Soup Recipe: Tomato Chickpea Soup

Easy Vegan Soup for Stove Top or Slow Cooker

4 - 6 Servings: The chickpeas can be soaked overnight, brought to a boil and finish cooking in the crockpot. If you use canned beans, drain and rinse them first.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried garbanzo beans, OR 2 16 oz cans, drained & rinsed
• Bean cooking directions below
• 6 ripe plum tomatoes
• 2 - 3 large carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp spicy paprika
• 2 large bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp raw cane or turbinado sugar
• 1 Tbsp tahini
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 can tomato paste
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp dried basil, or 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 Tbsp Braggs liquid aminos
• 2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley or cilantro

How To Cook Garbanzo Beans*

1. Sort and clean the dried 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. Stove Top: Cover and simmer soaked beans for 2 hours
7. Pressure cooker: Soaked beans, 9 minutes at high pressure
8. Slow cooker or Crockpot (large size): After boiling and skimming the soaked beans, cook for 6 - 8 hours covered on low

Soup Directions:

1. Dice tomatoes, carrots and celery
2. Add to beans and bean stock with bay leaves, basil, salt, tomato paste, tahini, and sugar
3. If using canned beans, drain and rinse, then add 4 cups water and 2 veggie cubes
4. Heat olive oil on medium low
5. Peel, core and mince the garlic cloves, and brown in the oil
6. Stir the cumin and paprika into the oil and heat for five minutes
7. Add 1/2 cup hot water to the spice mixture to make a smooth paste, then transfer to the beans and veggies
8. Stovetop: Bring to boil, simmer covered for one hour
9. Crockpot: Turn heat to high, cook for 2 hours
10. Blend soup with a blender stick, or in batches in a blender
11. Add Braggs, fresh minced herb, more salt and pepper to taste
12. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired
13. Serve with chunks of fresh chewy artesan bread to dip in the soup