Chickpea Noodle Soup Is a Cosy, 30-Minute Dinner

From eatingwell.com

This cosy noodle soup is the kind of simple meal that’s worth keeping in your weeknight rotation. It starts with an aromatic base of carrots, celery and onion simmered in vegetable broth and gets heartiness plus fibre and some plant-based protein from chickpeas and whole-wheat rotini. Light yet satisfying, this chickpea noodle soup is perfect for cold evenings, easy lunches or anytime you need a bowl of comfort. 

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

30 mins

Servings:

4

Nutrition Profile:

No Added Sugar Mediterranean Diet Sesame-Free Diabetes-Friendly Nut-Free Dairy-Free Healthy Pregnancy Soy-Free Vegan Vegetarian Egg-Free Low-Calorie

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• This is a light yet satisfying soup that’s an ideal choice for cold evenings or quick lunches.
• This soup is loaded with fibre, plant protein and antioxidants—perfect for cold and flu season.
• For more of a chicken noodle soup vibe, replace the vegetable broth with chicken broth.

In just 30 minutes, you can have a bowl of warm, comforting Chickpea Noodle Soup—optimal for busy weeknights when you need dinner in a hurry. Chickpeas are loaded with plant protein and fibre; they make a fun vegetarian replacement for chicken in this soup that includes a classic mirepoix of onion, celery and garlic. Carrots and whole-wheat pasta add a bit of heartiness and antioxidants, while Italian seasonings and parsley add a fresh touch. The vegetable broth is light and, along with a squeeze of lemon, brings all the flavours together. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how to save on prep time.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• To save time, consider using pre-chopped onions and carrots, or opt for a frozen mirepoix blend containing chopped onions, carrots and celery instead of fresh vegetables.
• For added greens, stir in a few handfuls of spinach or kale during the last 2 minutes of cooking. To make the soup heartier, consider adding shredded chicken or sliced shiitake mushrooms. For an herby touch, mix in chopped fresh dill along with the parsley.
• Use chicken broth in place of vegetable broth to lean more toward a chicken noodle soup.
• Adding a splash of soy sauce at the end of cooking will enhance the umami flavour, or you could sprinkle on some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Notes

• Chickpeas bring plant protein power to this soup. In just ½ cup of chickpeas, you’ll get 1 more gram of protein than you do in one large egg. Chickpeas’ fibre contributes to a lower risk of heart disease and can help stabilize your blood sugar.  
• Whole-wheat pasta adds more fibre and antioxidants to your bowl than white pasta does. With that said, some people don’t like the heartier taste and texture of whole-wheat pasta—and that’s OK. If you use white pasta, you’ll still get a little bit of fibre and energy-boosting carbohydrates.
• Carrots are loaded with antioxidants and vitamin A. The powerful plant compounds in carrots contribute to healthy eyes, skin, immunity, heart and brain. 
• Vegetable broth doesn’t typically add much in the way of nutrition, except hydration. It can, however, add a lot of sodium to your bowl, which is why we recommend using lower-sodium broth for this soup. This allows you to flavour the soup more to your liking without extra, unnecessary salt.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (1 cup)

• 1 small yellow onion, chopped (½ cup)

• 2 medium stalks celery chopped (½ cup)

• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

• 6 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth

• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed

• ¾ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

• 4 ounces whole-wheat rotini pasta (1¼ cups)

• 1 teaspoon salt-free Italian seasoning

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped carrots, onion and celery and minced garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.

   

   Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Chelesa Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower.

2. Stir in 6 cups broth, the rinsed chickpeas, ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer; cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 6 to 7 minutes.

3. Stir in 4 ounces rotini and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon parsley.

4. https://www.eatingwell.com/chickpea-noodle-soup-11859311