homestyle creamy chickpea noodle soup

For those of us with cozy in our souls.

I find little more satisfying than down-home comfort food. Sometimes it’s not advisable to chow down on these savory, rich recipes all the time, but when you’re feeling homesick for a place, a person, or an emotion you cannot name, turning to classics is the recipe for stirring out of the funk.

I don’t know that I’m restless for any reason, but I am feeling nostalgic for easy recipes that remind me of days where I didn’t have to worry about two massive credit card charges that spoiled my mood this weekend. Ahem. Helps that I had a bag of celery and carrots wedged in my veggie drawer, and said charges inspired me to keep my grocery bill down as low as possible while skimping naught on flavor, fun, and variety.

This is not my first chickpea noodle soup, but it might be my favorite. Homestyle Creamy Chickpea Noodle Soup contains a rich veggie-laden broth, a touch of parmesan, and is topped with crumbles of “bacon” for a hearty, smoky element while not tainting the innocence of the base. 35 minutes and dinner is served, and leftovers taste even better the next day.

And yes, you can reheat the soup in a way that returns it to its original brothier consistency rather than a lump of noodles.

Comforted By Soup

Soup is the easiest meal to make, and this one takes 35 minutes or less depending on your chopping speed. Closer to 30 for me because I am a madwoman with a chef’s knife.

An initial note: I baked a batch of my tofu bacon to top off my bowls. You don’t have to do this, though I highly recommend it (or regular bacon). This will add about 30 minutes or so to your prep time. I love having leftover bacon around for BLT sandwiches or breakfast tacos with eggs and cheese. Just a thought.

Now, let’s make a pot of soup. First, chop up some celery, carrot, and onion pretty finely (like 1/8 inch blobs). Heat some olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and stir in the aforementioned trio, or mirepoix as fancy folk dub it. Cook until softened.

Next, stir in a lump of butter, then garlic and fresh chopped oregano until fragrant. Swirl in some all purpose flour – this is your thickener. The flour should disappear into the veggies once its fully incorporated.

Then, add vegetable broth and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and dump in some egg noodles. I love the extra-wide variety. Cook about 7-8 minutes before finishing with a can of chickpeas and some grated parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Scoop out a bowl, top with crumbled bacon, and maybe some fresh herbs if you’ve got them around. Pop the rest in an airtight container and throw in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Now, because there are noodles involved, you have two options to deal with the inevitable soaking of the broth via carb squiggle. The first is to cook your egg noodles separately and add to each individual bowl. I didn’t write the recipe this way, but it is a fine method, just an extra dish to wash.

The second is to reheat your soup with an extra cup or two of broth, depending on how thin you want the consistency. Works a charm to loosen up the liquids.

Have a souper week, kids! Don’t barf up your meal because my joke just now was so fucking bad!

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Soup up:

Herb Roasted Carrot Soup

Creamy Herb Roasted Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

“Bacon” Ranch Potato Soup

Easy Lasagna Soup

Easy Spicy Chickpea Noodle Soup

Creamy “Bacon” and Gnocchi Vegetable Soup

homestyle creamy chickpea noodle soup

For comfy days and cozy nights.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Soup

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped (about 2 ribs)
• 1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped (about 2-3 carrots)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 5-6 cups vegetable broth (or water)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups wide egg noodles
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1/3 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
• regular or tofu bacon crumbles, to top

Instructions

 

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the celery, carrots, and onion. Cook until softened, about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drop the butter into the pot and melt, then stir in the garlic and oregano for 1-2 minutes longer. Stir in the flour until no longer clumpy.
• Pour in the veggie broth and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, then toss in the egg noodles. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas, then the parmesan, until the cheese melts. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
• Divide soup into cups or bowls. Sprinkle bacon or "bacon" crumbles overtop, as desired. Serve with crusty bread, a sandwich, or a side salad.

Notes

*Tofu bacon: If you’d like to make a batch of tofu bacon (highly recommend!), follow the directions in this recipe. Keep in mind this will add 30-35 minutes to your prep time, but can be baked while you make the soup, if you’re chill with multitasking.

*Reheating: The noodles will absorb all the fucking liquid over time. I like to warm up a serving with 1-2 cups of broth to return it to a more soup-like consistency.

Keyword chickpeas, comfort food, egg noodles, noodle soup, noodles, soup, spring, vegetarian, weeknight dinner, winter