Chickpea Pasta Soup

Steps to make

1. 1

   Cook onion and garlic

   7 min
   

   In a large pot over medium-low heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add ½ a diced sweet onion, 2 minced cloves of garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper each. Cook, stirring a few times, for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.

2. 2

   Add tomato base ingredients

   17 min
   

   Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste along with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of dried oregano and ⅛ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes. Cooking for about 1-2 minutes while continuously stirring then add the can of peeled whole tomatoes and use a wooden spoon to gently break them apart. Finally, add 1 cup of tomato puree and 2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. Cover the pot with a lid and cook on medium-low for about 10-15 minutes.

4. 3

   Add chickpeas and pasta

   10 min
   

   Once gently boiling, add 1 can of drained and rinsed chickpeas and 1 cup of whole wheat pasta. Stir through, cover it’s a lid and cook for about 10 minutes until the pasta is al dente and not mushy. Add ½ cup of stock, as needed and stir through well.

5. 4

   Add cheese

   1 min
   

   Add 1 cup of Parmesan cheese and stir through until completely melted.

6. 5

   Prepare bread crumbs

   6 min
   

   In a skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Then, once sizzling, add 2 cups of bread cubes and season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper each and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. Cook, while constantly tossing, for about 5-6 minutes until golden and toasted. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

7. 6

   Serve

   

   Serve the soup hot and top with extra cheese, some freshly chopped herbs and homemade bread crumbs if you wish!