Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 2 medium Carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 Celery Stalks, diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Smoked Paprika (Sweet or Mild)
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Fresh Rosemary, finely minced
  • 1 ½ pounds Russet or Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
  • Two 15-ounce cans Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans), rinsed and drained
  • One 14.5-ounce can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
  • 6 cups low sodium Vegetable Broth
  • 1 large Bay Leaf
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
  • Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
  • ¼ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté gently until softened, about 8–10 minutes.
  2. Stir in minced garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, and rosemary. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juice). Stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Add potatoes, rinsed chickpeas, vegetable broth, and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
  5. Reduce heat immediately to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover loosely and cook for 20–25 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
  6. Remove the bay leaf. Scoop out about 1 cup of the soup (mostly potatoes and chickpeas) and carefully blend it using an immersion blender, or mash roughly with a fork before returning it to the pot to naturally thicken the broth.
  7. Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
  8. Ladle the Rustic Mediterranean Chickpea & Potato Soup into bowls and garnish generously with fresh parsley before serving.