Chickpeas Minestrone Soup with Kale

Warm up on a cold, blustery day with a bowl of the classic Italian chickpeas minestrone soup with kale also know as “Minestra Di Ceci”. A fragrant, vegan and hearty soup, packed with vegetables, pasta and chickpeas for texture and protein. And is sure easy to make.

If you’ve never had it before, minestrone is a hearty Italian vegetable soup with pasta noodles and herbs. The coziest chickpeas minestrone soup which the whole family will love for dinner or any occasion! Throughout Italy you will find many variations of this common dish as people use what grows locally. Eat local and eat fresh are not new concepts for Italian cooking. Minestrone is a very versatile soup. It can be made a thousand ways, using a mix of vegetables that suit your preference or just what you happen to have on hand.

What is minestrone soup?

Minestrone (pronounced min-nuh-strow-nee) is a popular hearty Italian soup, with tons of vegetables and, beans and pasta that hits the spot every time. The word minestrone is derived from the Italian word minestra which means soup.  Adding beans and pasta to a vegetable soup elevate it to a main meal status. The type of bean and pasta vary greatly by region. In this chickpea minestrone we use chickpeas commonly know as garbanzo beans and macaroni pasta which gives it a great texture. The vegetables also vary greatly by season and region as well as the soups stock base.

Ingredients You Need to make Chickpeas Minestrone soup with Kale:

To make this delicious soup you’ll need a handful of fresh produce and some pantry staples. Here’s the full list you’ll need: 

Diced yellow onion, chopped garlic, celery, carrots, bay leaves, tomato paste, canned diced tomatoes, dry italian herbs, onion powder, chilli flakes, fresh thyme, canned chickpeas, dries pasta (and small pasta like ditalini, shell etc), olive oil, vegetable broth, baby kale leaves and parmesan cheese.

How to make Chickpeas Minestrone Soup with Kale

• Prep your ingredients. This soup moves quick, so have everything ready to go.
• Cook your base of the soup. In a heavy base pan heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Sauté the onions & garlic for about 3-4 minutes, or until the onions our translucent. Immediately add the celery and carrots and sauté for 2-3 minute.
• Now add the tomato paste and sauté until the tomato paste and veggie mix create a delicate melange.
• Add the Tomato. Add the canned diced tomatoes and thyme sprigs, stir to combine.
• Now add the rest of the ingredients. Add the chickpeas, dry Italian herbs, onion powder, chilli flakes, thyme, salt, and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and partially cover the pan.
• Simmer.Over low heat let the soup simmer for 30-40 minutes.
• Blend. Ladle 1 cups of the soup into jar and with a stick blender form a thick puree. Pour this back into the soup.
• Add the pasta and cook till the paste al dente.
• Add the baby kale or baby spinach. Let them cook for a minute.
• Serve it. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with parmigiana cheese, a drizzle of oil, and fresh thyme.

NOTE : If you are making a big batch of the soup don’t add the pasta to the entire soup. As pasta has a tendency to suck up broth and reheating the soup will blow up and break down the pasta adding an unpleasant and slimy texture to the soup.

Helpful Tips and Tricks to Make Chickpeas Minestrone Soup with Kale

• The Greens – Dark leafy greens like baby kale, Cavalo nero, escarole, chard, dandelion greens or fresh Italian parsley are traditionally wilted straight into the soup at the very end. So take it whichever direction your taste buds desire.
• Vegetables – Almost any herb, vegetable and type of onion, squash or potato will enhance the flavour of the soup. The only veggies that should be avoided are veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts as they will overpower the broth and make it bitter.
• Creaminess – By pureeing some of the cooked chickpeas with the broth and adding back into the stew you will achieve a divine creaminess factor that checks all the boxes.
• Pasta – Only add pasta to the minestrone that is to be eaten right away. If you are freezing batches then you would add pasta when reheating.
• Storage – Always cool soup down before storing. If you must refrigerate before it is fully cooled, do not cover tightly as this will make the soup stay warm longer and risk spoilage. When properly cooled and stored, this soup will retain its freshness and flavour for 5 days refrigerated or up to 3 months frozen.
• Don’t forget freshly grated parmesan cheese sprinkled on top and lots of crusty bread to accompany this yummy, satisfying soup!

Other Italian Soup Recipe that you will love:

1. Creamy Minestrone Soup
2. Creamy White Bean Soup with Spinach
3. Pasta Fagioli Soup
4. Classic Cream of Tomato Soup

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Chickpeas Minestrone Soup with Kale

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 50 Minutes 50 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 4 voted )

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Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, (1 tbsp) minced
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 tbsp double-concentrate tomato puree
• 600g canned chickpeas, drained & rinsed
• 650g canned diced tomatoes
• 4-5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp Italian dried herb
•  3-4 thyme sprigs
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 100g baby kale 
• ½ cup small macaroni pasta
• Shaved parmesan (vegan option) 
• Black pepper to taste

method

1. Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 3- 4 minutes, or until softened. Add carrots and celery, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. 
2. Add the diced tomatoes and  thyme sprigs, and cook 2 minutes more.
3. Add drained and washed chickpeas, vegetable broth, Italian herbs, chilli flakes, onion powder and salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 35-40 minutes, partially covered.
4. Ladle 1 cups of the soup into a blender or, an immersion-blender-safe vessel. Blend it until it forms a thick puree. Pour this back into the soup.
5. Add pasta cook 7 to 8 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally. Add the kale and let it wilt for a minute.
6. Thin soup with broth or water (if necessary), and adjust seasoning. Remove thyme sprigs, and serve garnished with  Parmesan cheese (vegan), thyme sprig and olive oil.Buon appetito!

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