Alright, settle in—I have to tell you about the time I first made this vegan garlic chickpea soup. Picture this: rainy day, I’d run out of bread (tragedy), but still wanted something cozy. As luck would have it, a can of chickpeas was stashed in the back of the cupboard… and okay, maybe a whole bulb of garlic, too. The kitchen ended up smelling so good that my neighbor stopped by to ask if I was making garlic bread—nope, just this soup! And honestly, that always makes me laugh because I was going for simple, but it’s turned into a bit of a family legend.

Why You’ll Totally Fall for This Soup

I make this when I need a meal that’s both easy and kind of impressive (you know, like you meant to do something fancy, but didn’t want to spend ages simmering all day). My family goes crazy for this because it’s garlicky (in a good—not vampire-repellant—way) and so creamy, even though there’s not a drop of dairy. I’ve also made it for friends who aren’t vegan, and—no joke—one of them now keeps chickpeas on hand just for this soup. Sometimes, the skinning of the chickpeas tests my patience, but I promise it’s worth it. (Or, on busy nights, I skip it. No one’s called me out on it yet.)

What You’ll Need (but Not What You’d Expect!)

2 tbsp olive oil (sometimes I use avocado oil if I’m out, and it works fine)
1 medium onion, chopped (red or yellow, honestly I’m not picky)
6–8 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped (go big or go home; my sister swears by pre-minced, but I don’t love that jar stuff)
1 large carrot, diced (or a parsnip if that’s lurking in your fridge—tastes earthier, kinda fun)
2 cans (about 800g total) chickpeas, drained & rinsed (sometimes I cook from dry, but who’s got time?)
4 cups veggie broth (any carton works—my gran used to push for homemade, but honestly…)
1 tsp smoked paprika (if you only have sweet paprika, just use a tad more black pepper!)
1/2 tsp ground cumin (or coriander if you feel spicy; sometimes I mix both)
Salt & pepper, to taste (I go heavy on black pepper—you do you!)
Juice of half a lemon (occasionally I forget. It’s fine without.)
Optional: handful of chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, for serving

How I Actually Make It (With a Few Surprises)

First, grab a big-ish pot. Splash in your oil, heat it over, say, medium heat (I once cranked it up and scorched the garlic—don’t do that, trust me). Toss in the onion and carrot. Stir them around for 5–7 minutes until soft-ish and the kitchen starts smelling amazing.
Add in your garlic. Cook for just a minute or two; you want it fragrant, not crispy. This is where I sneak a taste—raw-ish garlic is punchy (not recommended unless you’re really into that kind of thing)…
Dump in the chickpeas, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good stir. It’ll look like a weird salad at this point. Don’t worry. It always does.
Pour in your veggie broth. Turn up the heat to get a bubble going, then lower to a nice simmer. Put the lid halfway on and let it do its thing for about 15–20 minutes. Take a quick tea break or scroll through Minimalist Baker for inspiration (I do—it’s a lovely rabbit hole!).
Time to blend. You can use an immersion blender (bless this gadget—more on that in a second) right in the pot for a smooth finish. Or, carefully ladle into a blender in batches. Actually, I find a partly chunky soup more interesting, so I blitz about 3/4 of it. My kids call this “rustic”—who knew they were food critics?
Stir in your lemon juice. Taste. Add more salt if needed. Sprinkle on herbs if you have ‘em. Done!

Little Nuggets I’ve Learned (Sometimes the Hard Way)

If you’re using dried chickpeas, do soak them overnight, then cook until just tender. Tried rushing once—ended up with little rocks. Ha, never again.
Tinned chickpeas: I used to rinse obsessively; now I just give them a quick swish under the tap. The world hasn’t ended.
If it comes out too thick, just splash in more broth or even water—it’s very forgiving.
Oh, and if you forget the lemon, a tiny bit of vinegar works in a pinch. (Thanks, Mom!)

If You Feel Like Switching It Up

I once chucked in some coconut milk—nice and creamy, but made the garlic taste weirdly sweet; probably wouldn’t do it again. Adding spinach or kale near the end, though, is lovely (and makes me feel very health-blogger-y). Craving a spicy kick? Add a pinch of chili flakes—that’s my partner’s go-to.

Do You Need Fancy Gear? (Spoiler: Maybe, But Not Really)

An immersion blender is amazing for this—best Christmas gift I ever wrangled out of Secret Santa. But, no bother if you don’t have one: just use a potato masher for a chunkier texture or any old blender (carefully—hot soup tends to try and escape, and mopping ceilings isn’t fun). Or, leave it entirely unblended; still delicious, honestly.

Storing—If It Lasts That Long

Store leftovers in a lidded container in the fridge. It’ll keep fine for about 3 days, though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day—there’s usually a midnight raid. You can freeze it, too; just stir well after thawing. (Texture gets a bit soft, but flavor’s grand.)

How I Like to Serve (And Occasional Family Quirks)

For me, a thick wedge of crusty bread is essential for dunking (unless you’re plagued by the Out-Of-Bread Curse, as I sometimes am). My partner puts a dollop of vegan yogurt on top and a drizzle of chili oil—very cheffy. For a lighter meal, I just eat it plain in a mug, standing at the counter. No judgment.

Learned the Hard Way: “Pro Tips” Edition

I once tried rushing the blending step (was late to pick up the kids). Soup went everywhere. Let the soup cool a tad before blending!
Adding lemon too early can make the flavor go flat. I always do it at the end—learned by accident, but it stuck.
Try not to oversalt before you’ve tasted after blending—the flavors really change. (I may or may not have had to double-batch once to fix an overzealous salt attack.)

Soup Questions I Actually Get Asked (Yep, These Happen)

Can I use garlic powder instead of fresh?
Sure, about a teaspoon, but I think it loses that magic punch. Maybe just me?

Do I have to peel the chickpeas?
Honestly, no. It’s smoother if you do, but I rarely bother unless I’m trying to impress someone (rare!).

Can this be made oil-free?
I’ve tried with just water for sautéing—totally possible, though you miss a bit of richness. Try veggie broth for more flavor.

What bread pairs best?
Sourdough is my jam, but pita or even toasted sandwich bread is fine. Once, I even served it with tortilla chips (not traditional, but surprisingly tasty).

For more vegan soup ideas, Love & Lemons has a whole bunch I keep coming back to!

Actually, on second thought, if you want some ideas for adding more protein, chili-roasted chickpeas make a fun topping, too. Okay, now I’m hungry again.