Turmeric Soup with Chickpeas, Orzo, and Spinach
User Reviews
4.8
12 reviews
Excellent
Turmeric Soup with Chickpeas, Orzo, and Spinach
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This Turmeric Soup features turmeric as the star of the show - a whole tablespoon of it! - plus chickpeas, whole wheat orzo, spinach, herbs, and a generous amount of fresh lemon or lime juice. You can use any kind of small pasta or grain you like here - for example, substitute rice for a gluten-free version. While I love using chicken bone broth for a boost of nutrition, this soup is vegan/vegetarian if you use vegetable broth. You'll love this gorgeous, heathy, sunshiny soup all through the winter!
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Turmeric see notes
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 oz. cans chickpeas drained and rinsed well, or about 3 cups cooked chickpeas
- kosher salt and black pepper see notes
- 4 cups broth chicken or vegetable, depending on preferences; see notes
- ½ cup whole wheat orzo or regular orzo, Israeli couscous, or other small pasta shape, or an alternative grain; see notes
- 5 oz. baby spinach about 4 packed cups
- ¼ cup cilantro and/or parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice from about 1 lemon, or lime juice, plus more if you like things really lemony!
- olive oil, red pepper, lemon wedges, and/or Greek yogurt for serving, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced 1 medium onion and sauté until softened and browned, about 5 minutes. Add the minced 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon cumin, and drained and rinsed 2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, along with some kosher salt and black pepper to the pot. Continue to sauté for another 5 minutes or so, stirring frequently, until spices and garlic become fragrant and chickpeas start to crisp up a bit.
- Use a potato masher (or a fork) to mash some of the chickpeas to break them down and release some of their starch (this will thicken the soup), making sure to leave some whole for texture.
- Add the 4 cups broth, starting with just a little so you can scrape up any stuck-on brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil. Add the ½ cup whole wheat orzo, stir, turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until orzo is fully cooked.
- Stir in the 5 oz. baby spinach (optionally, you can give it a rough chop first if you like smaller pieces) and chopped ¼ cup cilantro and/or parsley until wilted.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons lemon juice and season to taste with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with some olive oil, red pepper, lemon wedges, and/or Greek yogurt if desired.
Equipments used:
Notes
- Yes, a full tablespoon of turmeric may seem like a lot, but this is TURMERIC soup, after all! If you want a more mild turmeric taste, feel free to take this amount down by half.
- The amount of salt and pepper you add will depend on your ingredients used. Canned chickpeas and broth will already have some salt in them, which is why there isn't a specified amount of salt and pepper here. You'll have to add a little bit and adjust later as needed in this case.
- I prefer using a homemade chicken bone broth here, which adds to the nutrition of the soup. Use any kind of broth you like (and of course use vegetable broth for a vegetarian/vegan version of this soup!). For an easy and delicious broth option, I recommend Better than Bouillon low sodium roasted chicken or low sodium seasoned vegetable bases - they last forever in your fridge!
- I used Rice Select Whole Wheat Orzo. Alternatives: you can use any kind of small pasta, Israeli couscous, or another grain like rice, quinoa, barley, farro, etc. For a gluten-free version, rice or quinoa works well. Keep in mind that different grains take different amounts of time to cook, so you'll need to adjust accordingly.
- Make it creamy: substitute 1 cup of the broth for a can of full-fat coconut milk.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
349kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
54g
(18%)
Protein
15g
(30%)
Fat
9g
(14%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
4g
Sodium
658mg
(27%)
Potassium
647mg
(18%)
Fiber
12g
(48%)
Sugar
10g
(20%)
Vitamin A
2637IU
(53%)
Vitamin C
13mg
(14%)
Calcium
108mg
(11%)
Iron
6mg
(33%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 349 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 349kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 54g | 18% |
| Protein | 15g | 30% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Sodium | 658mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 647mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 12g | 48% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
| Vitamin A | 2637IU | 53% |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 108mg | 11% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
12 reviews
Excellent
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