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Italian Pasta e Ceci Chickpea Soup

This comforting and filling soup combines chickpeas, tender pasta, vegetables, and savory tomatoes, making it a perfect meal for chilly evenings.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 353
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Vegetables and Aromatics
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
  • 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
  • 1 medium carrot, finely diced
  • 1 stalk celery, finely diced
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 fresh chili pepper or a generous pinch of red pepper flakes
Main Ingredients
  • 1 15-oz can chickpeas with their liquid, or 2 cups cooked chickpeas plus cooking liquid Do not rinse canned chickpeas.
  • 1 14-oz can diced or chopped tomatoes
  • 6 cups water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth Choose based on preference.
  • 1 Parmesan rind plus grated Parmesan for serving If no rind, add grated Parmesan at the table.
  • Kosher salt Season to taste.
  • 2 cups ditalini pasta, or another small, short pasta Small shells or elbow macaroni can also be used.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Warm the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
  2. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, and onion, and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften.
  3. Stir in the rosemary and fresh chili or red pepper flakes, and cook for another 2 minutes while taking care not to let the garlic brown.
Cooking the Soup
  1. Stir in the chickpeas with a ladleful of their liquid, then add the tomatoes and mix well. Partially cover the pot and simmer for about 5 minutes.
  2. Pour in the water or broth, and add the Parmesan rind along with a pinch or two of kosher salt. Bring the soup to a simmer, and cook gently for about 20 minutes.
  3. Stir in the ditalini or other small pasta. Bring the soup to a gentle boil and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is just tender.
  4. Taste the soup and add more salt if necessary. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and grated Parmesan.
Storing Leftovers
  1. Let the leftover soup cool, then transfer it to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  2. When reheating, stir in a splash of water or broth until the texture is loose and spoonable again.

Notes

This soup gets thicker as it sits due to the pasta absorbing the broth. Add more liquid when reheating if necessary.