tomato parmesan soup with crunchy basil chickpeas
Yeah yeah, 90 degree days aren’t exactly characteristic of soup season, but in Florida I reside in a fantasy land of seasonal transition, so here’s some soup for playing pretend with cozy.
My family wasn’t heavy on the soup consumption during my childhood. Mom often cooked her rendition of minestrone soup, which was basically every damn vegetable she could find simmered with short cut pasta and potatoes. We liked our carbs. Perhaps that primed me to become a runner without me realizing it at a the time.
With September and months beyond visible in my headlights, it’s only natural to start shaking hands with soup. This Tomato Parmesan version is the easiest. Canned tomatoes, fresh woodsy herbs, grated cheese, a gulp or two of rich coconut milk to heighten the creaminess. I like the summer-meets-fall profile here: light enough for warmer days, rich enough if a chill permeates your local atmosphere.
Soup Steps
First, if you have an immersion blender, use it for this recipe. If you don’t, go get one. I will continually bug the shit out of you about the efficacy and convenience of the handheld. I find it far safer and more practical for pureeing big batches of something likely to burn your hands off if you’re even the slight bit careless. Not that this soup has a particular propensity to causing harm – but it can happen, and it’s best to avoid such.
Start with a big pot and warm some olive over medium heat. Saute diced onions for a few minutes, then stir in minced garlic, oregano, and thyme. Cook another minute. Pour some white wine over the aromatics and reduce for 2-3 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked off.
Next, add the tomatoes, vegetable broth or water, and a touch of sugar. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook about 10 minutes if you’re in a pinch or up to 30 minutes if you want to really let the flavors cohere. I like the 10-15 minute range.
Here’s where that immersion blender shines. Just stick the blade into the soup and whip the liquid until everything is nice and pureed. Take care to keep the blades beneath the surface to prevent splatter. If you refuse to take my advice and like to sacrifice the skin on your arms, transfer batches of soup into a regular blender and carefully pulse until smooth. Dump it all back in the pot as you complete each batch, until all of the soup is accounted for.
Finally, stir in grated parmesan cheese, coconut milk, and fresh basil until the cheese melts. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.
Hot Chick(peas)
If you’re a good multitasker, you can make the crunchy basil chickpeas while the soup simmers away. If you have kids screeching around the living room and throwing crayons against the walls, best lock the kids up in their cages and crisp up the ‘peas after the soup is complete.
Just kidding about locking up the kids. Sort of.
Warm some olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Drain, rinse, and dry the chickpeas with lots of paper towels or a clean cloth. Toss the chickpeas, dried basil, and a touch of salt and pepper into the skillet until the chickpeas are thoroughly coated with seasoning. Spread the chickpeas into one layer and cook for 10-12 minutes. I disturb the chickpeas minimally, maybe 2-3 times, since touching them too often will prevent the crisp finish and instead render them soft and moist. Don’t want that.
Soup, chickpeas, complete. Assemble the soup with fresh basil leaves and a handful of the chickpeas, maybe a drizzle of olive oil and some crushed thyme sprigs. You can add more parmesan atop if you like as well.
A good crusty bread is also necessary.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
More soup ideas:
Winter Detox Vegetable Noodle Soup
Potato Leek Soup Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Boats
Golden Butternut Squash Gnocchi Soup with Garlic Butter Asiago Crostini
Ingredients
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 28-oz cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water, plus more to thin as needed
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk, or heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp dried basil
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Saute the onions for 2-3 minutes until slightly translucent. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and thyme for 1 minute. Pour in white wine and reduce halfway, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, broth or water, and sugar, Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer small batches of soup to a stand blender and carefully puree, then pour back into the pot.
- Add the coconut milk and parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. Mix in the fresh basil. Keep warm while you make the chickpeas.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain the chickpeas and pat thoroughly to dry. Add to the skillet along with the dried basil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer and cook, tossing 2-3 times for about 10-12 minutes until crisp all over.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh basil and chickpeas. Serve with crusty bread.
