Galician Garbanzo Soup
Fast and cheap, this soup will warm you on a cold day!
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
6
3 cans (45 oz / 1.26 kg) garbanzo beans, divided
4½ cups vegetable broth or water (or a combination), divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 heaping cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced or crushed garlic
1 small waxy potato (yellow Finn or Yucon gold), diced (~1 cup)
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium stalk celery, diced
Salt, to taste
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1–2 threads saffron (optional)
½ cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded or 1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
Freshly ground black pepper and cayenne pepper, to taste
Minced fresh basil, for garnish
Rinse and thoroughly drain garbanzo beans. Place about ⅔ of them in a blender or food processor with 2 cups of broth and/or water, and purée until mostly smooth. Set aside.
Place a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and wait for about a minute. Add olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.
Add onion and sauté over medium heat for about 5–8 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
5–8 minutes
Add half the garlic plus the potato, carrot, and celery and about ⅛ teaspoon salt, and sauté over medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes.
8 minutes
Add garbanzo purée, plus remaining broth and/or water and garbanzo beans, and the bay leaf, mustard, cumin, and saffron.
Bring to boil, then lower the heat.
Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
30 minutes
Stir in the remaining garlic, plus the peas, vinegar, and tomato.
Taste to correct salt.
Add black pepper and cayenne.
Simmer for only about 5 minutes longer.
5 minutes
- •Serve topped with minced fresh basil.
- •Serve with a green salad decked out with a mustard-themed dressing, thick slices of pumpernickel bread, and a light Pinot Noir.
- •Vegetable broth comes in 1 quart boxed in most supermarkets. Choose a gluten-free one if your require, or make your own stock.