Curried Spinach and Chickpea Soup with Ribbon Noodles

Curried spinach and chickpea soup, made comforting with ribbon noodles, is a warming melange of flavor, texture, and color. The aroma that permeates your kitchen as this cooks is most enticing.

Spinach and chickpeas are a traditional combination in Indian curries. And while I can’t claim that this veggie-filled vegan soup is anything but a personal concoction, it highlights the compatibility of these ingredients.

While you want the vegetables to be beyond tender-crisp in the soup, you don’t want them overcooked; this isn’t a long-simmering soup; it will be done, start to finish, in well under an hour. 

What kind of noodles to use in this soup

Egg-free ribbon noodles (sometimes spelt or quinoa flour noodles come in ribbons0 were used in this batch, and they have a fantastic mouth feel and look enticing, too.

Other noodles that are good in this soup if you can’t find egg-free ribbons include thin spaghetti (broken into short pieces), ditalini, tiny shells, and rombi.

Most types of noodles will absorb a lot of the broth as it stands, so add more water as needed. 

Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

Explore more:

• Easy and tasty chickpea recipes
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Yield: 6

Curried Spinach and Chickpea Soup with Noodles

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Curried spinach and chickpea soup, made comforting with noodles, is a warming melange of flavor, texture, and color. 

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 large stalks celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups water, plus more as needed
• 1 large or 2 smaller salt-free vegetable bouillon cubes
• 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (try fire-roasted)
• 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons good-quality curry powder
• Pinch each: ground nutmeg and coriander, optional
• 6 ounces (about half of a 12-ounce package) egg-free ribbon noodles (see other options in Notes)
• 5-ounce package baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté over medium heat until all are golden. 
2. Add the water, bouillon, tomatoes, chickpeas, curry powder, and optional spices and bring to a slow boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. You can make this part of the soup ahead of time, and leave off the heat to develop flavor. Otherwise, simply proceed with the recipe.
3. Shortly before serving the soup, cook the noodles in a separate pot according to package direction, then drain.
4. Stir the noodles, spinach, and optional cilantro into the soup pot. Cook for a minute or two, just until the spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Add a bit more water if the soup is crowded. The noodles will absorb the broth as the soup stands. Add more water and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Notes

Other noodles that are good in this soup if you can't find egg-free ribbons include thin spaghetti (broken into short pieces), ditalini, tiny shells, and rombi.

If you like this simple, noodle-embellished soup, you might also enjoy …

Basic Lentil Soup with Tasty Variations

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