My Kale and Chickpea Soup with Garlic Crostini is an easy to make soup recipe that is full of vegetables. Even more delicious topped with homemade garlic crostini. Great for meal prep!
If you're making this Kale and Chickpea Soup with Garlic, be sure to also check out my Spring Minestrone and Roasted Tomato Soup for more comforting, vegetable forward soup recipes.
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This time I made it with chickpeas and kale. I simply adore chickpeas!!
What really makes this soup is the garlic rosemary crostini's. You slice up a sourdough baguette and top them with a flavorful garlic, rosemary and olive oil mixture then toast them up in the oven. Their crispiness and sourness makes this soup irresistible.
This chickpea and kale soup is a simple, hearty Italian-inspired soup made with garlic, olive oil, tender kale, and creamy chickpeas. It's rustic, comforting, and ready in under 40 minutes.
If you're looking for the best kale and chickpea soup, this Tuscan-style version delivers bold flavor with minimal ingredients. It's naturally vegetarian, protein-rich, and deeply satisfying.
This is the kind of Italian soup you make when you want something healthy but still cozy.
Soups are just wonderful and oh, so fulfilling. I could happily eat soup every day for lunch. Making your own soup at home is so easy and so economical. Are you cooking for yourself or just 2? Don't fret... Freeze the leftovers! They are so great to have to defrost for a last minute healthy dinner ideas.
This kale and chickpea soup is very healthy and tastes incredible. I have to admit that to some the best part of the soup is the garlic crostini. They are so easy to make! All you have to do is slice up sourdough baguette and brush with olive oil and toss on a little bit of freshly chopped garlic (and a bit of chopped fresh parsley)...so fantastic!
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- 1 small onion chopped (I used a yellow onion)
- 4 carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1 can chopped tomatoes I used 14 ½ oz organic diced tomatoes or use a couple of fresh tomatoes chopped-plum tomatoes are great
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable base I use Better than Bouillon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 piece Parmigiano Reggiano rind
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 bunch kale stems and ribs discarded leaves chopped
- if you are adding pasta 2 cups shell or ditalini pasta
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano to toss on top when soup is ready
- for the crostini-
- 1 loaf of Italian or French bread {I used sourdough}
- 3 cloves chopped garlic
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sea salt use salt to your taste preference
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Be creative with this soup base and add whatever beans you like and even change the broth flavor (I used vegetable bouillon, so this soup could easily be vegan if you skip the cheese part! yay!). Add a portion of pasta, like ditalini, and you have the perfect easy and healthy weeknight dinner!!
How to Make this Kale and Chickpea Soup
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the
- garlic, onion, carrots, celery, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and cook 2
- minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook 2 more minutes; season with salt.
- Add 3 quarts water, the vegetable base (or a bouillon cube), the bay leaves
- and Parmigiano Reggiano rind. If you don't have the cheese rind, the soup will still turn out fine!
- Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes with pot slightly covered.
- Uncover the pot and raise the heat to medium. Add the chickpeas and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. If you are adding pasta to the soup, add it now with the kale. If you are not adding pasta, just add the kale and cook stirring occasionally until the leaves are tender (about 7-10 minutes)
- Remove the bay leaves and the cheese rind. When serving the soup, add a drizzle of olive oil on top of each portion (and a little bit of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, if you like). Salt and pepper to taste.
- for the crostini
- Slice the loaf in half and then slice it crosswise. Drizzle the bread with olive oil. Sprinkle on the salt, chopped garlic and parsley. Bake on 350 F until lightly browned (about 10 mins…depends how toasted you'd like your crostini).
- Top each bowl of soup with a a slice of the crostini and enjoy!
Variations
- Creamy Tuscan Chickpea Soup
- Blend 1 cup of the soup and stir back in for a thicker consistency.
- Chickpea Kale Stew Version
- Use less broth and cook longer for a thicker, stew-like texture.
- Chickpea Zuppa Toscana Style
- Add diced potatoes and rosemary for a heartier variation.
- Add Pasta
- Turn it into a full meal by adding small pasta shapes.
Expert Tips to Make It Even Better
- Mash some chickpeas for a naturally creamy Tuscan chickpea soup texture.
- Add a spoon of tomato paste if you want deeper color.
- For extra richness, drizzle olive oil before serving.
- Let the soup rest 10 minutes before serving for better flavor.
FAQ
Yes. It's high in fiber, plant protein, and iron.
Yes. That's what makes this an easy weeknight recipe.
Yes. Chickpeas and garbanzo beans are the same ingredient.
Mash some chickpeas or blend a portion.
Yes. Just skip the Parmigiano.
What is one of your favorite autumn soup recipes? I have to say that after this kale soup is a top 5!!
some other soup recipes to try:
BEST Chickpea And Kale Soup with Garlic Crostini
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- 1 small onion chopped (I used a yellow onion)
- 4 carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1 can chopped tomatoes I used 14 ½ oz organic diced tomatoes or use a couple of fresh tomatoes chopped-plum tomatoes are great
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable base I use Better than Bouillon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 piece Parmigiano Reggiano rind
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 bunch kale stems and ribs discarded leaves chopped
- if you are adding pasta 2 cups shell or ditalini pasta
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano to toss on top when soup is ready
- for the crostini-
- 1 loaf of Italian or French bread {I used sourdough}
- 3 cloves chopped garlic
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sea salt use salt to your taste preference
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the
- garlic, onion, carrots, celery, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and cook 2
- minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook 2 more minutes; season with salt.
- Add 3 quarts water, the vegetable base (or a bouillon cube), the bay leaves
- and Parmigiano Reggiano rind. If you don't have the cheese rind, the soup will still turn out fine!
- Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes with pot slightly covered.
- Uncover the pot and raise the heat to medium. Add the chickpeas and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. If you are adding pasta to the soup, add it now with the kale. If you are not adding pasta, just add the kale and cook stirring occasionally until the leaves are tender (about 7-10 minutes)
- Remove the bay leaves and the cheese rind. When serving the soup, add a drizzle of olive oil on top of each portion (and a little bit of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, if you like). Salt and pepper to taste.
- for the crostini-
- Slice the loaf in half and then slice it crosswise. Drizzle the bread with olive oil. Sprinkle on the salt, chopped garlic and parsley. Bake on 350 F until lightly browned (about 10 mins…depends how toasted you'd like your crostini).
- Top each bowl of soup with a a slice of the crostini and enjoy!
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
- Mash some chickpeas for a naturally creamy Tuscan chickpea soup texture.
- Add a spoon of tomato paste if you want deeper color.
- For extra richness, drizzle olive oil before serving.
- Let the soup rest 10 minutes before serving for better flavor.
