Name: Chickpea Soup with Rice
Prep time: 13 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Soup
Ingredients: 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 3 large carrots, peeled and diced; 3 celery ribs, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced (1-inch nub); 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 8 cups vegetable broth; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 3/4 cup long grain white rice; 3 cups baby spinach (or chopped greens like kale or chard); 1 tablespoon lemon zest (half lemon)

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This chickpea soup recipe with rice and lemon is bright and restorative! Cozy up to a bowl of this satisfyingly healthy, easy soup.

Here’s a cozy soup that’s made of healthy veggies that taste bright and restorative: this Chickpea Soup with Rice! It’s similar to a chicken rice soup, except it’s made with plant-powered chickpeas instead. Tender grains of rice make for a satisfying thick body to the turmeric and ginger-infused broth, with a punch of lemon zest to brighten each spoonful. It’s got the cozy nostalgia of canned soup, but it’s fresh and homemade! This healthy soup made a splash over here: the whole family loves it.

Ingredients for this chickpea soup recipe

Chickpea soup can be made in so many ways: try our Italian Chickpea Soup (pasta e ceci) or this pungent-spiced Moroccan Chickpea Stew. But with our love for this ingredient, of course we couldn’t stop there! This chickpea soup combines the comfort of a canned chicken rice soup with the freshness of a Greek lemon rice soup. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

Yellow onion, carrots, and celery
Spinach (or other greens like kale or chard)
Fresh ginger root
Garlic
Chickpeas
Long grain white rice
Olive oil
Vegetable broth
Ground turmeric, garlic powder, salt and pepper
Lemon zest

Secret seasoning blend for the broth

This chickpea rice soup has a secret blend of seasonings with a few unexpected elements. Because this soup is vegan, it’s difficult to bring in the savory flavor you expect of a soup broth. We lifted a few tricks from our Easy Vegetable Soup and used them here. Here are a few of the unexpected ingredients that bring big flavor:

Fresh ginger root: A hint of fresh ginger adds a pop of flavor here! Don’t go without it. (We can’t really explain it, but it works.)
Ground turmeric: Turmeric is a bright yellow spice that’s part of the ginger family, and has an earthy, almost mustard-like flavor. Turmeric has some potential restorative properties and adds a nice golden color and zingy flavor to the broth. (Watch out though, it stains!) Grab a jar and can use up the rest with these turmeric recipes.
Lemon zest: It’s optional, but it adds a beautiful brightness to the soup without making it sour. (It’s similar to a Greek lemon soup, but not quite as intense.)

Storage info: rice expands in soup!

A few important notes about storage of this chickpea soup with rice! The rice expands in the soup over time, which is expected. Here’s what to know:

Add a splash of water when reheating leftovers. This soup lasts for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, but you’ll notice the rice expands during storage. Add a splash of water and a pinch of salt when you reheat it to bring it back to a soup-like texture.
The soup also freezes up to 2 months. Again, you may need to add a little extra water or broth when you reheat it.

Can you use leftover rice in soup?

Yes! You can add leftover cooked rice to this soup. Simply add 2 cups cooked rice in place of the ¾ cup dry rice. You can reduce the simmer time to about 10 minutes since the rice is already cooked!

What to serve with chickpea rice soup

Want to make it a meal? This chickpea soup with rice works as a simple dinner or an easy lunch recipe. Here are a few ideas of what to pair with it:

Bread like a piece of artisan bread
Muffins like cornbread muffins or popovers
Cornbread like skillet cornbread or vegan cornbread
Green salads like easy arugula salad or apple salad
Cheese and crackers
Veggies and dip like hummus or cottage cheese ranch dip

More healthy and vegan soup recipes

Vegetarian and vegan eating is easy when you make soup! Here are some of our favorite healthy soups and vegan soup recipes to try:

Try Easy Kale Soup or Cozy White Bean Soup
Opt for Classic Bean Soup or Cabbage Soup
Go for fan favorite Best Wild Rice Soup or Potato Leek Soup
Grab Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup or Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup
Try something new with Celery Soup
Try Curry Lentil Soup or Simple Red Lentil Soup