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Tuscan Chickpea Soup

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This Tuscan chickpea soup is a creamy, hearty, and comforting one-pot meal packed with flavor and plant-based protein!

Why We Love This Tuscan Chickpea Soup

  • Dairy-Free: Cashews make it rich and creamy (but not overly so).
  • High Protein: 22 grams of good quality plant protein per serving thanks to chickpeas and tempeh!
  • Easy to Make in One Pot: It all comes together in one pot so clean up is quick and easy!
  • Complete Meal: If you add potatoes, this soup can be eaten as a complete meal since it has protein, fiber, healthy fats, starch, and a serving of vegetables. You can also serve it with some bread, avocado toast, or grilled cheese if you’re extra hungry.

Key Ingredients

  • Sun Dried Tomatoes* ⟶ These are packed with umami and have an intense sweet and tart flavor. They are essential for this soup! I used dry packed sun dried tomatoes, but you can also use the ones in oil.
  • Raw Cashews* ⟶ Cashews make the soup extra creamy and satisfying. Be sure to use raw/untoasted cashews for neutral flavor.
  • Chickpeas and Tempeh ⟶ For lots of plant-based protein. The tempeh is minced so you don’t notice it as much.
  • Nutritional Yeast, Paprika, Oregano, and Red Pepper Flakes ⟶ Our Mediterranean seasonings that pair perfectly with the flavor of sun dried tomatoes.
  • Coconut Aminos* ⟶ A soy sauce alternative that is full of umami and a bit of sweetness from coconut nectar.
  • Kale ⟶ For some color and nutrients. You can also use spinach.

Tips for Success

Finely mince the tempeh ⟶ In this recipe, tempeh mimics a ground sausage texture, so you want the tempeh to be chopped into very small pieces. I just do this on a cutting board with a knife, but you can also use a small food processor.

Don’t overcook the potatoes ⟶ Cook time will depend on the size of your potatoes. Simmer the soup until potatoes are just tender, not too soft, typically 10-15 minutes. They will cook a bit more once you stir in the cashew cream and kale.

Add fresh basil just before serving ⟶ You don’t want the basil to cook too much or you will lose that fragrant fresh flavor. Make sure the heat is turned off before adding basil. If you’re not serving the soup immediately, wait to add the basil (and lemon juice).

Tuscan Chickpea Soup FAQ

Sure! White beans would be a great alternative, but you can try other beans or lentils as well.

You can use shredded super firm tofu instead. It won’t have as firm of a bite as tempeh, but it’s a great high protein alternative. Use the large holes of a grater to shred the tofu. If you can’t find super firm tofu, use pressed extra firm tofu. You can also use vegan sausage/ground meat like those from Beyond Meat or Impossible Foods.

Swap the cashews for raw/untoasted sunflower seeds. Or you can try coconut milk or cream, but it will impart a slight coconut flavor.

The coconut aminos adds umami and a bit of sweetness, so without it the soup won’t be as flavorful. If you don’t have coconut aminos, you can use soy sauce or tamari and add a pinch of sugar if needed.

More Hearty Soups

If you try out this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!

Tuscan Chickpea Soup

This Tuscan chickpea soup is a creamy, hearty, and comforting one-pot meal packed with flavor and plant-based protein!
Print Recipe
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion minced
  • 8 oz tempeh minced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • ¾ tsp paprika
  • ¾ tsp oregano
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp coconut aminos*
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 medium russet potato cubed, optional
  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas**1 drained
  • ⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes* chopped
  • 3 cups vegetable broth**2
  • ⅓ cup raw cashews* soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 4 cups kale chopped

Garnish

  • ½ lemon juiced
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat 1/2 the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes.
  • Add tempeh and remaining oil and sauté until tempeh starts to brown.
  • Add garlic, nutritional yeast, paprika, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir for about a minute until fragrant.
  • Add coconut aminos and tomato paste. Stir for 30 seconds.
  • Add potatoes, chickpeas, sun dried tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low to simmer for about 10-15 minutes until potatoes are cooked.
    Tip: The potatoes are cooked when you can easily pierce one with a fork.
  • While the soup is simmering, make cashew cream. Drain the soaked cashews and add to a blender with water. Blend until smooth. (You can also use an immersion blender and cup for this.)
  • Once potatoes are just cooked, stir in cashew cream and kale. Simmer for another 5 minutes to wilt the kale.
  • Turn off heat. Just before serving, stir in lemon juice and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

1) 1-15oz can of chickpeas is about 1 1/2 cups of chickpeas.
2) I used a teaspoon of Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base*.

Nutrition per serving: 435 kcal | 21g fat | 3.5g sat fat | 45g carb | 8g fiber | 22g protein | 615mg sodium | 1 serving of vegetables

*Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, but the price remains the same to you. Thank you for supporting Ellie Likes Cooking!

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