This one pot lemon chickpea soup is a simple vegan recipe that is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner! It’s cozy, easy to make, packed with flavor and high in protein.
Cozy winter soups are my absolute favorite. This lemon chickpea soup is bursting with fresh flavor and made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.
This recipe features chickpeas, of course, veggies like celery and carrots, warming spices like turmeric, fresh herbs such as thyme and lots of lemon for fresh flavor.
Plus, we’ll be cooking some rice into the soup to give it a hearty texture and make it super filling.
Ready in about 30 minutes, this is the perfect family favorite dinner when you need something on the table quickly! If you love this garbanzo bean soup recipe, be sure to try my chickpea noodle soup or tuscan white bean soup next.
How to make chickpea soup
SAUTE. To a large pot or dutch oven, add the olive oil and diced onion. Saute for about 5 minutes.
Add in the carrot, celery and garlic and saute an additional 5 minutes.
SIMMER. Add in all remaining ingredients aside from the lemon juice and peas and bring to a low boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer with a lid slightly ajar for about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. Stir every 5 or so minutes.
Stir in the peas and lemon juice.
SERVE. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. If you like it more brothy, add in an additional 1 cup of veggie broth. I prefer a more thick stew like consistency, so I left it as is.
Remove the sprigs of thyme and enjoy!
Serving suggestions
I love serving this lemon chickpea soup with fresh parsley, red pepper flakes and some bread on the side!
It’s also delicious with my massaged kale salad for extra veggies, or exactly as is.
If you are not vegan or vegetarian, I suggest stirring in about 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken. It pairs really well with the other flavors in the soup and of course adds some extra protein!
You can also easily customize this soup with extra spices such as paprika, oregano, basil or cayenne to change up the flavor profile.
How to store and freeze
This soup is perfect for meal prep since it stores and freezes so well! It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, just let it cool completely before transferring to a container.
I like to freeze it in smaller, pre-portioned containers so I don’t have to thaw it all at once. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months, just let it thaw before reheating on the stove until warm.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add other veggies?
Definitely! I love adding a few big handfuls of spinach or kale when I add the peas for some extra green. You can try broccoli, bell peppers or cauliflower.
Do I need to cook canned chickpeas?
Nope! Canned chickpeas are already cooked. We’ll simmer them in the broth while the rice cooks so they absorb all of the delicious flavors from the soup.
The only time I recommend removing the chickpea skin is when you’re baking them until crispy, but for the purpose of this chickpea soup, there is no need to remove the skin.
Are chickpeas healthy?
Yes! Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are such a great way to get some extra fiber, vitamins and plant-based protein into your diet!
Chickpeas are great in soups like this one, sandwiches, salads, and can even be made into cookies. You will need two cans of chickpeas for this soup and act as a great meat replacement.
Can I use brown rice instead?
You can substitute the brown rice for white rice, but you will likely need to add extra broth because brown rice absorbs more liquid as it cooks.
The soup will need to simmer for a bit longer as well because brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice.
More soup recipes!
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Lemon Chickpea Soup
by: claire cary
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small white or yellow onion diced
- 2 large carrots peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 15 ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ⅔ cup white jasmine rice
- 5 cups low sodium veggie broth
- ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ cup peas
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice about 1 large lemon
Instructions
- To a large pot or dutch oven, add the olive oil and diced onion.
- Saute for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the carrot, celery and garlic and saute an additional 5 minutes.
- Add in all remaining ingredients (including the chickpeas) aside from the lemon juice and peas and bring to a low boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer with a lid slightly ajar for about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. Stir every 5 or so minutes.
- Stir in the peas and lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. If you like it more brothy, add in an additional 1 cup of veggie broth. I prefer a more thick stew like consistency, so I left it as is.
- Remove the sprigs of thyme and enjoy!
Jennifer P says
Really good soup, I added carrots onions garlic only as I only had those. But the turmeric with lemon is great combo. When I do red Syrian lentil soup, I add those two to it! 👍👍!
I add some more salt and ground black pepper before serving 👌
Claire Cary says
Yes, love those two together! Thanks, Jennifer!
Kate B says
Wow! Amazing! I make and eat a lot of soups and I really, really enjoyed this recipe. I added a healthy dose of paprika, but otherwise stuck with the base recipe.
Claire Cary says
Perfect, thank you Kate!
Erin says
This was SOOOO good! Cozy and just the right lemon flavor.