Greek Lemon Chickpea Soup (Ravithia)
A Greek chickpea soup bursting with the Mediterranean flavors of lemon and oregano. Vegan and gluten free.
Equipment
- Pressure cooker optional
- Large pot
- Blender, grinder or food mill optional
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1-2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 4-6 cups vegetable stock or water
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained (or 2 cups dried, see notes) 19 fl. oz each
- 1-2 lemons, juiced
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium. Add onions, carrots, celery and 1 teaspoon salt. Sautee for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic, bay leaf and oregano. Cook another 45-60 seconds. Add vegetable stock or water and cover the pot. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Add chickpeas. Cover again and cook another 10 minutes.
- Remove 1-2 cups of the chickpeas from the pot (depending on how thick you would like your broth to be) and add to a blender, grinder or food mill. Puree until smooth, then add back into the pot. Cook an additional 5 minutes.
- Add lemon juice and pepper. The amount of lemon juice needed may vary according to your taste. Season with additional salt, if necessary. Serve with pita or crusty bread.
Notes
If you are using dried chickpeas, soak 2 cups in 3 times their amount of cold water overnight. Drain and rinse well the next morning. Add fresh water and boil for 45-60 minutes until soft. Or pressure cook for 15 minutes and allow the cooker to cool naturally before draining.