Chickpea Tomato Soup
This recipe for tomato soup with chickpeas is hearty, rich and satisfying. It's a healthy tomato soup with beans for protein and texture.
Posted by Kathryne Taylor on December 30, 2024
Craving a hearty, rich, yet redeeming soup? This creamy tomato soup laden with chickpeas is the answer. I cannot get enough of it!
There’s nothing better than hot tomato soup on a chilly day, and this one is substantial enough to feel like a meal. If you’re a fan of my classic tomato soup, you’re going to love this chickpea variation.
This soup is based on my classic tomato soup recipe, which relies on some undetectable white beans for creaminess. I thought, why not try it with chickpeas? It worked wonderfully! I finished cooking the soup with the rest of the can of chickpeas for some extra texture and protein.
I also added a sprinkle of curry powder, which isn’t apparent but lends some mysterious complexity to the soup. This is a trick I’ve used in my popular lentil soup and vegetable soup recipes as well.
Chickpea Tomato Soup Tips & Notes
You’ll find the full recipe below, and it’s relatively simple. Here are just a couple of notes before you get started.
Start with great-tasting tomatoes.
Not all canned tomatoes are created equally; some taste so bad they can ruin a recipe. I prefer Muir Glen or Jovial brands, as well as San Marzano tomatoes. If you’re watching your sodium intake, choose no-salt-added tomatoes and add salt to taste.
Reserve most of the chickpeas.
We’ll bring the soup to a simmer with just 1/4 cup of the chickpeas and cook until they’re softened. Then, we’ll blend them into the soup—their starch lends a wonderful creaminess and body to the soup (butter helps, too). Then, we’ll pour the blended soup back into the pot, add the remaining chickpeas, and simmer the mixture until the chickpeas are nicely tender.
Use a stand blender for ultra-creamy results.
A decent stand blender will yield creamier results than a high-quality immersion blender. I wish it weren’t true! If you enjoy a super creamy soup, it’s worth the effort. I still enjoyed the results with the immersion blender, but it was not nearly as smooth.
Watch How to Make This Soup
Chickpea Soup Serving Suggestions
This hearty, bean-enriched soup is great with a grilled cheese sandwich or a simple side salad. Here are a few salads to consider:
- Homemade Caesar Salad
- Honey Mustard Brussels Sprout Slaw
- Lemony Kale Salad
- Super Simple Arugula Salad
- Tabbouleh
More Tomato-Based Soups to Enjoy
My fellow tomato fans, these recipes are for you. Browse even more soup recipes here.
- Classic Tomato Soup
- Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Pasta and Beans)
- Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
- Seriously Good Vegetable Soup
- Tortilla Soup
Please let me know how your soup turns out in the comments. I love hearing from you.
Chickpea Tomato Soup
This recipe for tomato soup with chickpeas is hearty, rich and satisfying. It’s a healthy tomato soup with beans for protein and texture. Recipe yields 4 generous bowls.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 large can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes*, with their liquid
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can (14 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into a few pieces
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or brown sugar, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Finely grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, salt and curry powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and turning translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, and just ¼ cup of the chickpeas. Stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Carefully transfer the remaining mixture to a blender, being sure not to fill past the maximum fill line (blend in batches if necessary). Add the butter, sugar, and several twists of black pepper. Securely fasten the lid and blend the soup until it’s completely smooth, being careful to avoid hot steam escaping from the lid.
- Return the soup to the pot and stir in the remaining chickpeas. Bring the mixture back to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 more minutes or until the chickpeas are tender enough for your liking (careful when tasting, the soup is very hot).
- Turn off the heat. Since canned tomatoes vary in flavor, I always end up tinkering with this soup a bit at the end. Taste and, if necessary, add a little more sugar (to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes), pepper, and salt (I usually add another ¼ to ½ teaspoon).
- Serve in bowls topped with a heavy sprinkling of grated Parmesan and perhaps a light sprinkle of black pepper. This soup keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to four days. Or, you can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my Classic Tomato Soup (Lightened Up!).
*Tomato notes: Not all canned tomatoes are created equally. I like Muir Glen or Jovial brands. If you’re watching your sodium intake, choose no-salt-added tomatoes and add salt to taste.
Make it dairy-free/vegan: Replace the butter with 1 tablespoon of additional olive oil. Do not add cheese. You might like a dollop of vegan sour cream or a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan on top.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I’ve been binging on soup recipes lately and this sounds spectacular! Will make it after the weather turns chilly again down here in the ATL. It’s been in the 60’s lately… Ugh.
Hope you love this one!!
Must assume this was inspired by the show “no good deed!” Love to see it!
Hi! I actually just watched that show, but I’m afraid I don’t recall the reference! What reminded you of the show?
Oh! It was when Lisa Kudrows character made tomato soup with chickpeas! In one of the last few episodes!
I must not have been paying enough attention at that moment!
Yum!! my husband can’t have turmeric, so therefore can’t have curry powder. Any ideas for substitutes?
OMG! This is the tomato soup I have been waiting my whole life for! It is gorgeous in both texture and flavor. That it is simple and quick to make is an extra plus. Kate, I’m in a swoon here. Thank you!
Hooray! Happy to hear your feedback, Carol. Happy New Year!
Excellent nourishing soup.
Thank you, Janene!
Is there a particular type of curry powder you recommend using in this recipe? I love tomato soup and this version with chickpeas sounds yummy and filling.
Hi Sue! Any quality Indian curry powder with turmeric should work well. I typically use Frontier Co-op’s. The curry powder flavor is subtle.
I like this light version of a classic-thanks! Great suggestions about using the best tomatoes! The same goes for the chickpeas-the best ones make a great soup, and the cheap bad ones leave the taste of the can in your mouth.
So true! I’ve been buying Jovial’s chickpeas that come in a glass jar and they are great.
This soup was incredible. I doubled the chick peas, added two cans (blended 1/2 cup), and threw in some garlic. The flavors were rich, and the consistency was perfect. I will absolutely make this again!
Thanks Janet! Your extra-chickpea version sounds great!
Wonderful recipe as always, Kate! It’s simple enough to make for a lunch, and the addition of the chickpeas gives it texture and a little more substance. We loved the Parmesan cheese as a tasty addition. I used my immersion blender after the first simmer and it came out perfectly. What a great New Year’s Day lunch! Thank you!
Thank you, Kristin! I appreciate your feedback and review!
I forgot to add my 5 star rating with my review!
Super yummy soup. I did not even add any parmesan. Used the (whole, unpeeled, ripe) tomatoes I’ve put in my freezer last summer. Love to add a new C&K soup in my repertoire!
Thank you for this tasty soup recipe. It’s refreshing to have your recipes instead of trying to figure out how to make a new recipe vegetarian. I have a meat eating husband also likes your meat free recipes.
Made this recipe the same day a C&K email came through, it was fantastic! I was looking for a delicious, filling soup for a winter evening and this one delivered! I was able to make it with ingredients that I had on hand, it was fairly quick to make, and I loved the chickpeas in it.
Excellent as always, thank you!
Made this recipe the same day a C&K email came through, it was fantastic! I was looking for a delicious, filling soup for a winter evening and this one delivered! I was able to make it with ingredients that I had on hand, it was fairly quick to make, and I loved the chickpeas in it. Excellent as always, thank you!
My goal this winter is to make good soup even though I don’t have a blender of any sort. I mashed the beans first then added them with tomato sauce since I couldn’t blend the tomatoes. I tried another recipe recently that also mashed beans for body and texture, and I’m really loving the technique. It really adds something to the soup and means you don’t need cream. I’m sure my soup was different, but it was delicious all the same.
Hi Carol, I’m so glad you were able to make this recipe work for you! Hooray!
I really liked this. The little bit of curry compliments the chickpeas but doesn’t take away from the old fashioned tomato soup taste. And really quick to make too.
Thanks so much, Dorie!
This is my first comment after trusting and cooking your recipes for over five years. With this I added coconut powder to the vegetable broth and I blended more of the chickpeas which gave it a coconut creaminess and thickness. Love the simplicity and warm flavors.
Hi Sylvia, I’m so glad to hear you’ve been cooking along with me! I’ve never heard of coconut powder. I’ll look that up now!
My husband and I loved this recipe! I took heed of your comment about the quality of the tomatoes and used some I’d frozen from my garden this summer. I used the immersion blender and ran it a bit longer than I might ordinarily have. While I can’t compare the texture to what I would have gotten with the food processor, I thought it turned out quite creamy. (It certainly beat cleaning the food processor.) Thanks again for your consistently wonderful recipes.
Linda, I bet this soup was amazing with your garden tomatoes! Thank you for reporting back.
Linda, I bet your soup was fantastic with your garden tomatoes! Thanks for letting me know!
I made this the other night and it was outstanding! I omitted the butter (just to save some calories) and used an immersion blender (for convenience), but the taste and consistency were still perfect. The chickpeas – both the blended ones and the whole ones – really added a heartiness to this soup that made it very satisfying. A definite keeper!
Absolutely delicious and satisfying. The bit of curry adds a nice flavor. I made enough for dinner with some to freeze for later.
Delicious made today
Easy, healthy soup. Will make again.
I can’t believe how good this tastes!!! And I love that it includes the chickpeas for protein and fibre. With a slice of bread it’s a whole meal. Thank you Kate. I come back to your recipes time and time again, and this too will now be a staple for my family.
Hi Kate,
I’m wondering if I could just replace the regular unsalted butter for unsalted plant-based butter instead of with more oil. I am on a soup kick this winter, and this one is definitely going into my queue. (I’m making your Quinoa Vegetable Soup tomorrow night while we’re in the middle of a snowstorm here.)
Hi Jan! We’re snowed in here, too. Sure, you can use plant-based butter instead. When I’ve tried them in place of real butter in soups, they don’t offer as much flavor (they’re mostly oil, anyway).
Kate, I love this soup recipe. I am plant based (no cheese, eggs, dairy, meat, fish). I made some tweaks to serve my preferences so I don’t know what it takes like as written, but its a terrific basic start. Love blending in the chickpeas for creaminess and added protein. I’ve also added fresh basil when I have it on hand. Or used cannellini beans instead. So simple and versatile. And delicious! Thank you!
Hi Ellen! I’m so glad this soup recipe worked for you. Thanks for letting me know!
This is a very delicious soup! I added a small carrot to the onion to give it a little sweetness and used some of the liquid from cooking the dried chick peas instead of broth. The curry powder gives it a nice warm taste. I wish I’d packed twice as much for lunch today!
Excellent rich-tasting, and oh so easy soup for a cold night. Added 1 roasted red pepper from a jar, 2 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, 1 Tbs vegan butter, and topped with homemade vegan cashew-parmesan cheese. I omitted the sugar. Loved the addition of the chick peas part pureed and part whole. Thank you for this nutritious, delicious recipe!
This soup is a home run. I served it over elbow pasta and topped it with chopped Italian parsley and lemon juice with a hearty amount of Parmesan cheese. Seriously good.
Wow, this Chickpea Tomato Soup recipe looks absolutely delicious and perfect for a cozy winter meal! I love the addition of curry powder for a subtle depth of flavor and the creamy texture from blending the chickpeas. Can’t wait to try this with a side of grilled cheese. Thanks for sharing, Kathryne
I’m going to make this soup a little creamy, what would you add?
Hi there! It actually is a little creamy thanks to the butter and chickpeas blended into the soup. I’d try it as is, and if you want more creaminess, add 1/4 cup heavy cream.
This is week three of me making this for my lunches at work. I made a few changes but this is filling and delicious. I use a stick blender and blend everything (including chickpeas) until smooth and then add some diced carrot and a tin of butter beans with a bit more liquid. Cook until carrots are a bit soft since I prefer a bite to my veg. Love this and will probably make a few more batches to eat at my desk until the weather warms up.
WOW! this is so yummy. I used homemade date syrup instead of sugar and I pureed all the chickpeas in. Wow – it is definitely delicious
10/10! Thank you for another amazing soup recipe. Your soups are the best :)
Thank you, Kylie! :)
This is delicious. The curry powder is a nice twist, and I like the addition of the chickpeas for protein. I added some kale at the end. I will definitely make this again! Thanks!
This soup is comfort food for a snowy day! Delicious and simple to make. I think next time I’ll add a second teaspoon of curry powder to boost that flavor and another can of chickpeas. Overall, I enjoyed it and it was a great excuse to make stale sourdough bread in to croutons. Thank you, Kate for your inspiration! I appreciate you!
Made this today for lunch and it was outstanding. The only change was that I upped the curry powder to 1 teaspoon. Fabulous quick easy delicious recipe!
This was delicious and so easy! I used an immersion blender and it worked well. I’ll make this soup often. Thank you!
This was amazing! we loved it! super good, yet super easy -I need last minute great dinner ideas.. thank you! we will definitely keep this in our regular rotation it’s that good!
Are you supposed to peel thr skins off the Chickpeas?
The picture of this soup is so beautiful it had my mouth watering and I had to try it. I’m very happy to say that it’s as delicious as it is beautiful – and even looked just like the picture. The only tinkering I did was to add a dash more salt and another 1/2 t. brown sugar. So, so good! Thank you.
I’m allergic to curry so I used cayenne pepper instead and it came out amazing! This one is a keeper for sure!
Kate, I often forget to go in and tell you how good a recipe is.
This soup was wonderful and the bonus was my granddaughter loves it too.
When I am looking for something new, I always start with your site first.
Kate, this is SO GOOD!! It’s rich and creamy, with flavors more complex and interesting than your typical tomato soup. This will definitely become a family staple.
My new favorite tomato soup! The blended chickpeas give it a great deeper flavor!
When I read the recipe, the simplicity intrigued me. The finished product is great. I agree that good quality tomatoes should be used.
I added a shredded clove of garlic with onions to cook, a small handful of cashews during the puree process & a shake of nutritional yeast (instead of Parmesan) to serve.
This would make great simple tomato soup if you want to skip the beans… top with parmesan & croutons as a second option.
Delicious & quick. What more could you ask for. Thnx for sharing.
When I read the recipe, the simplicity intrigued me. The finished product is great. I agree that good quality tomatoes should be used.
I added a shredded clove of garlic with onions to cook, a small handful of cashews during the puree process & a shake of nutritional yeast (instead of Parmesan) to serve.
This would make great simple tomato soup if you want to skip the beans… top with parmesan & croutons as a second option.
Delicious & quick. What more could you ask for. Thnx for sharing.
This is a delicious soup! My husband and I both enjoyed it. I added a topping of crispy roasted chickpeas, per your recipe, and it added a nice crunch. Definitely making it again.
My daughter just proclaimed that this was the best tomato soup that she has ever had! I made it in the instant for 15 mins on high with a 5 min natural release. Used an immersion blender and followed the recipe as directed otherwise. Thanks for sharing!
I love this soup. The tomato flavor is awesome! I made it multiple times through the winter and typically don’t make soups in the summer since I’m in Texas but this one has such a freshness it couples with a sandwich for a great summer meal too. This one is a staple in my house!
This was absolutely delicious. I added a wee bit of celery salt, but other than that it is perfect as is, and really easy, filling and comfortable!
I made this soup and I love it! That’s coming from someone who doesn’t really enjoy cooking, so to have something so easy to make and taste flavoursome and rich made my day! I have leftovers in the fridge so no cooking needed at least twice this week ;-)