Description
This Marry Me Chickpea Soup is a creamy, flavorful, and healthy dairy-free soup packed with vegetables, chickpeas, and tender gnocchi. Created with a cashew-based cream, nutritional yeast, and a medley of fresh herbs, spices, and sun-dried tomatoes, this hearty soup is perfect for a comforting meal that’s both nutritious and vegan-friendly.
Ingredients
Scale
Dairy-Free Cream:
- ⅓ cup cashews
- ¾ cup dairy-free milk (soy milk recommended)
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
Soup Base:
- 1½ tbsp olive oil (or water for water frying)
- 2 yellow onions, finely diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 oz sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas
- 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 9 oz gnocchi
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Spices & Seasonings:
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes (more to taste)
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the cream: Soak the cashews in boiling water for 20 minutes to soften them (this can be skipped if using a high-speed blender like a Vitamix). Then in a small blender, combine the soaked cashews, dairy-free milk, and nutritional yeast. Blend until perfectly smooth and creamy. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Sauté the base vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the finely diced onions and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they become soft and translucent.
- Add additional vegetables: Introduce the diced carrots, red bell pepper, and sliced sun-dried tomatoes to the pot. Cook these together for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften the vegetables and meld the flavors.
- Add garlic and spices: Stir in the minced garlic, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried thyme, chili flakes, sea salt flakes, freshly ground black pepper, and tomato paste. Mix thoroughly and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, to allow the spices to bloom and the tomato paste to deepen in flavor.
- Simmer with chickpeas and broth: Add the cooked chickpeas and low-sodium vegetable broth to the pot. Cover the pot and let the soup cook for 10 minutes to combine the flavors and heat through.
- Cook the gnocchi: Add the gnocchi to the soup and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the gnocchi are tender and cooked through.
- Add the cashew cream: Stir in the prepared cashew cream mixture into the soup. Let it simmer gently for an additional 2 minutes to enrich the soup with creaminess.
- Finish with fresh herbs and lemon juice: Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh parsley, basil, baby spinach, and fresh lemon juice. Mix until the spinach just wilts from the residual heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
- Soaking cashews helps achieve a smoother cream but can be skipped if you have a high-speed blender.
- You can substitute gnocchi with other pasta or dumplings if preferred.
- Adjust chili flakes to your heat preference for spice level.
- For a nut-free version, replace cashew cream with coconut milk, but it will change the flavor slightly.
- This soup stores well and tastes great the next day after the flavors have melded.
- Use low-sodium broth to control saltiness; adjust salt to taste at the end.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan, Dairy-Free, American Fusion
Keywords: dairy-free chickpea soup, vegan chickpea soup, cashew cream soup, gnocchi soup, healthy vegan recipes, gluten-free friendly soup, plant-based soup
