Bring a taste of the Mediterranean to your table with this hearty Greek Chickpea Soup with Lemon. Bursting with fresh flavors from oregano, rosemary, and a zesty hit of lemon, this soup is the perfect blend of comfort and brightness. Packed with protein-rich chickpeas, it’s a wholesome meal that's both satisfying and nutritious. Serve it with a slice of crusty bread for the ultimate cozy dinner, or enjoy it as a refreshing lunch option. Whether you’re a fan of Greek cuisine or simply looking for a new soup to try, this dish will quickly become a favorite!
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil + extra 2 tbsps, divided
- 1 large red onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 celery sticks
- 1 carrot
- 1 tbsps freeze-dried oregano
- 1 tsp freeze-dried rosemary, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 x 400 g (14 oz) chickpea cans (or 450 g / 1 lb dry chickpeas)
- 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock
- 2 lemons, juice of
- Fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot and fry the onion over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until it softens. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chopped carrot and celery to the pot together with the oregano, rosemary and bay leaf. Stir well and tip in the chickpeas and vegetable stock.
- Stir well and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and cook for 25-30 minutes with a lid on.
- When the soup is done, turn off the heat. Add the extra two tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice and chopped parsley if you want and stir well. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve with crusty bread on its own.
Notes
If you think that the soup is too thick, add some more vegetable stock.
To thicken the soup, try to crush some of the chickpeas with a wooden spoon.
FREEZE-DRYING INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour soup evenly on trays lined with silicone mats. Make note of the weight of the trays with food.
- Process according to freeze-dryer instructions.
- When finished freeze-drying, note the weight of the trays. The difference in weight of the trays before and after freeze-drying is the recommended amount of water needed to reconstitute.
TO RECONSTITUTE
Add recommended amount of hot water. Stir and let sit a few minutes until fully reconstituted. More, or less, than the recommended amount of water can be added to get the desired consistency.
