Chickpea-Beet Soup
Everything in this pot ends up in the blender. Beets turn it deep magenta. Chickpeas make it creamy without cream. Potato and carrot give it body, cabbage adds an earthy sweetness, and a squeeze of lemon at the end pulls the whole thing together.
One bowl delivers 21 grams of fiber and 16 grams of protein from plants alone, all in 25 minutes.
Ingredients
- onion 0.5
- garlic 1 clove
- chickpeas 5 oz
- potato 0.25 lb
- steamed beets 2
- carrot 1
- olive oil 0.5 tbsp
- vegetable bouillon 1 cube
- water 1.5 cup
- tomato paste 1 tbsp
- cabbage, shredded 2 oz
- lemon juice 1 squeeze
Method
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Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
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Peel and dice the potato, beets, and carrot into small pieces.
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In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, beets, and carrot and sauté for about 5 minutes.
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Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Then add the vegetable broth, water, the tomato paste, cabbage, and the potato. Bring to a boil.
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Once boiling, reduce the heat and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes or until the potato and vegetables are tender. Stir in the chickpeas and lemon juice and let this simmer for the last 5 minutes.
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Blend the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth.
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Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and serve in a bowl or deep plate.
Finish with a scatter of fresh dill or chopped chives for a bright, herbal contrast against the beet. A spoonful of plain yogurt on top adds a cooling swirl if you are not keeping it fully plant-based.
Behind this recipe
Is 16 grams of protein enough for a full dinner?
It is on the lower end for a standalone meal. Adding a slice of whole-grain bread with hummus, a side of edamame, or finishing with a yogurt-based dessert brings the protein closer to the 25-30 gram range most adults benefit from at a main meal. A small handful of seeds stirred in before blending adds both protein and healthy fats without changing the flavor.
Will eating 59 grams of carbs in one sitting slow down fat loss?
A pooled analysis of 5,192 participants found that the total number of carbs per day matters far less for fat loss than total calories. At 398 calories, this bowl leaves plenty of room in virtually any calorie plan, no matter how the macros split.
Read the full evidence reviewIs a carb-heavy soup a bad choice for dinner?
A study that compared evening carbs to morning carbs found that the group eating most of their carbs at dinner lost 28% more weight over six months. A warm, high-fiber bowl in the evening is not the problem most people assume it is.
Read the full evidence review
