Hearty, easy-to-make and delicious Moroccan Chickpea soup. This dish is infused with the amazing flavors of Moroccan cuisine.
Morocco is my third country of choice with the letter M for this week's blogging marathon. Middle Eastern cuisine is one of my favorites to explore. They have some amazingly flavorful dishes and most of the spices they use are very close to Indian cooking. Today I have a hearty and delicious Moroccan Chickpea soup.
Fall is slowly makes it's way here, chilly mornings, shorter days and warm soups/ stews for meals. So when I saw this Moroccan Chickpea soup recipe on 'The Complete Vegetarian' cookbook by America's Test Kitchen - I knew it is just perfect for today. This is a hearty and comforting soup which is infused with spices used widely in Moroccan cuisine.
Most of the spices used in this soup are also commonly used in Indian dishes. What I found really interesting was the addition of saffron. It lends a distinct aroma and rich color, while the ground cumin and ground ginger add a nice kick to the dish. Chickpeas add the protein while potatoes make it more substantial. Serve the soup as is or with couscous and bread for a filling meal.
Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 93.
Moroccan Chickpea Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 Small Onion, finely chopped
- PInch of sugar
- 2 Garlic cloves, finely minced
- ¼ tsp Hot Paprika
- Pinch of Saffron, crumbled
- ⅛ tsp Ground Ginger
- ¼ tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 15oz. can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 Medium Red Potatoes, unpeeled and cut into ½" dice
- 1 Small Tomato, chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2½ cups Vegetable Stock or Water
- 2 tbsp Parsley or Mint, minced
- To taste Salt Pepper
- To serve Lemon wedges
Instructions
- In a large saucepan; heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add onions, sugar and pinch of salt and cook till onion is softened, about 3~4 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, paprika, saffron, ginger, cumin and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the chickpeas, potatoes and the stock/ water. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat, cover and cook for 10~12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Next add the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes and cook for another 5~8 minutes. If the soup looks too thick, add more water as needed.
- Mash the potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to thicken the soup.
- Take the soup off the heat and add the chopped herbs. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot with lemon wedges.
Ritu Tangri
Wonderful soup Pavani. Chickpea in any form is always welcome and this chickpea soup with so many flavorful ingredients is certainly going to be hearty
Renu
A comforting and a healthy bowl of soup. So delicious and super yum.
Priya Srinivasan
Oh delicious pavani, that bowl of soup looks so hearty and healthy! I love chunky soups like this! Perfect for the chilly weather in the coming months!
Dennis Yannakos
Wonderful soup! Thanks for the recipe!