Description
A comforting and hearty Feel-good pasta soup that combines chickpeas, tender pasta, nutritious greens, and a flavorful tomato-based broth, finished with a zesty lemon touch and a sprinkle of cheese. Perfect for a warming meal that’s both nutritious and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 rosemary sprigs, chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- Pinch of chilli flakes, plus extra to serve (optional)
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained
- 150g short pasta, such as tubetti or macaroni
- 1 vegetable or chicken stock cube
- 25g parmesan, pecorino or vegetarian-style hard cheese, grated, plus a rind if you have one
- 150g kale, spinach or cavolo nero, tough stalks removed and roughly chopped
- 1 lemon, zested, plus a squeeze of juice
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the oil and cook onion: Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until it turns translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent browning.
- Add rosemary and garlic: Stir in the chopped rosemary and crushed garlic. Sizzle for about a minute, taking care to stir constantly so the garlic does not burn, releasing aromatic flavors.
- Incorporate tomato purée and chilli flakes: Add the tomato purée and a pinch of chilli flakes if using. Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes to deepen the tomato flavor.
- Add tomatoes, chickpeas, pasta, and stock: Stir in the canned chopped tomatoes, drained chickpeas, and short pasta. Crumble in the stock cube and add the parmesan rind if you have one. Pour in 1 litre of water and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer until pasta is nearly cooked: Cook the soup for approximately 8 minutes, or until the pasta is almost tender but still has a slight bite.
- Add greens and wilt: Add the chopped kale, spinach, or cavolo nero to the pan. Stir gently until the leaves wilt, which should only take a few minutes. If the broth becomes too thick, add a little extra water to maintain a soupy consistency.
- Finish with lemon and cheese: Stir in the lemon zest and half of the grated parmesan cheese. Taste the broth and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, more chilli flakes, or salt as needed to balance the flavors.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, discarding the parmesan rind. Top each serving with the remaining grated cheese, an optional sprinkling of chilli flakes, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for added richness and aroma.
Notes
- Using a hard cheese rind like parmesan adds depth to the broth but remember to discard it before serving.
- If you prefer a spicier soup, increase the chilli flakes to taste.
- This soup can be made vegetarian by using vegetable stock and vegetarian-style cheese.
- Kale, spinach, and cavolo nero are interchangeable; choose based on availability and preference.
- Adding extra water during cooking helps maintain a light broth consistency when the pasta absorbs a lot of liquid.
- Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: pasta soup, chickpea soup, Italian soup, vegetarian soup, kale soup, healthy pasta soup, tomato soup with pasta
