Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Base
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic, minced
Soup Body
- 700 ml vegetable broth
- 250 g canned chickpeas, rinsed and well drained
Finishers
- 100 g baby spinach, washed and dried
- 60 g basil pesto
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 213 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 845 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 399 mg
- Calcium
- 113 mg
- Iron
- 1.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 49 mg
- Phosphorus
- 123 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 154 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 11 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 148 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.19 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 87 mcg
- Water
- 258 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a medium pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced shallots and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they become soft and translucent.
Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until highly fragrant.
Pour in the vegetable broth and the rinsed chickpeas. Increase the heat slightly to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer at 100 C / 212 F. Let it cook for 5 minutes to meld the flavors.
Using the back of your wooden spoon, gently mash a small handful of the chickpeas against the side of the pot. This releases their starches and slightly thickens the broth.
Stir the baby spinach into the simmering broth. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes just until the leaves have collapsed and wilted into the soup.
Remove the pot completely from the heat. Stir in the basil pesto and fresh lemon juice until well combined. Taste the broth and season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed.
Chef's Notes
- Mashing a small portion of the chickpeas is a classic trick to add body and creaminess to a dairy-free soup without needing flour or cream.
- Pesto is highly sensitive to heat. Adding it off the heat preserves the bright, grassy notes of the basil and prevents the cheese and oil emulsion from splitting and becoming greasy.
- Acid is crucial for elevating pantry meals. The fresh lemon juice added at the very end cuts through the richness of the pesto and brightens the earthiness of the chickpeas.
- If using store-bought pesto, look for varieties found in the refrigerated section rather than shelf-stable jars, as they typically have a much fresher flavor profile.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Spinach will lose its bright color and darken over time, but the overall flavor will deepen.
Freezer: 3 months — Chickpeas may soften slightly upon thawing. Freeze without pesto if possible, adding fresh pesto after reheating.
Reheating: Warm gently in a pot over medium-low heat until heated through. Avoid a rolling boil to preserve the delicate basil flavor.
Troubleshooting
The pesto flavor is dull or has turned a murky brown color
Cause: The pesto was boiled or simmered, which destroys the delicate fresh basil flavor and oxidizes the herbs
Fix: Stir in an extra spoonful of fresh pesto or an extra squeeze of lemon juice directly into the individual serving bowls
Prevention: Always remove the pot from the heat completely before stirring in the pesto
The broth is too thin and watery
Cause: Not enough chickpeas were crushed to release their thickening starches
Fix: Remove half a ladle of chickpeas and broth, puree them in a small blender, and return to the pot
Prevention: Thoroughly crush about a quarter of the chickpeas against the side of the pot
Cultural Context
Inspired by rustic Tuscan bean soups, this quick adaptation leverages the concentrated flavor of Mediterranean pesto to bypass hours of slow simmering. It relies on the traditional Italian philosophy of using a few high-quality pantry ingredients to create a deeply satisfying, restorative meal with minimal effort.
