Chickpea Lentil Soup

A creamy, rich, hearty and comforting vegan soup made with red lentils, chickpeas, and kale, finished with creamy coconut cream and warm spices.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Dairy-free, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Keyword chickpea soup, chickpeas, creamy, dairy-free, healthy, lentils

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 228kcal

Author Sireesha A.

Ingredients

¾ cup red lentils rinsed
1 15 oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 small onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3½ cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ginger powder or ½ tablespoon fresh minced ginger
2 cups kale chopped
¼ cup coconut cream
salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
To the same pot, add red lentils, chickpeas, and vegetable broth.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
Stir in the kale and cook for another 4–5 minutes, until wilted.
Partially blend the soup using an immersion blender, leaving some texture.
Stir in the coconut cream.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste, and serve warm. Optional: a squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens the flavors nicely.

Notes

This recipe is additionally tested with mushroom stock. The mushroom stock gives nice umami flavor and depth to the dish. If your mushroom stock is quite strong, add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end because lentils + chickpeas + kale + mushroom stock can become very earthy, and a little acidity brightens everything up nicely.

Instead of kale, you can use spinach. The spinach blends better and has a softer flavor, while kale gives a more hearty, rustic feel that fills you up.

I have tried the soup with coconut cream and heavy cream. The coconut cream gives a more authentic flavor. Also, Greek yogurt may be a good option for some.

For some extra heat, you can add red pepper flakes.

Nutrition