This Spicy Chickpea Soup is quick and easy and can be ready in just 45 minutes. Each bite is packed full of amazing sweet, sour, spicy, and savoury flavours. Garnished with toasted crunchy cashews and finished off with a swirl of vegan cream or a scoop of vegan yogurt for the ultimate plant-based veggie indulgence. Not a fan of chickpeas? These can be easily replaced with kidney beans for The Best Spicy Kidney Bean Soup!
Mix through the the carrots, potato, and chickpeas.
1 medium carrot, 150 grams potato, 1 can chickpeas
Pour in the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock.
1 can chopped tomatoes, 750 millilitre vegetable stock
Season with a little salt and pepper, and the sugar.
½ teaspoon sugar
Over a high heat bring to a gentle boil, and cook for 25 minutes over a medium heat. Once cooked the potatoes and carrots should be soft, so if they are taking their time to soften pop a lid over the pot so that the heat concentrates more into the pot.
If toasting the cashews for a garnish, these can be toasted while the soup cooks. To toast the cashews heat a small skillet or fry pan over a high heat, and then add a single layer of cashews, shake or stir the cashews as they toast, and once the cashews are beginning to turn golden remove the pan from the heat and keep stirring as the nuts will continue to toast. Tip the cashews out to cool on a plate until the soup is ready. Sunflower or pumpkin seeds are a nice alternative.
60 grams cashews
Remove the soup pot from the heat and mix though the chopped coriander and tamarind or mango chutney. Leave to sit for a few minutes for the flavours to mingle.
1 tablespoon tamarind paste or mango chutney, 3 tablespoon coriander
Check the seasoning adding salt and black pepper if necessary, and more tamarind paste or mango chutney if liked.
Drizzle a tablespoon of cream over each bowl or add a scoop of yogurt, this is optional but very tasty.If using the toasted cashews sprinkle these over each bowl, along with extra coriander if liked.
4 tablespoon plant-based cream
Notes
Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary. The data includes the cashew garnish.
This recipe will make 4 good sized bowls but for hungrier and bigger appetites the recipe will be enough for 3 large bowls. The recipe is easy to double up and make extra portions.
Leftovers can be kept in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
Or frozen for up to 2-3 months.
Reheat leftovers by adding to a pot, bringing to the boil, and reheat for 2-3 minutes until piping hot.
If preferred replace the individual spices with curry powder or curry paste, such as a Madras curry powder or a Tikka Masala curry powder, or a Jalfrezi curry paste. However, if possible also add chilli flakes or powder as well as the paprika but its not essential.
Tamarind paste can be replaced with mango chutney for this recipe.
For a more substantial meal serve the soup over some cooked rice, or serve with chapatis or flat breads.
Instead of chickpeas use a can of kidney beans.
For extra nutrition add a few cups of chopped kale and cook this within the soup, or stir through a few cups of spinach through the soup at the end of cooking.
When purchasing cashews we always buy cashews labelled as 'broken cashews' from our local health shop [wholefood store] as these are less expensive than whole cashews. Alternatively, use sunflower seeds which are even cheaper but just as nice.