Description
This Moroccan chickpea soup is a vibrant and hearty dish, packed with warm spices, roasted red peppers, and preserved lemons that add a unique tangy depth. It’s a comforting, smooth soup enriched with chickpeas and wholewheat couscous for a satisfying meal perfect for any season.
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
- Heat and sweat the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large lidded pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic, cover with a lid, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through to soften and release their flavours.
- Add spices and chilli: Stir in the chopped red chilli, grated fresh ginger, cumin, ras-el-hanout, and cinnamon. Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices and intensify their aroma.
- Combine vegetables and stock: Add the roasted red peppers, chopped tomatoes, and vegetable stock to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover with the lid, and cook gently for 10 minutes to blend the flavours.
- Blend the soup: Use a stick blender or food processor to blitz the soup until smooth. Return it to the pan and add extra liquid if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Add chickpeas and preserved lemons: Stir in the drained chickpeas, chopped preserved lemon rind, clear honey, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook couscous and serve: If serving immediately, add the wholewheat couscous to the soup and heat through for 5 minutes until the couscous is cooked. If preparing in advance, add the couscous just before reheating to keep it fresh and fluffy.
Notes
- To spice it up, add a spoonful of harissa paste for extra heat.
- For a curry twist, substitute cumin with 1 tsp garam masala.
- For a heartier version, fry 4 sliced chorizo sausages with the onions and celery at the start.
- Preserved lemons add a distinctive tang; if unavailable, substitute with fresh lemon zest but keep the quantity smaller.
- Adjust thickness by adding more vegetable stock or water to your liking after blending.
- Use wholewheat couscous for added fiber and nutrition; regular couscous can be used as well.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Keywords: Moroccan soup, chickpea soup, vegetarian soup, spicy soup, preserved lemons, couscous soup, healthy soup
