Chef Daniel Costa’s recipe for chickpea soup is easy, delicious and cheap! It’s guaranteed to become one of your favourite winter dishes.
“Growing up in a Southern Italian family, dishes like this were part of the rhythm of our table—simple, nourishing and built on flavours that felt like home. This soup is inspired by those memories—humble ingredients, slow-cooked comfort and thoughtful layers of flavour. You’ll find versions of chickpea soup throughout Italy. The parsley pesto adds a bright herbal pop that brings everything to life.” -chef Daniel Costa, Corso Group
| ¼ c | extra virgin olive oil |
| 1 sm | yellow onion, cut into large pieces |
| 1 sprig | fresh rosemary |
| 2 cloves | garlic, left whole and lightly smashed |
| 3 T | (heaping) tomato paste |
| 2.5 t | kosher salt |
| 2 cans (3 cups) | canned chickpeas, strained |
| 1 sm | Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 8 pieces |
| 5 c | water |
| 2 t | red wine vinegar |
| 1.5 T | Pecorino Romano, grated |
Gently fry the onion, garlic, and rosemary in oil in a medium-high heat pot until softened, around 5–10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chickpeas, potato, water and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 25 minutes with the lid ajar.
Remove from heat, discard rosemary, and blend until smooth. Add water if needed. Stir in the Pecorino. Adjust seasoning. Serves 4-6.
