Italian Garbanzo Bean Soup for Vegans

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried garbanzo beans
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 18 grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Step 1

Soak the garbanzo beans in a large bowl with plenty of cool water, letting them sit for at least 8 hours or overnight. Once soaked, drain the beans. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a big pot, then add the beans. Turn the heat down and let them simmer gently for about 45 minutes, until they’re almost tender. Drain and rinse the beans under cold water to cool them off.

Step 2

Spread the beans out on a baking sheet and peel off their skins—it takes a bit of patience but makes the soup smoother. In a large pot, warm up some olive oil over medium heat. Toss in the chopped onion and cook until it softens, about 3 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, garlic, and fennel seeds, stirring occasionally for another 4 minutes or so.

Step 3

Now, stir in the peeled garbanzo beans, vegetable broth, and canned tomatoes. Let everything simmer together until the beans are fully tender, around 15 minutes. Toss in the grape tomatoes and spinach leaves, cooking just long enough for the spinach to wilt, about 2 minutes. Finally, season the soup with parsley, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Give it a good stir, take the pot off the heat, cover, and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.