As we continue into Autumn, and the temperatures gradually drop and the evenings become chillier, we like to focus our attention to heartier, more comforting dishes. One of those dishes is soup! There is nothing better than a savory and delicious bowl of soup on a chilly day.
Ironically, it was a tropical vacation in Puerto Rico that inspired this dish. This was way back in February during simpler and less scary times – when gallivanting around the globe was possible. At a restaurant called Marmalade, which serves 4 to 6 course tasting menus, there was a White Bean Soup that was served in espresso cups and garnished with shaved truffles, crispy pancetta and scallions. This rich and creamy soup was such a highlight of the meal that Kyle couldn’t wait to attempt a recreation of it once he arrived home.
Then, the pandemic happened. This occurrence definitely sidelined the soup recreation. The warm weather came and ushered in Spring and Summer, making soup recipes and travel stories quite untimely. Only a couple of weeks ago, Kyle was skimming through the pages of The New Spanish Table and he found a recipe for Garbanzo Cream with Ham Crackling. This recipe was reminiscent of the Puerto Rico vacation and the White Bean Soup enjoyed at Marmalade. It is a smooth, bean-based soup that owes its creaminess to the pureed beans themselves rather than the addition of any dairy.
The recipe called for a variety of flavorful garnishes. The brilliant sienna-colored Smoked Paprika Oil that was used to drizzle across the Garbanzo Bean Soup was one of the first things that caught Kyle’s eye as he was perusing the pages of the cookbook. The base recipe for the soup was pretty straightforward; the whole dish could be created from a short list of ingredients – making it the perfect fall comfort meal to use up whatever you have on hand.
Many of Kyle’s adjustments to the recipe were in the interest in streamlining the ingredient list and in making the recipe vegan. The lack of dairy in the recipe was the beginning of the tinkering to the recipe. If the soup could be so creamy and rich without the addition of butter or milk, did it really need any of the pork products included in the recipe? The answer is no. The ham was omitted and the crispy bacon garnish was swapped with some Skillet Roasted Chickpeas. This simple dish is jam packed with smoky flavor from just the handful of ingredients used – and packed full of protein.
The crisping of the chickpeas was done in a bit of the smoked paprika oil, and then they were slathered with salt. This helped add that same crispy/smoky/salty flavor of the bacon. Since we were using ingredients based on what was on hand, a few of the original recipe’s flavoring agents were removed from the line up. For this recipe garlic and onion were used to flavor the soup. The Parsley Oil that was used for garnish for the original recipe looked spectacular, but two strong infused oils for one simple bowl of soup seemed excessive. To continue with his efforts to streamline the recipe, Kyle used some roughly chopped parsley to top the soup with some fresh herbal flavor.
Once this recipe was streamlined, it only called for 5 or 6 ingredients, including olive oil, garlic and onion. It is amazing how, with only a small handful of household ingredients, one can create a dish with such strong flavors and textures!
This soup recipe is really a great canvas for whatever garnishes you may have on hand. For subsequent batches, the soup was topped with toasted walnuts, a few slivers of finely sliced shallot and some diced up roasted butternut squash. Each new topping made the soup experience brand new, and each one was just as delicious as the last.
During the cooler weather, even if we are unaware of it, we take comfort in the rich flavors of the season. These dishes tend to evoke fond and warm memories, allowing us to get through the shorter days and longer nights. Anyway you choose to dress it up, this Vegan Chickpea Soup will make you feel snug and cozy on those chilly Autumn nights!
Adapted from The New Spanish Table.
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas (which came from about 8 ounces dried, or two 15-ounce cans), plus 1 one cup of their reserved liquid
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- Kosher Salt
- A handful of parsley leaves, roughly chopped, for garnish
- To make the Paprika Oil: Heat ¼ cup of the olive oil in a medium skillet or saucepan over low heat. Remove pan from the heat, stir in the paprika, and let the oil infuse for 30 to 45 minutes. When ready to use, spoon off the oil into a small bowl, leaving the paprika in the skillet - don’t worry if some of the paprika sneaks into your bowl! You’ll have more oil than you need for the chickpea soup, but this makes a great garnish for a wide variety of dishes.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover the pot and cook until the onions and garlic have softened, but not browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add most of the chickpeas (reserve about ½ cup for garnish!) and their liquid, along with the vegetable broth, and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, then reduce the heat back to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- While the soup simmers, make the Crispy Chickpea Garnish: heat 1 tablespoon of the Paprika-Infused Oil in a skillet (I just re-used the skillet in which I infused the oil, no need to clean it) over medium-high heat. Add the reserved chickpeas and cook, stirring once or twice, until they are golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, then season generously with kosher salt - the salty/smoky/crispy features will give these Chickpeas some vegan bacon vibes! Reserve for garnish.
- Puree the soup in a blender until very smooth (I let it run for 1 full minute), and season with salt to taste. Portion into bowls, then garnish with a drizzle of the Paprika Oil and a sprinkle of parsley and Crispy Chickpeas.
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