Sweet potato chickpea soup – full of chick peas, sweet potatoes, red pepper and a little turmeric for colour, this soup has a gorgeous golden hue that is very cheery on a late fall day.
Sweet potato chickpea soup is the third soup recipe that I have shared from the always-dependable Moosewood Cookbook and it likely won’t be the last. The cookbook has been the source of my family’s best soup recipes since my mom first discovered it decades ago. In fact, I have several Moosewood cookbooks and they’re all inspiring and dependable.
In the Moosewood Cookbook the recipe is called Gypsy Soup. It’s a recipe that makes me think of a song off the radio we used to sing when I was very little. (We’d sing it to my sister Mary Jo, amazed that her name was in the lyrics.) I can still remember how it goes which is a mixed blessing since a little Tony Orlando and Dawn goes a long way… “Say, has anybody seen my Sweet Gypsy Rose. Here’s a picture when she was my Sweet Mary Jo. Now she’s got rings on her fingers and bells on her toes. Say, has anybody seen my Sweet Gypsy Rose.”
Another favourite soup from a Moosewood cookbook is the effortless (and cream-less) Cauliflower Cheese Soup. I bet you’ll love it 🙂
Green tips:
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Soak and boil your own chick peas rather than using canned. Cans are lined with plastic that contains BPA, a hormone-disrupting chemical that can leach into your food. Learn how to reduce your BPA exposure here.
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Conventionally grown bell peppers can have a high pesticide residue so look for organic when possible. If you can’t find organic be sure to scrub your peppers well with eco-friendly dish detergent to remove at least some of the surface pesticides. Learn more here.
Sweet Potato Chickpea Soup
Course: Soups, VegetarianServings
6-8
servingsPrep time
15
minutesCooking time
40
minutesTotal time
55
minutesA hearty soup that’s nourishing and beautiful.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups diced onion
Pinch of red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk of celery, diced
2 cups peeled, diced sweet potatoes
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
¼ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp oregano or basil
Pinch of cinnamon
1 bay leaf
3 cups water
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 bell pepper, diced
1 ½ cups cooked chick peas
Directions
- In a large, heavy pot, warm the oil over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the onion, chilies, garlic, celery and sweet potatoes. Saute for 5 minutes.
- Add the salt and saute another 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the spices, oregano or basil and water. Stir and simmer for 15 minutes, covered.
- Add crushed tomatoes, bell pepper and chick peas. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Love this. So many nutrients in every bite. Also can't believe you know who Orlando and Dawn were. That takes me back to the beginning of time! Thanks for this Bridget.
Oh yum! This soup looks so perfect for the frigid days we've been having. Flavourful and warming 🙂
I love chickpeas and sweet potatoes and smoked paprika seem like a good combination with them. When you say cooked chickpeas, can I use canned?
Made with some of my favourite ingredients. A bowl of happiness. Good for the soul.
Fantastic! Used canned chickpeas because it was all I had on hand. Added some Dino kale, extra garlic and vegetable broth garnished with a bit of sour cream and fresh herbs. Yum! Thanks for sharing!