Healthy Chickpea Vegetable Soup — Perfect for resetting after indulging!! Low in calories but high in nutrients and fiber! Easy, ready in 30 minutes, hearty, HEALTHY, and tastes AWESOME!!
Healthy High-Fiber Soup Recipe
Did you drink too much this past weekend? Eat too much cheese? Brownies? Pasta? All of the above? No problem. Time for a Monday reset.
This hearty chickpea and vegetable soup is loaded with healthy vegetables, low in calories but high in nutrients and fiber, naturally vegan and gluten-free, and will help you get back on track.
By this time in the year, most people have long forgotten about their January resolutions and we’re embarking on what I call ‘eating season’ — the period of time that encompasses Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.
It’s sometimes nice to take a week-long or even half-week reset. This healthy vegetable soup recipe is easy, ready in 30 minutes, comforting, hearty, flavorful, and makes a big batch that’s enough for a week’s worth of lunches or dinners if you prefer.
It reminds me of my homemade Vegetable Soup and Broth, minus the tomato-infused broth and less variety of vegetables but it’s extremely flexible.
Ingredients in Chickpea Vegetable Soup
As you can imagine, this easy vegan chickpea soup is packed with fresh veggies. Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic
- Vegetable broth
- Zucchini
- Yellow squash
- Mushrooms
- Garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas)
- Dried herbs and spices
- Lemon juice
- Apple cider vinegar
How to Make Chickpea Vegetable Soup
The trick to making the best vegetable soup is to not overcook any of the veggies. You can’t dump all the vegetables into the stockpot at once, otherwise some will wind up being cooked to perfection while others become mushy.
As such, it’s important that you cook the vegetables in the order I’ve instructed.
- First, sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until softened.
- Then, add the broth, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, garbanzo beans, herbs and spices.
- Allow the mixture to boil gently until the vegetables are tender.
- Sprinkle in a little fresh parsley, lemon juice and/or apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of sugar to balance out all the flavors.
Can I Freeze This Vegetable Soup?
Yes, this healthy vegetable soup can be frozen for up to 6 months. I recommend freezing vegetable soup in individual containers or freezer bags so you can thaw one portion at a time for quick lunches or dinners.
Can I Use Different Veggies in This Vegetable Soup Recipe?
Absolutely! I added zucchini, yellow squash, and baby portobellos, but feel free to mix-and-match with green beans, sugar snap peas, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, corn, bell peppers, or your favorites.
Tips for Making Chickpea Soup
Chickpeas: I used garbanzo beans for protein, which can be swapped with cannelini beans, great northern beans, edamame, or tempeh.
Salt levels: I used no-salt or low-salt versions of all ingredients and added Kosher salt to taste so I could control the ingredients. If you’re using regular (fully salted) versions of stock and beans, you won’t need to add as much salt, if any.
Thickness: Depending on how many veggies you cram in your pot and how brothy you like your soups, top off with water as needed as the soup simmers since you’re adjusting the salt at the end.
What to Serve with Vegetable Soup
Since this high-fiber soup is already chockfull of vegetables and protein from the chickpeas, all you need to round out the meal is bread!
Pin This Recipe
Enjoy AverieCooks.com Without Ads! 🆕
Go Ad Free
Chickpea Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large sweet Vidalia onion, diced small
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced into small half moons
- 2 large stalks celery, diced into small half moons
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced or pressed
- 64 ounces 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus water if necessary
- 1 large zucchini, diced small
- 1 large yellow squash, diced small
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms, baby portobello, white, or your favorite
- one 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (I use no-salt added; cannellini or great northern beans may be substituted)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 to 3 teaspoons Kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ⅓ cup fresh Italian flat-leaf or regular parsley, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional (brightens up the flavor)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, optional (brightens up the flavor)
- pinch sugar, optional and to taste (balances acidity and rounds out the flavor)
Instructions
- To a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add the oil, onion, carrots, celery, and sauté over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes. Stir intermittently.
- Add the broth, zucchini, yellow squash , mushrooms, garbanzo beans, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and bring to a boil.
- Allow mixture to boil gently for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves.
- Turn the heat to low and add the parsley, optional lemon juice and/or apple cider vinegar, optional sugar, stir to combine, and taste soup.Add additional salt, pepper, or spices, to taste. Amount of salt will vary based on how salty the brand of vegetable broth used is, how salty the beans are, and personal preference.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- At any time while making the soup, if the overall liquid level is lower than you like and you prefer more broth, adding a cup or two of water is okay, noting you can always adjust the salt and seasoning levels.
- Soup will keep airtight in the fridge for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Recipe adapted from my Weight Loss Vegetable Soup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
More Homemade Soup Recipes:
15 Best Fast and Easy Soup Recipes – Warm up with these easy soup recipes!! Most are ready in under 30 minutes and perfect for busy weeknights! Hearty, comforting, and so good!!
Weight Loss Vegetable Soup — Trying to shed some pounds or get healthier? Try this easy, flavorful soup that’s ready in 30 minutes and loaded with veggies! Very filling and hearty! Zero WW Smart Points!
Easy 30-Minute Kale, White Bean, and Chicken Soup — Loaded with juicy chicken, healthy kale, and tender beans! Easy, hearty, and satisfying! Love it when something healthy tastes so good!
Easy 30-Minute Mushroom Vegetable Soup — Healthy, light yet satisfying, and full of rich savory flavor!! An Asian-inspired twist on vegetable soup that you’ll love!
Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup – Classic, comforting, and tastes just like grandma made but way easier and faster! This soup is AMAZING and it’ll be your new favorite recipe!
Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup – Chicken, tomatoes, corn, black beans, avocado, cheese, and addictively crunchy tortilla strips! Fast, easy weeknight meal, and better than from a restaurant!
Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Tortellini Soup – An fun spin on classic chicken noodle soup using cheese tortellini! Fast, easy, comfort food that just hits the spot! You’ll make it over and over again!
Easy 30-Minute Homemade White Chicken Chili – Hearty, healthy, loaded with tender chicken, and packed with bold flavor! Fast and easy comfort food that everyone loves! It’ll be on rotation all winter!
Easy 30-Minute Minestrone Soup (Better-Than-Olive-Garden-Copycat) – Homemade is always better and this soup is amazing! The best minestrone ever! Perfect for busy weeknights and it’s healthy!