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Moroccan Chickpea Soup Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 148 reviews

This Moroccan chickpea soup is a vibrant and hearty dish featuring aromatic spices, roasted red peppers, and preserved lemons, blended for a smooth texture and enriched with nutritious chickpeas and wholewheat couscous. Perfect for a comforting and flavorful meal that captures the essence of Moroccan cuisine.

Ingredients

Scale

Soup Base

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp ras-el-hanout
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • 200g roasted red peppers, from a jar
  • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomato
  • 400ml vegetable stock

Additional Ingredients

  • 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 preserved lemons, rind chopped (discard the pulp and seeds)
  • 1 tbsp clear honey
  • 50g wholewheat couscous

Instructions

  1. Heat and Sauté Aromatics: Warm the olive oil in a large lidded pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic, cover with the lid, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even softening.
  2. Add Spices and Aromatics: Stir in the red chilli, grated fresh ginger, cumin, ras-el-hanout, and cinnamon into the pan. Cook the mixture for 1 minute to release the spices’ fragrance and flavors.
  3. Add Liquids and Roasted Peppers: Pour in the roasted red peppers, chopped tomatoes, and vegetable stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pan with the lid. Let it cook gently for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
  4. Blend the Soup: Use a stick blender or transfer the soup to a food processor and blend until smooth. Return the blended soup to the pan, adding extra liquid if needed to reach your preferred consistency.
  5. Incorporate Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the chickpeas, chopped preserved lemon rind, and clear honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste, adjusting flavors as needed.
  6. Prepare Couscous and Serve: If serving immediately, add the wholewheat couscous to the soup and heat through for 5 minutes, allowing the couscous to absorb the flavors and soften. For reheating later, add the couscous just before warming the soup.

Notes

  • For a spicier kick, add a spoonful of harissa paste when cooking the spices.
  • For a curry variation, replace cumin with 1 tsp garam masala.
  • Add more heartiness by frying 4 sliced chorizo sausages with the onions if not vegetarian.
  • Preserved lemons add a unique tang; if unavailable, lemon zest can be used as a substitute but will alter flavor slightly.
  • Adjust the thickness of the soup by adding more or less vegetable stock according to preference.

Keywords: Moroccan chickpea soup, vegetarian soup, spiced chickpea soup, preserved lemon soup, healthy chickpea recipe, wholewheat couscous soup

Find it online: https://bitesizedbenny.com/moroccan-chickpea-soup-recipe/