Delicious Chickpea Basil Vegetable Soup

Easy, Healthy Soup Recipe: Garbanzo Beans, Vegetables, Basil, Tomato

This delicious vegetable soup recipe is a happy combination of what I had on hand - cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), carrots, celery, zucchini, basil, tomato paste, various herbs and spices. It's an easy, healthy recipe, flexible and crockpot friendly.

If you don't have everthing on hand, omit and substitute. E.G. potatoes or winter squash instead of zucchini, frozen green beans and dried herbs instead of fresh, canned tomatoes instead of tomato paste. If you don't have thyme, use marjoram or rosemary. If you don't have a veggie cube or kombu, just leave them out or use purchased or homemade soup stock.

*If you cook your own beans, you'll have the cooking liquid to add a rich flavor to your soup broth. But you'll still have a delicious soup if you use canned beans (be sure to drain and rinse well before adding).

6 - 8 Servings, Crockpot Friendly

Soup Ingredients:

• *3 c. cooked garbanzo beans, OR 2 16 oz can, drained & rinsed
• 4 cups bean cooking liquid or water
• *Bean cooking directions below
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 inch piece dried kombu seaweed
• 1 vegan veggie flavor cube
• 4 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 - 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 slices fresh ginger, peeled & minced, OR 1/4 tsp dried ginger
• 1 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled & minced OR 1/4 tsp powdered garlic
• 1 cup carrots, peeled & diced
• 2 cup zucchini, bite sized chunks
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 cup green beans, 1" slice
• 1 tsp dried thyme leaf
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp gr. coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground fennel
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 Tbsp Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce
• Pepper and salt to taste

*How To Cook Garbanzo Beans:

1. Clean and rinse 1 cup dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans
2. Soak the beans in hot water for four hours, or overnight in cold water
3. Drain and rinse
4. Place in medium saucepan, cover with cold unsalted water
5. Bring to boil uncovered, boil for ten minutes, skim the foam
6. Stovetop: Cover and simmer for 2 hours or until tender (mashable)
7. Pressure Cooker: cook 9 minutes at high pressure in a pressure cooker
8. Slow cooker or Crockpot: After boiling and skimming, cook for 6 - 8 hours on low

*Note: If you're going to soak and cook beans, it's worth making extra, to freeze in small amounts for future meals. More bean cooking tips and directions

Soup Directions:

1. Heat beans and liquid separately with bay leaf, kombu, veggie cube, tomato paste
2. Heat oil on medium-low in a large (8 qt) pot
3. Mince garlic and ginger, add to oil, stir and spread out
4. Chop carrots, celery, green beans, zucchini
5. Increase the heat to medium-high, and sauté veggies 10 minutes
6. Add thyme and spices, sauté another few minutes
7. Add the beans with cooking liquid
8. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until veggies are nicely tender
9. Add Braggs or soy sauce, & fresh basil, salt & pepper to taste

Slow Cooker or Crockpot Directions:

1. Slow Slow Cooking: You can either sauté the veggies and spices first, then add to the crockpot, or just throw everything except the spices in cold, set the crockpot on low, cover and cook for 4 - 6 hours. Heat the spices on low in oil and add at the end of cooking, along with the fresh herbs, salt & pepper
2. Quick Slow Cooking: Sauté veggies & spices as above, transfer to preheated crockpot with hot beans & liquid. Simmer 2 - 3 hours on low. Keep your eye on it for the first time, as cooking times vary with crockpot size and make. Add the fresh herbs, salt & pepper at the end of cooking