Nothing beats a warm bowl of hearty soup, right? Roasting the vegetables and chickpeas gives tomato chickpea soup tons of flavor. It's a simple combination of flavors that really delivers!
0.5poundstomatoesheirloom, roma, or any; about 2-3 medium
1red bell pepper
½mediumonionchopped (or 1 small)
3clovesgarlicminced
1teaspoonred pepper flakes
1teaspoonolive oilfor roasting vegetables
½teaspoonsaltfor soup, more to taste
1cupunsalted vegetable brothor chicken or any, more if needed
115 ouncecan of chickpeas, drained and rinsed~1.75 cups cooked chickpeas, from 400gm can
Extras
microgreensoptional for garnish
¼cuphemp seeds (blend w/ soup)optional for extra protein
¼cuppumpkin seeds for toppingoptional
Instructions
Place cashews in a heat-safe bowl. Cover with hot (boiling) water. Set aside to soak for about 15 minutes (or more) while preparing remaining ingredients.
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Roughly chop the red bell pepper, tomatoes, and onion. Toss vegetables in 1 teaspoon olive oil and just a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Arrange vegetables on a sheet pan.
Slice just the tip off each garlic clove to expose the inner clove. This helps prevent it from exploding in the oven. Place the (unpeeled) garlic cloves on the sheet pan as well.
Place tray of vegetables in oven for about 30-40 minutes or until starting to develop some color. Be sure to check the garlic often, starting around 20 minutes to ensure it isn't burning. The garlic usually cooks faster than the other vegetables, depending on the size of the cloves.
For the cashew cream: drain the cashews and add to a blender. Add about ¼ cup water and blend. Continue adding water 1 Tablespoon at a time if needed to blend into a smooth cream. Season with salt, vinegar, and olive oil, then blend to combine. Pour into a separate bowl and set aside.
For the soup: (no need to clean the blender - the remaining cashew cream adds flavor) Once the vegetables are done and cooled slightly, add to your blender, along with some of the broth and 1 can of cooked chickpeas that have been drained and rinsed. Blend until a smooth consistency has been reached, adding broth in two batches.
Pour into 4 small soup bowls and top with a generous dollop of cashew cream. Feel free to garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and microgreens or chopped fresh herbs. I especially like to serve this soup with grilled cheese!
Optional Pumpkin Seeds: In a dry skillet, toast the pumpkin seeds, stirring occasionally, until they develop a little bit of color, about 3 minutes. Drizzle with just a half a teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper then remove from pan to cool.
Notes
I recommend starting with no more than one-half teaspoon of salt in this soup. How much you need will depend on the broth and chickpeas you use as canned often contain more salt than homemade.If you're not vegan or vegetarian, you can always substitute for chicken broth if that's what you've got on hand!If you don't have a high-speed blender, start by blending the vegetables until they're smooth and liquid, then add the chickpeas. Additionally, use less liquid for the cashews at first, adding more later in the blending process. Another option is to soak or simmer your chickpeas in hot water for 15 minutes before blending to ensure they're very soft.Watch the garlic closely so it doesn't burn. If it's done before the other vegetables remove it from the oven and set it aside.Store leftovers in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months.This entire recipe can be made on the stovetop by simmering all ingredients (including cashews) together for 25-30 minutes and blending in batches. If you'd like to make this a complete meal, or to increase the protein, here are my tips:
double the chickpeas (you will also want to double the broth and may need to increase the salt)
add ¼ cup hemp seeds when blending
use chicken bone broth, which has 8-10 grams of protein per 1 cup