Fill Up on Fiber the Easy Way With This Protein-Rich Chickpea-Tomato Soup

By Anna Monette Roberts

Published on 5/25/2017 at 7:35 PM

POPSUGAR Photography | Anna Monette Roberts
POPSUGAR Photography | Anna Monette Roberts

Protein-rich, fast, easy, and super cheap: all of the components my meals would have in a dream world. This chickpea-tomato soup manages to satisfy all of them, and after years of sharing the recipe with my friends and family, I thought it's due time to let you in on this little soup hack. It involves blending a pint of tomatoes with a can of drained chickpeas together to form a creamless, pureed tomato soup. What I love most about this soup recipe is it's forgiving. You really can't go wrong, so long as you blend it up thoroughly and remember to season it liberally.

And just in case you needed more reason to slurp up this pureed soup: it contains almost 20 grams of fiber (nearly the total daily recommendation for women) — no chewing necessary. Although, I have heard nutritionists recommend pretending to chew soups and smoothies to avoid any digestional upset, so keep that in mind as you spoon up this comforting "cream" of tomato.

Tomato-Chickpea Soup

Yield2 servings

From Anna Monette Roberts, POPSUGAR Fitness

INGREDIENTS

    • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
    • 1 can chickpeas, drained
    • 1 clove of garlic
    • Broth or water, if needed
    • Olive oil, to taste
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • Balsamic, red wine, or sherry vinegar, to taste
    • Basil, to garnish

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. In a blender, combine tomatoes, chickpeas, and garlic together. Blend until a pureed soup forms. Add about 1/2 cup of broth or water if needed to help blend the ingredients.

    2. Transfer puree to a sauce pot and heat until it gets bubbly. If you are using fresh tomatoes, cook until the tomatoes taste cooked (and not mealy), usually less than 10 minutes. Stir in some olive oil (a generous splash). Salt and pepper, to taste. Add a splash of vinegar or two, to taste.

    3. Divide into two bowls, and garnish with basil leaves.

    Notes

    • Though this recipe calls for one pint of tomatoes, you can use less. I often will just blend up whatever I have leftover. The soup will have a lighter color and less tart taste, but it'll still be delicious.
    • If it's Winter or you don't have fresh tomatoes, substitute 1 small can San Marzano whole, peeled tomatoes with the juices.
    • If I have them on hand, I love blending caramelized onions into this soup, about 1/4-1/3 cup.
    • I also love shaking in some nutritional yeast to give the soup a slightly cheesy flavor and vitamin B boost!