Vegan Chickpea Vegetable Chowder
on Mar 02, 2021, Updated Aug 26, 2024
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This delicious vegan chickpea vegetable chowder is easy to make in 30 minutes for a healthy, comforting bowl of soup.
About the Recipe
This simple but delicious soup has been a reader-favourite at Running on Real Food for years. It’s easy to make and features wholesome ingredients like carrots, celery and potato but is always a hit!
The secret to this dairy-free vegetable chowder is pureed chickpeas! Along with potatoes, they add the perfect, creamy texture to the soup without the need for cream or other heavy ingredients.
Ingredients
- Potato: You can use russet or Yukon gold potato. This recipe can also be made with sweet potato.
- Broth: You can use any store-bought or homemade broth. Carton broth or bouillon cubes or powder work. I usually use Better than Bouillon.
- Chickpea: For convenience, canned works great here but you can cook your own from scratch and use those too. You’ll need about 2.5 cups of cooked chickpeas or 1 19 oz can. The amount doesn’t have to exact though so if you only have 2 14 oz cans or 1 28 oz can, that works.
- Onion: White or yellow onion works.
- Herbs: For simplicity, the recipe calls for dried thyme and oregano but you can substitute 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh herbs if you prefer.
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Start by adding the celery, onion and garlic to a large soup pot with 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth. Saute over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until softened.
Quick Note: If you prefer to use olive oil to cook the veggies, you can use 1 tbsp oil instead of 1/4 cup of broth.
Step 2: Stir in the thyme and oregano and cook for a couple more minutes. You can add a little pinch of salt and pepper for seasoning here as well.
Step 3: Add everything but the lemon and bring the soup to a light simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer the soup uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
Step 4: Carefully scoop about half of the soup out and into a blender. Blend until very smooth and creamy.
Pour the blended portion back into the pot and stir to combine with the unblended soup. You can also blend all of the soup if you want it completely smooth.
Step 5: Finally, squeeze in the fresh lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
FAQs
Yes, this soup is flexible and easy to customize. Try sweet potato instead of potato, swapping half or all of the the potato or carrot for chopped cauliflower or stirring in green peas, green beans, spinach, kale or corn after blending.
No, you don’t have too but I definitely recommend blending at least 1-2 cups of it to add texture and creaminess.
Yes! For a completely pureed chickpea soup, go ahead and blend it all.
Yes. This soup is naturally gluten-free, however, if you’re using store-bought broth, double check the packaging as some may contain yeast extract made from wheat (most are gluten-free though!).
Sure, if you have a good immersion blender you can use it right in the pot. Pulse 5-6 times to create texture. I really do prefer the texture achieved by a blender here but it’s up to you. Just note it won’t be quite as creamy with an immersion blender.
Storing & Reheating
- Let cool before storing.
- Fridge: Store in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe container in one batch or individual portions. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating: Reheat soup as needed on the stovetop or in the microwave. If it’s thickened substantially after storing, adjust the consistency by stirring in some water or broth.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to comment section below to leave your star rating and review.
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Vegan Chickpea Vegetable Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 cup heaping diced white onion, 175 g, 1 small onion
- 1 cup chopped celery, 150 g, approx. 2 stalks
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (20 g)
- 1 tsp ground thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 heaping cups peeled and diced yellow potato, 340 g, 1 large potato
- 2 cups peeled and diced carrots, 300 g, approx. 4 large carrots
- 4 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 19 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (approx. 2.5 cups, 330 g)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 15 ml
- salt and pepper, to taste
- finely chopped parsley, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Add the onion, garlic and celery to a large soup pot with 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth and cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Stir in the oregano and thyme and cook for a couple more minutes, stirring often. If the pan starts to dry out, add another splash of broth to loosen any bits sticking to the pan.
- Add everything except for the lemon, bring to a light simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, uncovered, until the potatoes and carrots are fork tender.
- Transfer about 1/2 of the soup to a blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Make sure you allow the steam to escape as you're blending. Pour the blended soup back into the pot with the unblended portion and stir well to combine.
- Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with fresh chopped parsely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published January 18, 2018.
This soup was delicious. Just made it last night and it’s all gone!
If I cut recipe this in half, is it 3ish servings?
The whole recipe makes 5 approx. 400 g servings but really depends on how big you’d like your serving. I’d say half of the recipe makes 3 smallish servings.
I made this for my son who is vegetarian (but he prefers vegan, if he can get it). He thought it was the best soup I have ever made. It reminded him of soups he used to get at Casa de Luz in Austin, TX – and that is very high praise. It was awesome!!
Simple and flavorful. I sautéed the onions, carrots, garlic and celery in a small amount of olive oil, otherwise followed the recipe as posted. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Does this taste like chickpeas¿
A bit but I wouldn’t say it’s overpowering.
Very good! Didn’t have carrots so added zucchini. Also used sweet potatoes. Turned out great!
Just made this so tasty I added cumin and snap peas. Benefit and yummy
Super easy and hearty, but seemed a bit bland.
This recipe was easy and delicious! Love chickpeas and this is definally a chowder that I will make again.
Thank you
So I don’t normally cook — and I made AMAZING SOUP with this recipe!
That’s awesome! Good job! Let me know if you try another one.
Made last night with sweet potatoes and it was delicious! Will definitely make again
Yum! Thanks for trying it!