is made with a handful of simple, budget-friendly ingredients and is loaded with hearty and comforting flavors! Ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.
You will always find a can of chickpeas in my cupboard because they’re one of my many vegan pantry staples! They come in handy for all kinds of recipes, from veggie burgers to homemade hummus, providing boosts of protein and fiber in each bite.
They’re the main source of protein in this vegan Italian Chickpea Soup, ensuring every batch is hearty, filling, and delicious! You’ll love its simplicity; the handful of vegetables and seasonings all cook together in one pot and fill the 30-minute soup with delectable Italian-inspired flavors.
The ingredients are all budget-friendly and easy to find, too. Make a batch for a quick weeknight dinner or use it as a filling meal prep option! It’s so simple and sure to become a new staple in your weekly meal rotation.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to make: A fast, easy and filling dinner idea.
- Budget-friendly and flexible: The handful of ingredients in this recipe are all budget-friendly, making this a perfect recipe for family dinners and vegan meal prep. Follow the recipe to a tee or shake up the flavors by using your favorite veggies or what you already have at home.
- Indulgent and nourishing: Much like a Vegan Minestrone or Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup, chickpea soup is made with natural, nourishing ingredients to help you feel great. The texture is naturally creamy as well, making this healthy soup feel extra indulgent.
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Yukon gold potatoes – These creamy and starchy potatoes act as a natural thickener in the soup and help “creamify” the texture, especially when blended. Red, Russet, and sweet potatoes can all be used as substitutes. Butternut squash works too! Just make sure you use 2 cups total if making substitutions.
- Chickpeas – Canned chickpeas are perfect and convenient!
- Tomatoes – Use a can of diced tomatoes to keep this recipe as hands-off as possible.
- Smoked paprika – Or regular paprika.
- Dried basil and oregano – If you want to upgrade the Italian flavors here, substitute these dried herbs with a pre-mixed Italian seasoning blend.
- Red chili flakes – The hint of spice brings balance among the other flavors.
- Vegetable broth
- Pasta – Use any small shell pasta you like. Sometimes, I like using chickpea pasta or bean pasta for an extra boost of protein.
- Salt
How to make Italian chickpea soup
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
To start, saute the onion in an oiled soup pot over medium heat. Once it’s translucent, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Stir in the potatoes, chickpeas, diced tomatoes, smoked paprika, basil, oregano, chili flakes, and broth next.
Turn up the heat and bring the mix to a boil. Once it boils, turn down the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender.
Cook the pasta in a separate pot while you wait on the soup*. Drain the water, then set aside.
*You can cook the pasta with the soup, but only if you plan on eating the entire batch that day. The pasta soaks up the liquid as it sits in the soup and eventually becomes soggy.
Now that it’s done simmering, use an immersion blender to puree some of the soup. This will help it thicken and give it a creamy consistency. If you don’t have an immersion blender, blend about a quarter of the soup in a regular blender, then pour it back into the pot. Or don’t blend at all, for a chunkier soup.
Stir in the cooked pasta to finish. Ladle the chickpea soup into bowls and top with vegan parmesan (I used Violife dairy free parmesan) or chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Serving suggestions
Garnish each bowl of soup with vegan parmesan, freshly cracked black pepper, fresh parsley, or homemade croutons. Serve a slice of homemade artisan bread or vegan garlic bread on the side and enjoy!
Variations
- Gluten free – Use the gluten free pasta of your choice to make gluten free chickpea soup.
- Add more vegetables – Like diced celery, carrots, zucchini, green beans, squash, leafy greens, or any other veggies you love.
- Add vegan parmesan – Stir meltable vegan parmesan (like Violife dairy free parmesan) or ¼ cup of nutritional yeast directly into the soup for a subtle cheesy flavor.
- Instead of tomatoes – You can make a creamier soup without tomatoes by substituting a can of full fat coconut milk for the diced tomatoes.
- Finish with leafy greens – When the soup is 5 minutes away from being done, stir in a handful of chopped kale leaves or baby spinach and cook until they wilt.
Storing
I recommend storing the leftover soup and cooked pasta in separate containers because the pasta noodles will become soggy if they sit in the liquid.
Wait for the soup to cool, then store it in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. It can also be frozen (without the pasta) for about 3 months.
Want more easy soup recipes?
Italian Chickpea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- (2) 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups cooked small pasta
- salt and pepper, to taste
- vegan parmesan, optional for serving
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, sauté the onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, until fragrant.
- Add the potatoes, chickpeas, diced tomatoes, smoked paprika, basil, oregano, chili flakes and broth. Turn to high heat, stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- While the soup simmers, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Use an immersion blender to blend some of the soup to make it creamy, then add the cooked pasta. If you don't plan on serving all of the soup immediately, consider keeping the pasta separate and add to each bowl. If not it will get soggy and thicken the soup as it sits.
- Serve immediately, perhaps with a little parmesan (I used Violife dairy free parmesan) or chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten free? Sub gluten free pasta. Use high protein pasta for more protein.
- You could cook the pasta in the soup, but if you have leftovers the soup will get soggy and thick. If you plan on serving it all immediately, it’s fine to do this though.
- Sweet potatoes are a fun substitute here, butternut squash would also be good. Red or russet potatoes also work fine.
- For a creamier soup without tomatoes, substitute a can of full fat coconut milk for the diced tomatoes.
Another winner, thank you Nora! I did add some fresh chopped tomatoes as I have an abundance in the garden right now 😊
You are welcome, Kelly! I’m thrilled you loved the soup!
How many calories are in your Italian chic pea soup without the pasta. One cup.
I’m not sure what it would be without the pasta. To know exactly you’d have to input the info into a calorie tracker. My nutrition information is an estimate only and is calculated with the pasta.
Really good. Adjustments made: added some fresh zucchini, a fresh tomato, and yellow bell pepper since I had it in the fridge. Whole peeled tomatoes instead of diced. Instead of the chickpeas I added Upton’s seitan sausage at the end. So comforting and delicious!
Hi Lydia. Thanks for your wonderful review and delicious ideas! I’m thrilled you loved the soup!
Delicious!! Thank you for sharing your ever delicious recipes.
You are welcome! Thank you for your terrific review!
Hi Nora! I always love your recipes, but this is the first time that I loved it so much I felt compelled to rate it and comment.This soup is sooo good. I used butternut squash instead of potatoes, I added a can of coconut milk and the diced tomatoes, and I garnished it with parsely. It was so good that I couldn’t stop eating it. Thank you!
You bet, Robin! I’m thrilled that you loved the soup! Thanks for taking time to share your awesome review! I appreciate you using my recipes! Happy cooking!
Amazing!! I didn’t do immersion blender but followed the recipe exactly.
Thanks Nora – love this soup!
You are welcome! Thank you, Heidi, for your awesome review!
amazing!!! i added coconut milk along with the diced tomatoes and an extra can of chickpeas (i love chickpeas haha)
Sounds delicious! I appreciate your awesome review and feedback!
This was very tasty! We cooked the pasta in the soup rather than separately, and we swapped out spinach for potatoes. Will make it again! Thanks for the recipe.
How can this be adapted for the Instant Pot?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it will work fine. Saute the onion and garlic but in the Instant Pot using the saute feature. Then add the rest (not the pasta though) and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Release the pressure carefully, then stir in cooked pasta, as desired.
I regret using immersion blender. Looked much like baby food. Very tasty just not as appealing visually.
Thanks for your feedback!
Super simple and delicious. Easy to throw together with pantry staples
I’m so glad you love it! Thanks for your wonderful feedback and review!
I sometimes really want to eat soup and it just so happens that my partner really loves to make soup. As soon as I saw this recipe I implored them to make it for dinner and I am so glad they did. It was amazing! Thanks for the tips of keeping the pasta separate as it made for stellar leftovers with no mushy pasta. This is going to be made again and again for sure!
Hi Jen. It’s so fantastic that you loved the soup! I’m glad the pasta tips were helpful to provide those stellar leftovers! Thank you for your fantastic feedback!
So delicious! It’s been chilly and I’ve been craving soup. Will definitely be making this again. My 2 year is currently gobbling it down 🙂
I’m glad your 2 year old loves the soup! Thanks for your fun and wonderful feedback!
Another winner! The only thing I did different was added a full 32 ounce Veg broth, instead of the 3 cups. I kept my pasta on the side, and now have delish lunches for the week. Thank you Nora.
Nora, thank you for another great recipe! I whipped up a batch of this soup for lunch today — fast and easy, just as you said. And so delicious! Wonderful, easy recipe that I will definitely be making again. Thank you!
Hi Angie. Thanks for letting me know your experience with my new soup recipe! I’m so glad you loved it! Thanks for your great feedback and review! Happy cooking!
Just a question. I’m trying to save your recipes by using the little heart, but they won’t save. What am I doing wrong?
Sorry for any confusion, let me help! When you click on the heart at the top of the page, that will bring up your favorites (if you have saved any). To save to your favorites, you can click on the “Save” button either at the top of the page, by the Jump to Recipe and Pin buttons, or in the recipe card itself. I hope that helps!