Tomato Chickpea Soup

This Tomato Chickpea Soup has spinach and basil (or basil pesto), and this is a delicious meatless soup that’s also gluten-free. PIN Tomato Chickpea S...

By Alex

• Aug 03, 2026 • 0 Comments •

4.2

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Servings

4 People

This Tomato Chickpea Soup has spinach and basil (or basil pesto), and this is a delicious meatless soup that’s also gluten-free.

PIN Tomato Chickpea Soup to try it later!

This Tomato Chickpea Soup is one of the soups I made during the holidays for my annual soup party, only when it came time to stir in the basil I found I didn’t have any of that wonderful frozen basil that usually lasts me through the winter. What I did have in my freezer was plenty of basil pesto, so I just stirred some of that into the soup instead. It was such a hit that I’m going to add that option to the recipe along with the new photo you see above.

Before I give you the recipe I’m going to make a confession: this is the first time I’ve soaked dried chickpeas and cooked them. Not that there’s anything shameful about using canned chickpeas, but WOW did the freshly cooked chickpeas taste wonderful in this soup. Even better, the liquid the chickpeas were cooked in became the base of the soup, which made it extra flavorful. You can also definitely make this soup with canned chickpeas (and you don’t even have to confess to anyone who eats it) but I’m going to think about cooking dried soaked chickpeas from now on when I’m using them for soup.

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What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

chickpeas
vegetable broth
onion
garlic
Olive Oil (affiliate link)
tomatoes
spinach
basil
salt and black pepper

Can you make this soup with canned chickpeas?

I loved the flavor I got when I soaked dried chickpeas and used them in this soup, and that’s also much less expensive. But if that’s just not happening at your house you can use two 15 oz. cans of chickpeas. The cooking time will be shorter.

What if you don’t have fresh basil?

I’d definitely use my frozen basil for this recipe if I had some of that, but you can also use purchased basil pesto if you have some of that.

More Soups with Chickpeas:

Chicken Chickpea Soup
Garbanzo Bean Soup with Garlic, Sumac, Olive Oil, and Lemon
Instant Pot Sausage Soup with Pesto

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe has been added to a new category called Weekend Food Prep to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

Ingredients

1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans), soaked at least 8 hours or overnight in cold water
6 cups vegetable broth (see notes)
1 yellow onion, diced
8 cloves garlic, diced very small
1 T olive oil (or less, depending on your pan)
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with liquid
4 cups chopped baby spinach (measure before chopping)
4 T chopped fresh basil (see notes)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Soak chickpeas overnight or for at least 8 hours in cold water.
Drain chickpeas and discard water, and pick out any loose skins that have come off.
Put chickpeas in heavy soup pot with vegetable stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chickpeas are tender. This will depend on how fresh the dried chickpeas were, but for me it took about an hour.
Use a spoon or stock skimmer to remove any foam that appears.
When chickpeas are tender, heat olive oil in heavy frying pan, then saute onions about 5 minutes, until fairly soft.
Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes more.
Add onions and garlic to soup pot with diced tomatoes.
Let soup simmer on low heat about 30 minutes.
Add chopped spinach to soup (adding a bit more water or stock if needed) and simmer 15-30 minutes more.
I used my beloved Immersion Blender (affiliate link) at this point to slightly break up the ingredients. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can put about 1/3 of the soup into a Food Processor (affiliate link) or blender and pulse a few times. You can skip this step completely too, if you’d like a chunkier soup.
Stir in chopped basil (I used my frozen basil, can also use basil pesto if you don’t have any basil) and cook 5 minutes.
Season soup with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste and serve hot.

Notes

You can use 4 cans vegetable broth for the soup. I used my frozen basil for the recipe but you can also use basil pesto if you don’t have any basil.

This is wonderful topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, although I know most Parmesan is not vegetarian!

Recipe created by Kalyn with inspiration from this Vegetarian Lentil Soup from The Sugar Solution Cookbook.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 108Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 868mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Low-Carb Diet / /Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Tomato Chickpea Soup is too high in carbs for low-carb diet plans, but you can make it lower in carbs by using less chickpeas and more of the other ingredients, especially spinach. Soup like this is a perfect main dish for any phase of the original South Beach Diet.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Soup Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was posted in 2008, and I’ve made it many times for my annual soup party. It was updated with better photos in 2012 and was last updated with more information in 2021.

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Keto Short Rib Chili

Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.

There’s a definite chill in the air. Can you feel it? Well, maybe not in some parts of the country, but here in the Pacific Northwest, autumn is on its way, if not already here.

The best part of fall is the comfort food and there is no food more comforting than this short rib chili. Well, maybe my Shrimp and Bacon Chowder. Or perhaps my keto Cream of Mushroom Soup. And my Buffalo Chicken Soup is also pretty darn spectacular.

But this keto chili recipe definitely makes the short list.

Chili is and always has been one of my favorite foods, because even not very good chili is pretty darn comforting when you’re cold and hungry. How can you go wrong with meat cooked slowly in rich spices and a thick tomato broth? You can’t, that’s all. You can’t go wrong.

And the crazy part is that while I make chili all. the. time, I don’t actually have a good keto chili recipe here on All Day I Dream About Food. Until now, that is.

What makes the best keto chili?

Well, what really makes good chili is a matter of opinion and taste. And probably a few feuds as well. Everyone has their own take on the best way to make chili.

In my experience, a slow simmered chili recipe is best, as it allows the flavors to develop and intensify over time. So don’t be fooled by promises of “fast and easy”. Good chili is usually easy to make but it takes time to cook.

Keto chili should be devoid of any higher carb items like beans, though. That goes almost without saying, because beans are high in carbs and many consider them inflammatory. Onion needs to be kept to a minimum as well, since it’s surprisingly high carb.

Tomato sauce, paste, and puree can also send the carb count up if used too liberally. I like to keep my chili to less than 5g total carbs per serving, so I use a single can of diced tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes help bring out the best flavor.

But the focus of a good keto chili recipe should always be the meat and the spices. Use beef with a high percentage of fat for a satisfying meal, and be generous with the chili, cumin, and garlic.

Can you make keto chili ahead of time?

I find myself wanting to answer this question with a smart ass comment like “Is the pope Catholic?”. Because chili is perhaps the best make ahead meal on the planet.

It’s one of those dishes that seems to actually get better when it’s eaten the next day or even a few days later. And one of the benefits of keto chili is that there are no beans to get mushy as they sit and soften. So it’s just as good or better than the day you made it.

So go ahead and make a huge pot of this short rib chili. This particular recipe serves 10 people. Let it cool to room temperature and then split it up however you see fit. You can do individual servings, or portion it out for your family size.

The chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. We froze our leftovers back in May and I just fed my family the second portion about a month ago!

Because it contains acidic ingredients like tomatoes, I recommend storing in glass containers if you have them. If not, good BPA-Free tupperware works too.

Tips for making Short Rib Chili

Short ribs are ideal for comfort food dishes like this, because they are fatty and rich, and become incredibly tender with slow braising.

Always brown the ribs first: This step adds 10 minutes or so, but it’s worth it. Browning the meat in lard or oil helps bring out the best flavor, before the liquids are added. Otherwise, you are essentially just eating stewed meat. Transfer the ribs to a plate while making the rest of the chili.

Sweat the onions and other veggies: While I do keep the onion to a minimum, it definitely helps add flavor. So add the onion and green pepper to the pot and sauté in the oils and fats with a little bit of salt. This will help them release their juices and flavor.

Add the spices into the hot oil: Before adding any liquids into the pot, you want to briefly sauté the garlic, jalapeño, and spices in the hot oil. This enhances and intensifies the flavor.

Adjust the heat to your liking: My husband and I like our chili pretty spicy but our kids have more tender palates. So we keep the heat at a medium level. I always add the seeds from the jalapeño but you can leave them out if you want less spice. You can also leave out the cayenne. Or you can add more jalapeño and cayenne too.

Now add the liquids and the meat: Once the spices and garlic are fragrant, stir in the diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer before adding the meat.

Slow braise in the oven: You’re looking at a good two to three hours of cooking, but this time is completely inactive. You can be doing lots of other things during this time. Slow braising makes the meat from the short ribs fall off the bone and shred more easily.

Doesn’t this keto short rib chili sound like the perfect comfort food?

Check out my Keto Soups & Stews cookbook for more delicious comfort food recipes.

A bowl of keto short rib chii topped with sour cream, cilantro, avocado and jalapeno

Keto Short Rib Chili

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: keto chili, keto chili recipe, short rib chili

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 428kcal