Chickpea Tomato Soup
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This simple chickpea tomato soup combines tender chickpeas with a flavorful, herby tomato broth. It’s a budget-friendly, healthy meal that uses simple ingredients and tastes delicious.
Published in Jun 2024/updated in Jan 2026
Chickpeas are a favorite pantry staple in my household. I use them weekly for quick, nutritious meals like soup, pasta, and salad. But these versatile legumes are also great for bruschetta and scrumptious hummus.
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And I’m sure you’ll love this chickpea tomato soup recipe I’m sharing today.
Firstly, it uses a few inexpensive cupboard staples, is a breeze to make, and is flavorful and satisfying.
It’s essentially a creamy tomato soup full of tender chickpeas. It’s infused with aromatic parsley, garlic, and paprika and finished with bright lemon juice. The texture is quite thick, and it’s absolutely delicious served with these crostini, crispy croutons, or soft focaccia.
It’s a light and delightful meal that can be served year-round, especially in winter. We enjoy plenty of cozy soups throughout the week—and we love them!
I recommend making a big batch of this chickpea tomato soup, as it tastes even better the following day, freezes well, and makes a wonderful plant-based dinner the whole family will love.
List of the ingredients
- Chickpeas
- Tomatoes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Onion & garlic
- Parsley, oregano, bay leaves
- Paprika
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Salt & pepper
How to make chickpea tomato soup
(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil.
- Stir in the paprika, then add chickpeas, tomatoes, broth, oregano, bay leaves, seasoning, and cayenne pepper (optional).
- Cook for 25 minutes.
- Blend 1 -2 cups of the soup and return it to the pot. This step is optional, but it’s recommended to thicken the broth and to add creaminess.
- Stir in the parsley and the lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired. Serve it with crusty bread, croutons, or crispy crostini, and grated Parmesan cheese, If you don’t keep it vegan!
Recipe Notes
Chickpea tomato soup ingredients
Flavor base: We start with onion and garlic sauteed in extra virgin olive oil. Yellow or white onions are fine. We keep this flavor base simple and quick to make, but you can also stir diced carrot and celery stalks as you would do for a classic soffritto mix.
Paprika: It adds deep flavor and pairs perfectly with tomatoes. Add it at the beginning of the recipe.
Canned chickpeas: The recipe calls for 2 cans (15oz each) of chickpeas for convenience, or 9oz (500 g) of homemade cooked chickpeas if you have time to soak them overnight. Cooking them on the stove takes 1 ½ to 2 hours, while cooking them in the Instant Pot takes about 17 minutes.
Canned tomatoes: I used 2 cans (14oz each) of diced tomatoes for this soup recipe, but whole, crushed, or cherry tomatoes will also work.
Herbs: Bay leaves and oregano add earthy notes to the tomato base, while parsley keeps this soup fresh and flavorful. But fresh basil can be used as a substitute for parsley and rosemary, rather than oregano.
Lemon juice: It’s acidic and fresh, perfect for finishing this tomato soup with chickpeas and brightening its rich flavor.
Broth: I use low-sodium vegetable broth to keep the soup light and vegan, but feel free to use your favorite broth or even water if desired.
Salt & pepper: As always, my advice is to taste and adjust the seasoning at the end, especially if you use a quite salty broth.
Leftovers & storage tips
This tomato chickpea soup keeps in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and freezes very well. To freeze it, let the soup cool completely and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or multiple containers. Freeze for up to 2 months.
To reheat, thaw the soup, then heat it in a soup pot on the stove or in the microwave.
Serving suggestion
Of course, don’t forget to add a side of crusty bread for dipping into this rich and wonderful chickpea and tomato soup. My favorites are:
More chickpea soup recipes you’ll love!
- Garlic chickpea soup
- Smoky lentil and chickpea soup
- Mediterranean chickpea soup
- Chickpea bean soup
- Lemon chickpea soup
Let me know if you are making this chickpea tomato soup. Leave a comment, rate it, or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram. I would love to hear from you!
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Chickpea Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 cans (15oz each) chickpeas, drained
- 2 cans (15oz each) diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ cup (360 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- ⅛- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft for 4 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and paprika and cook for another minute. Next, add the chickpeas, tomatoes, broth, oregano, bay leaves, salt, cayenne pepper, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook for 20-25 minutes.
- Turn the heat off, let it rest for 5 minutes, then transfer 1 ½ cup of the soup to a blender, puree until smooth, and return it to the pot. You can also use an immersion blender. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley, taste, and make sure you're happy with the seasoning. You might want to add more salt or lemon juice to make the flavor pop.
- Divide into bowls, garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and serve with your favorite crusty bread and grated Parmesan cheese if you don't keep it vegan. Enjoy!
what size cans of tomatoes are used?
Hi! 14oz or 15 oz (about 450 grams each can). : )
Simple and tasty!
That’s great to hear! Thanks for sharing, Janene. x