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A bright, herby, brothy soup perfect for early spring. Featuring tender chickpeas, green vegetables, and fresh herbs like parsley, mint, and dill — this soup is weeknight-easy and ideal for leftovers.
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Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: Seasonal, Vegetarian
Calories: 290
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion or 2 leeks, diced
  • 1.5–2 cups chopped fennel bulb or celery
  • 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ground coriander (optional)
  • 1 pinch cayenne or chili flakes (optional)
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 cups cooked chickpeas (or canned, rinsed)
  • 4 oz small pasta or cooked grain like farro
  • 4 cups mixed spring greens (asparagus, peas, kale, spinach)
  • 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 0.25 cup chopped fresh dill or 2 tbsp tarragon
  • 2–3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
  • 1–2 tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Optional garnish: herbs, croutons, or grated cheese

Equipment

  • large Dutch oven (5–6 qt)
  • microplane zester (optional)
  • tongs
  • ladle
  • immersion blender (optional)

Method
 

  1. Warm olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion and fennel with a pinch of salt; sauté 6–8 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic, coriander, and cayenne; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Add vegetable stock, water, and chickpeas. Bring to a simmer and cook 15–25 minutes to let flavors meld, depending on chickpea tenderness.
  3. Add pasta or grains; once halfway cooked, stir in asparagus, peas, and sturdy greens like kale or chard.
  4. When pasta is al dente, stir in spinach (if using), parsley, dill or tarragon, and mint. Turn off heat immediately.
  5. Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Balance acidity and salt as needed.
  6. Ladle into bowls and garnish with extra herbs, croutons, or cheese if desired. Serve warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 11gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6.5gSodium: 420mgPotassium: 480mgFiber: 8gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1900IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 3.2mg

Notes

Add the greens toward the end to preserve color and texture. For gluten-free, swap in cooked rice or GF pasta. To make creamy, puree a ladle or stir in plain yogurt off-heat. Avoid overcooking pasta if freezing; add fresh when reheating.

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