This vegan chickpea soup is loaded with protein and fiber-rich legumes, tender artichoke hearts, spinach, and the most flavorful creamy golden broth. This easy recipe is made in one pot, it's oil-free and gluten-free, and it's ready to eat in less than one hour!
What makes this vegan chickpea soup recipe so delicious is the combination of chickpeas, vegetables, and coconut milk seasoned with the perfect balance of warm, earthy spices, and fresh lemon juice!
It's cozy and comforting and perfect to make on a chilly evening. It's easily customizable based on what beans and veggies you have. I love the creamy, lemony broth and dipping bread into it will take it to the next level!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's creamy, delicious, and so cozy.
- It's easy to make in one pot and it's ready in less than 1 hour.
- It's freezer-friendly!
- It's naturally vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Onion, Celery, & Garlic - The trifecta to a good soup! If you need to use dried garlic powder, start with 1 teaspoon and add more to taste.
- Dried Seasonings - Cumin, cinnamon, Italian seasonings, a bay leaf, and red pepper flakes is the best combination of flavors! Turmeric adds flavor and color to the broth.
- Lentils - You can use any variety you like. I know this is a chickpea soup, but they add more protein and texture.
- Chickpea - You could also use great northern beans, pinto beans, or black-eyed peas.
- Broth - Try to use a low-sodium broth so you can control the amount of salt added. Mushroom broth would also be delicious.
- Spinach - You can use fresh or frozen spinach. I used frozen because it's convenient. Sliced kale, swiss chard, or collard greens can be used instead.
- Artichokes - If you want to keep this recipe oil-free, make sure to you use a jar of artichokes that are packed in water (not oil).
- Coconut Milk - You can use any plant milk (unflavored and unsweetened) you like, but coconut is the creamiest.
- Lemon - Fresh lemon juice finishes the soup and brightens the flavor of the broth.
How to Make Vegan Chickpea Soup
Step 1 - In a 6-quart dutch oven (or large pot), sauté the diced onion and celery until soft. (Photo 1).
Step 2 - Add the minced garlic and dried seasonings and let it cook for 1 minute to toast the spices (Photo 2).
Step 3 - Next, add the lentils, chickpeas, vegetable broth, and water. Bring it to a low simmer and then reduce the heat and let it cook for 20 minutes (Photos 3 & 4).
Step 4 - Stir in the artichoke hearts, coconut milk, frozen spinach, and lemon juice. Let it cook for 5 more minutes or until the spinach has fully defrosted and it's warmed through (Photos 5-7).
Step 5 - Remove the bay leaf and use an immersion blender to blend a little bit of the soup (pulse it on high for about 1 minute) until it's thick and creamy (Photo 8).
Step 6 - Garnish each bowl of chickpea soup with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the vegan chickpea soup with a loaded baked potato on the side + a couple of thick slices of toasted whole wheat bread for dipping! Any of the following recipes would also complement this meal very well.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating Instructions
Store the leftover chickpea soup in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat it in the microwave or you can warm it up in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat until it's warmed through, stirring occasionally.
You can freeze the chickpea soup for 2-3 months. When you're ready to eat it, take the container out of the freezer and put it in the fridge to defrost for 24 hours. Then you can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. If the mixture is too thick, you can add 2-3 tbsp of broth or water to thin the consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use dried chickpeas. You will need to cook 1 cup of dried chickpeas. I would soak them overnight to make them easier to cook before adding them to the soup.
Mushrooms, potatoes, zucchini, or carrots would be delicious additions.
Use a stick blender to blend more of the soup. The more you blend, the thicker the texture will be. Remove the bay leaf before you blend the soup.
Expert Tips
- Gently squeeze the brine out of each artichoke heart over the sink before you chop it to reduce the sodium.
- To keep this recipe oil-free, make sure that you use jarred artichokes that are packed in water (not oil). This is my favorite jar of oil-free artichoke hearts.
- Remember to remove the bay leaf before you blend the soup. Bay leaves edges are very sharp and can be dangerous if ingested!
- Use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend the soup to help thicken the consistency. Just be careful to not blend the soup too much, it should be very chunky.
Want More Vegan Chickpea Recipes?
- Vegan Smoky Chickpea Wrap
- Chickpea Mushroom Curry
- Vegan Chickpea Curry
- Sun-Dried Tomato Chickpea Hummus Pasta
Creamy Chickpea Soup
Equipment
- 6-Quart Dutch Oven
- Immersion Blender
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegetable broth or water (to saute) or 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 2 medium celery stalks sliced
- 6 medium garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp Italian seasonings
- 1 tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- (2) 14 oz cans chickpeas rinsed and drained
- (2) 14 oz cans green lentils rinsed and drained
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water (or vegetable broth)
- 10 oz frozen spinach
- 9 oz jar artichoke hearts (in water) roughly chopped
- 14 oz can coconut milk
- 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice add more to taste
Instructions
- In a 6-quart dutch oven (or large pot) over medium heat, sauté the diced red onion and celery in vegetable broth or oil until soft. Add the minced garlic, Italian seasonings, ground cinnamon turmeric, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Stir and let it cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.
- Add the lentils, chickpeas, vegetable broth, and water. Bring the soup to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 20 minutes.
- Stir in the artichoke hearts, coconut milk, frozen spinach, and lemon juice. Let the soup cook for 5 more minutes or until the spinach has fully defrosted and is warmed through.
- Remove the bay leaf and then use an immersion blender to blend a little bit of the soup (pulse it on high for about 1 minute) to help thicken the soup. Be careful not to over blend the soup.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper before serving.
Notes
- Gently squeeze the brine out of each artichoke heart over the sink to reduce the sodium.
- To keep this soup oil-free, make sure that you use jarred artichokes that are packed in water (not oil).
- Remember to remove the bay leaf before you blend the soup. Bay leaves edges are very sharp and can be dangerous if ingested!
- Use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend the soup to help thicken the consistency.
- Store the leftover soup in an airtight glass container in the fridge for 3 days or you can freeze it for a future meal.
Nice and lemony : )
Thanks, Natalie!
This soup is my new favorite. It is so creamy and has such beautiful layers of flavor. I might add a little more chickpea and lentil, but it is just terrific. Such an easy soup to make - incredibly delicious.
Thank you, Natalie! I'm so happy you like the recipe!
We absolutely loved this soup! So fresh and healthy. The flavors profiles highlighted each other in delicious ways. Perfect for a cozy afternoon with a loved one. We used fresh spinach but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. A winner for sure!!
Thank you so much for the feedback, Jennifer! I'm so glad you liked the soup!
I used coconut milk beverage to keep the calories and fat down. Delicious.
This soup is amazing! So easy to make, tastes great and packed with so much protein and vitamins. It will be my go to for creamy soups 🤤
I used dry lentils and canned chickpeas and it worked great 👌🏻
We doubled the recipe and used 2 box of Aroy-D coconut milk (8.5 oz each), the entire thing, without separating. This soup was incredibly delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Made this soup last week and it was amazing! Loved the flavors and heartiness! Will definitely make it again!
My family absolutely LOVED this delicious hearty soup! It was SO creamy tasting and easy to make with your simple step by-step instructions. Everyone clamored for seconds! We SO enjoyed the tasty satisfying combination of spinach and artichokes with lentils and chickpeas together! Perfect for Fall with a crusty loaf of bread for dipping!
Yum!! This soup looks great! I love the addition of the coconut cream too!
I love a good soup when the weather turns cooler! This one sounds delish!
Looks delicious! I was just about to make a lentil stew this week!