Chickpea Vegetable Soup With Parmesan, Rosemary and Lemon
Updated January 29, 2026
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
- Total Time
- 1½ to 2 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 whole clove
½ onion, sliced root to stem so it stays intact, peeled
1 pound dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
1 sprig rosemary, plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 fresh bay leaves or 1 dried
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt, more to taste
1 small Parmesan rind, plus ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup diced tomatoes, canned or fresh
2 medium carrots, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
2 celery stalks, sliced ¼-inch thick
Zest of 1 lemon
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
55 grams carbs; 11 milligrams cholesterol; 484 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 21 grams fat; 12 grams fiber; 475 milligrams sodium; 22 grams protein; 11 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Insert the clove into the onion. Put the onion in a large pot with the chickpeas, rosemary sprig, garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, salt and cheese rind. Add 5 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about an hour, or until chickpeas are tender.
- Step 2
Add the tomatoes, carrots and celery, cover loosely, and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 25 minutes longer. While soup simmers, mix the chopped rosemary, grated Parmesan, lemon zest and pepper in a small bowl.
- Step 3
Season the soup to taste and ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan mixture.
Private Notes
Comments
what happens if you use canned chickpeas?
Instead of dried or canned chickpeas, I use frozen chickpeas, found in the organic foods section (of my grocery store). The canned get mushy, the dried take forever to get soft, but the frozen, imo, are perfect.
I added canned beans between steps 1 and 2. Not at all mushy. I also added some leftover spinach and arugula at the last minute. Delicious!
My onion fell apart anyway and I lost the clove in the soup. I also added about 1 1/2 cups finely shredded cabbage. The soup/stew is lovely with a North African vibe. Makes a nice meal with your choice of flatbread. I had pita on hand.
I live at about 6000 ft elevation. chickpeas will not get soft. I would soak these overnight next time, or else use a pressure cooker. cooked for a total of 2 hours last night and i still think they need to be boiled more. I just couldn't stay up any later waiting for them to soften.
Recipe has been on constant rotation, now with several add-ins. It is a perfect method without fuss. I have made it with lentils and white beans, adding fennel and leeks. White beans work well but won't keep their shape as well as chickpeas - less cooking time. I will try changing the spice profile with time too but the original is very aromatic. Canned legumes won't give the same depth to the broth but are a quick hack. Try using chicken broth and less salt.