Servings
Font
Back
4.8 from 12 votes

Turmeric Soup with Chickpeas, Orzo, and Spinach

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!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 349 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Persian

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

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

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

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

% 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.