This richly spiced kale soup, redolent of cinnamon, saffron, and ginger, is as delicious as it is good-for-you. Two words: TRY IT.
If it seems to you like I’ve been making lots of soup lately, you’re right. Not that it’s been especially cool here, but once there’s even a hint of Fall nip in the air, I crave nothing more than a hot bowl of soup. I haven’t wanted to even glimpse a salad; give me all my veggies immersed in a comforting bowl of broth!
I firmly believe that simmering in soup is one of the healthiest ways to cook vegetables. Unlike boiling or even steaming, to a certain extent, all of the nutrients remain in the broth to be eaten along with the vegetables.
And did you know that cooking actually increases the nutrients available in some vegetables, including carrots? Lightly cooking carrots breaks down the cell walls, increasing the amount of absorbable beta carotene.
This particular soup is a nutritional powerhouse. The carrots provide beta carotene, the chickpeas offer protein, and the kale…well the kale is a powerhouse all on its own. It’s rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, potassium, copper, manganese, and calcium. Plus, it’s one of the cruciferous vegetables proven to reduce the risk of a number of cancers as well as heart disease. Eat more kale!
But don’t try this recipe because it’s good for you; try it because it’s delicious: sumptuously seasoned with cumin, saffron, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice, yet not overwhelming or hot-pepper spicy.
And I hesitate to say this because I know my daughter’s tastes aren’t always in line with other 10-year-olds’, but she couldn’t get enough of it, even though her first look made her go, “Yuck.” But after the first bite, she was draining the entire bowl. We all were.
I count this one among my family’s favorite recipes. Do yourself a favor and give it a try!
North African Chickpea and Kale Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 carrots sliced or diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- generous pinch saffron lightly crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 3- inch cinnamon stick
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 cans, drained and rinsed
- 8 cups vegetable broth or water plus bouillon
- 1 large bunch kale at least 8 cups, thick center ribs removed discarded, leaves chopped
- about 2 cups water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the onion and carrot and cook over medium-high heat until the onion begins to brown (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the spices, including bay leaves and cinnamon stick, and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the chickpeas and stir to coat them with the spices. Pour in the 8 cups of vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the chopped kale and stir. If necessary add water to cover the kale and cook until it is tender, about 10-25 minutes, depending on how cooked you like your kale. Check frequently to see if it is becoming dry and add water as needed. Add salt to taste and serve.
Recipe Notes
For a delicious one-pot meal, add a half cup of uncooked quinoa with the vegetable stock.
Under the new Weight Watcher’s Freestyle plan, this soup has zero smart points, as long as you use a low-calorie broth. If you add the optional quinoa, it’s 2 smart points per serving.
AllieJ
WOW – this is one of the best soups I've ever had. Thank you for this amazing recipe. I made it exactly as written, and I'm really glad I did. (I had been tempted to sub mustard greens since I have a ton of them, but I went and bought kale, which is sooo good in soup.) This will become a regular meal at our house. My meat-eating hubby loved it too, and we accompanied it with a crusty loaf of wheat bread with some fava bean spread.
Also, as I was eating it, I could almost feel it nourishing my body. I had been out of town for a week on business, surviving on junk food, and I was really craving vegetables/healthy food. This soup sure hit the spot on that front.
Thanks again!!!!!
Michelle
I absolutely loved this recipe! I love soups since they are easy and an all-in-one meal! This soup was warm and inviting each time. It was the first time I had eaten kale and it is a new favorite! This recipe will be a staple in my house!
Anonymous
I just discovered your web site after seeing Alicia Silverstone on Oprah and wondering what Vegan was all about. I googled and your website popped up. After a couple of hours browsing your recipes I dicided to try this soup. I had to ask the produce guy what kale was and where to find it. Also, what the heck safron was. I made this soup and it is absolutely wonderful. A big hit at this house. Thank you for doing what you do. I will be trying another one soon. 🙂
Teresa RO
This is absolutely DIVINE! My vegan husband and I were a little gunshy on this…but I am so glad I made it anyway. It really is an amazing blend of spices so that no one ingredient steals the show! Soooo good. Thank you! You are a cooking genius! (FYI: I made this thanks to your FB post.) I have since shared it with my Facebook pals.
C
Wow. This was my first time ever using kale and I can't believe what I have been missing.
This recipe was so delicious. I was out of carrots, so I subbed in a diced sweet potato, which went fine.
I also served this with two wedges of lemon and sprinkled some juice on while I ate. With the seasoning combo it went beautifully.
Thanks!
yodoc
I hate to be the bearer of bad news – but this soup did a number on my digestive system. I have tried several recipes from this site with great success – but this one was a flop for me… maybe it was just too healthy or maybe it is because kale is not one of my favorite greens… maybe I should try it with spinach…
I do agree with everyone that is smelled Great while cooking – but I found it bland tasting and overpowering in the kale department…
Theresa Newton
This is a great soup! The entire family loved it, including all three of our boys: 13 years old, 11 years old, and 2! (The toddler had some issues chewing the kale, but other than that, slurped it up!)
Carrie
I am so in love with this soup. I ate it all the way through my pregnancy, it is such a powerhouse of everything that is good for you. I tend to increase the spices a little, but I love the combination of flavours in this recipe. If you’re using canned chickpeas (as I do) just make sure you rinse them really well because not rinsing them properly is what will give you gas! Lol!
Bex
I really like this recipe – before this I have always tried to disguise kale in my food when I have eaten it, but I even found myself having leftovers of this for breakfast. Delicious.
Jon
Hi. Just made this for the first time and pleased with the results. I’m not a vegetarian, but do tend to go light on meat. I was looking for another Kale recipe to use up some accumulating from our CSA plan. I think I’ll add this to our recipe list for using up Kale. Only substitutions were garlic scapes for the garlic, chicken stock for the vegetable stock and turmeric for saffron.
braelin
I’ve been making this soup regularly since you first posted it and it is one of my FAVORITE soups- also, it was my first experience with saffron (and boy is it worth it)! Thanks so much for this recipe.
Katryn
Hello,
Do you have any suggestions for a grain (and how much) that might go well in this soup? It looks delicious and I plan on making.
SusanV
I think just about any grain would work, though something with a chewier texture like barley would probably be best. But I can see adding quinoa or brown rice to it with no problem. Hope you enjoy it! It’s one of my favorite soups, one I make often.
JesseLee
saffron is incredibly expensive do you have any suggestions for a spice that would be similar to it that isn’t quite as pricey?
SusanV
There’s no good replacement for saffron, so I recommend just leaving it out. There are enough other spices in the soup for most people, but if you want more flavor, you can always increase the other seasonings.
Jessica
I know this post is not new, but in case anyone is wondering, I’ve found saffron at Trader Joes to be far more affordable (under $10) than other grocery stores.
Gail
I made this tonight and subbed a couple of things because my kids were helping and they like to have a say 🙂 we threw in a 1/2 cup quinoa, sweet corn, added mushroom, added yukon gold potatoes sliced into coins and also used curry powder rather than chili powder bcz my kids don’t care for the chili taste but love curry… also used “chicken” broth fat free along with veg broth … no onion 🙂 no saffron bcz we couldn’t find it at the regular grocer but will get some for next time at the kitchen specialty store … amazing they LOVED it and ate it up … very easy to make on the fly 🙂
THanks so much a real winner!!!!
Teresa
Wow. Just wow. I made this soup as an introduction to kale – I know, I’m a crazy heretic for never before eating kale – and I LOVE it. And as Registered Dietitian, it’s crazy healthy as well, which I totally appreciate.
Seriously, one of the best soups I’ve ever eaten in my entire life. THANK YOU!
heart n soul
Hi Susan, do you think lemon juice, (or tomato puree), would go with this soup? Thank you
SusanV
I can imagine adding a little lemon juice toward the end. Tomato puree would really change the character of the soup, though I think it would be good in its own way.
Ollie
Just made this, it’s brilliant! Thanks so much! Was just on facebook before making dinner, half wondering what to have, thinking of doing something with chickpeas, when this beauty of a recipe simmered into my consciousness!
Kiasa Carini
My MIL made us this soup when she came to help us after the birth of our second baby. It is now rotated into our weekly menus on a regular basis. We really, really love it. Such a great combo of spices. I know this is a vegan site, but I always have chicken broth on hand so use that instead of the veggie broth. And I’ve shared the recipe with many friends who have tried and loved it as well. Thank you!
Lori
WOWWWW!! This is soooo good. Thank you!
(Mostly) Healthy Mom
Just made this late last night for tonight’s dinner, and the taste I had was delicious! I added a 1/2 cup of barley, and it gave the soup a great bite. I’m really hoping my 15 month old will like it too… Thanks for the great recipe!
Carli
Wow. Just wow. I am in love with this soup. Made it tonight, followed the recipe exactly, and it is divine. Especially loving how it’s packed with nutrition. A very unique flavor. Thank you!!!
Ash
Hi, cool recipe. I am a non vegetarian. but I eat non veg at the max once a week. Things have changed now and I feel really good when we make yummy and delicious new recipes . This looks interesting. I will try it.
Healthy eating and weight control are my focus points and my passion. I will take what ever to keep me in health and fit be it supplements or a diet that are very natural from plant origin.
we commonly use spinach in a similar recipe.
Kelli
Love, LOVE this soup. My husband is not so crazy about some of the healthier foods I make, but he gobbled this down, and requested it again last week. So I’m doubling the recipe tonight and am going to try to freeze some. Has anyone tried this? Thanks for the recipe – truly delish! Healthy happiness in a bowl…..
danielle
Such a yummy soup! Hits the spot after all that holiday junk 😉
Bette
The spicing is delicious! My kitchen smelled as good as the soup tasted. I made enough for left-overs and was glad I did. Serving it again, I threw in some raisins. They were wonderful, added a bit more excitement to the soup. Thanks for the great recipe.
Foodeater
Have had this bookmarked since you first posted it, finally got a chance to make it (had to save up to splurge on saffron!). Wow, so good! Even my omni, meat-lover boyfriend asked for seconds! Many thanks for sharing… this one’s a keeper.
Sarah
Hmm, I was going to make something else with the kale I have in my fridge but I’m throwing that plan out the window after reading this recipe and comments! Thanks Susan!
Sharlene
This is now my favorite soup, one I’m sharing with everyone. I’d never even heard of kale until it appeared in my csa box and didn’t have a clue as to what to do with it; internet searching lead me to this wonderful recipe. While I’ve tried kale in other recipes (all of which are very good), I keep returning to this spectacular soup. Thank you!!
Get Skinny, Go Vegan.
I love that your recipes are so EASY!!! This is a truly a testament that Vegan food can be very fast, very yummy, and very cheap. While I think all the packaged vegan foods are great during transitions, and for the animals, I like that your recipes are very basic. There’s no reason not to eat great everyday!
DS
Excellent recipe and very easy. I added some small potatoes and pasta just to have a little more starch in there. Squeezed a little lemon juice towards the end. It was a big hit!
Alyssa
I made this because I had a giant bag of pre-chopped kale that was going south fast, and I was surprised how amazing it is! This becomes even simpler if you have use taco seasoning for the first few spices (trader joe’s taco seasoning is pretty much cumin, paprika, and chili powder).
paula jean demeo
This was the second recipe i have tried and i am already a fan! You sure do know what you are doing!
3 weeks ago I decided that one night a week I would cook a meatless meal for my husband and I. The first meal was your spinach and artichoke heart pie! It was so amazing! So, i was not surprised when this recipe was spot on too!!! The flavors were perfect and it was hearty enough for a meal. I paired it with wheatbread and a horseradish butter spread! fabulous!!!!!!! thanks again!!!!
atlanta woman
I liked this soup, i had to use up a bag of chopped washed mustard greens so that was my first sub. Then i added sliced button mushrooms for a meaty bite. Thanks, this was good and comforting, uber healthy.
Liane Blanco
Actually, mustard greens sound pretty good to me too!
MIA
Just finished making this for the first time & it turned out delicious! I left out the saffron, as I’m not fond of it. I also added half a cup of quinoa (uncooked) when the kale was added as it just seemed to fit and would make it even more of a meal. It is really delicious and filling. I think it could even have handled a full cup of quinoa! Mmmmm…
Suzanne
I planted kale for the first time in my garden and it absolutely exploded and took over. I’ve been looking for recipes that are freezable and this did the trick. It was easy, smelled delicious, and had a hearty yet light taste. I didn’t have all the spices called for, so I used Chinese Five Spice powder, along with the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cumin, and ginger. It was delightful, and is now in my freezer awaiting the cold of winter.
Michelle B
I wanted to make something for a lunch meeting later today. This soup sounds perfect, especially because I have loads of kale in my garden. It’s simmering on the stove now and it smells DIVINE! Thank you so much for this recipe.
Julie & Marty
This smelled wonderful and was very tasty. Maybe I put in too much kale though. The leftovers will be even more flavorful, I believe.
Ana
The saffron probably makes it delicious, but I didn’t have any and used turmeric instead. I also put in 1/2 cup of quinoa. The flavor was absolutely incredible.
Amy
Delicious soup. I cut the kale down to about 3 cups, and didn’t need the extra water, since I have a tough time digesting too many greens. It still came out great!
Lori Lynn
I have loved your site since my husband and I went vegan in June of 2011. My success rate with your recipes far exceeds that with any of my dozen vegan cookbooks.
This is my first attempt at trying kale and thanks to this delicious and wonderful recipe, I am now a kale fan. I made it exactly per directions. I am still not crazy about chickpeas, but this soup is so good that I hardly notice them anyway. I have a feeling this recipe will make it onto our regular dinner rotation menu. Thanks for this recipe and thanks for this site!
Robyn
Eating it now and it is very delish! I need to buy saffron because I do not have any and I had no stock so I used miso paste so I did make a few changes, but still really good. Thanks!
drmomwhohs
made this tonight (though I only had white beans and fresh spinach…) and it is amazing – the flavors are just wonderful! thank you! 🙂
lisa
This was really really nice. My husband asked to add rice next time (even though I added some of the quinoa) BUT, as is… it brought me back to the trip I took to Morocco a few years ago. Good call.
Mia J
This is possibly my favorite soup of all time, and I am a soup fiend. That is all.
Sue Baker
This soup is delicious. It will also become one of our favorites.
Adeline
Hi!
I really need to thank you for all your work on this site. Every one of your recipes that I have made are delicious, and I especially love the smoked spices you suggest, they really make a huge difference in taste. One thing I notice with the soups, is that your serving sizes seem especially large. Am I adding too much? It seems like my 6 quart Lodge Dutch oven (looks to be the same one in your okra sweet potato recipe) is about 3/4 or so full when I am done. Is that about right- serving sizes are about 2+ cups? Thanks.
Susan Voisin
Hi Adeline, I use large soup bowls and serve soups as the main dish (often the only dish of a one-pot meal), so 2 cups per serving is probably about right. I like the soups fairly thick and don’t add too much extra water or broth.
Maria
Oh, Susan! I just made this soup for the first time and I proceeded to STUFF myself. Exotic spices but not over spiced. And I didn’t expect to be able to taste the saffron in all that other stuff, but it really does add an unexpected delight. This is about to be a standard go-to. Easy and sooo delish! Especially now that saffron has been added to my pantry. Thanks again!
Christina
WOW! This soup was amazing! Made two pots last week and going to make again this week! Didn’t change anything in the recipe. One person here commented it was flat tasting??? Try adding salt. Veggie broth can be very low in sodium depending which one you buy and salt is a must as long as your’re not trying to cut back.
Susan, I can’t tell you how much this blog has helped me become vegan. Every recipe I’ve made from here has been fantastic! Keep up the fantastic job you do here you are a wiz in the kitchen!! Thank you!
Maryanne
I must admit, i was a bit unsure about this recipe…had most of the ingredients in my fridge and wanted to make something easy for a rainy sunday afternoon. I eased on the veggie stock (sodium) and mixed in more water. Loved the ease of making, and even involved my little 4yr old in the cooking. Apart from a slight bitter after taste in the soup, invented the éat while you dance’ strategy and she managed to finished all her soup.
Shawn Wells
Thank you for your hardwork in writing down all your recipes and actually keeping track of amounts etc., I am from the the nothing ever turns out the same twice school of cooking because I am too lazy to follow a recipe or write it down. I admire your dedication!
Abra
This was so delicious. I thought about it early enough where I had enough time to use dried garbanzos. I did use kale but I also used chard as I didn’t think it equaled eight cups. (as you can tell I’m not so hot with the measuring ). It went really well with matzah. So, this is perfect for a meal during Passover.
Brenda
Amazing! Kale is my new favorite vegetable and I’ve been working my way through your kale recipes. The kale and tofu scramble and this soup are both really delicious. Thanks!
chamaeleonsky
i love this recipe so much but I’m really not feeling a hot soup in the summer. Any suggestions on how to modify it for summer cooking? Would leaving out the broth still be good? I feel like a lot of flavor is in the broth and doesn’t get terribly soaked up!
Maria
Hi ! 🙂
I left a Facebook comment today about this soup.. I made it with lentils instead of chickpeas and added dried porcini mushrooms and porcini powder too. It all went into my Tefal Soup & Co blender and was done in 35 min’s. Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
Julie
Oh my goodness! Made this tonight and it is incredible!!! This may just become my go to cool weather soup. I added the quinoa, but didn’t have saffron. It is still heavenly! Can’t wait to make it again with saffron. Thanks for sharing.
heidiknow
If you use a commercial vegetable broth, what brand do you find the best? I’m thinking this would make a big difference in the outcome of the soup? There are so many kinds and the prices vary a lot.
Thanks! I’m looking forward to trying this.
Susan Voisin
I use two kinds: Imagine’s No-Chicken broth in the liter container and Edward & Sons’ Not Chick’n bouillon cubes. Both of these taste better to me than any of the strictly vegetable broths.
Heidi
Thanks Susan.
I can’t recall seeing those in the store, but I will look for them.
I love your recipes! You’ve become the go-to website when I am looking for something new to try.
Christin
Seriously, this is the best soup I have ever had. I was excited to find a soup that had greens in it, not your typical root vegetables as the main ingredient! I didn’t have chic peas so I replaced them with butter beans (and was out of saffron). Next time, I’ll try it with the chic peas. A scrumptous surprise!!!
Arlinda
Super delicious even without saffron! I didn’t have any and am definitley planning on making this again with some.
Jennifer
Love the crockery and the stunning fresh colours- this dish is screaming ‘eat me!’
Many thanks
Jennifer
Liane Blanco
Susan, can you be more specific as to “generous pinch?” I’m going to order a gram of saffron – how many “pinches” do you think would be in a gram? This stuff is pricey!
Susan Voisin
I get a lot of pinches out of my gram of saffron. I’ve never counted, but I would guess 15-20.
Allie
Such a delicious recipe. Perfect for winter. Cheers!
wendy
I made this last night and it is amazing! I can’t describe how yummy the broth is. Bravo!
Jenn
This soup was amazing! We could not stop eating it. It is so flavorful. Even the kids had two bowls. We can’t buy kale year round where I live only in Nov and Dec (counting down the days to eat a raw kale salad). I can buy frozen kale when it is in stock. So I’ve been trying to find great recipes to add the frozen kale to. This was perfect.
Elizabeth Handler
This looks delicious, and I just got some kale at the local farmers’ market. I think I’ll add barley instead of quinoa. I love the flavor of barley.
Nanners
Haha! I specifically clicked on this due to the “North African” as I was curious what about the soup would be North African! Anyway, sounds delish and I will give it a go 🙂
Dr.B.M.Sharma
I am 62 years old. I am to learn cooking also. So I am reading whatever is nutritious. I am from India. And Indians have typical food structure. I am moving towards Salads and Soups. So this brings richness in my life. Thanking you for promoting Foods and Health. May God Bless You With Joys and Progress.
a
Can u clarify the amount of time CANNED chickpeas need to be cooked? I followed your recipe exactly as written and my canned chickpeas fell apart and got mushy. It didn’t taste good at all. Have you yourself ever used canned chickpeas?
Susan Voisin
I always use canned chickpeas, and coincidentally I’m cooking this soup right now. Your canned chickpeas must be very different from mine because I’ve never had them get mushy in anything. In fact, they sometimes border on being too tough. I’m really sorry your soup came out bad, but please consider trying a different brand of chickpeas. Or, it could be that you just got a bad batch from a normally good brand. I’ve truly never heard of canned chickpeas getting mushy.
Aristolea
I made this stew with some of my variations tonight, looking for a veggie-heavy iron filled recipe for my roommate… It came out wonderfully! Even though I added some more things to it, the base recipe and inspiration was all you! Could never have done it without 🙂
I posted my recipe on Sparkpeople, but I linked back to here in the description so that everyone will know where it came from …. If you don’t want that, though, I can try to take it (the recipe) down.
Keep cooking!
Tammy D.
Thanks for another wonderful recipe, Susan! Made this to eat after the Super Bowl game tonight (congrats to the ‘Hawks!). Whole family loved it…nicely spiced and no need for added salt…even used the optional quinoa. Truly yummy (and I’m glad there is some left for my lunch at work this week!). 😀
Kate
I’m so glad I gave this recipe a try. This is one of our favorites. The only change I make now is to up the veggies and decrease the chickpeas so it’s more of an accompaniment rather than a meal on its own.
Robin
Susan,
Wow! This is delicious! What flavors! I did add some cooked quinoa after I made the soup, because I forgot to add it when it was cooking. This is great! I just had 2 bowls and plan to have more later!!! Thank you!!! (My Kale turns a dark green; I guess there is just a moment when it’s bright green.)
Robin
kdaberle
We made this last night. OMG it was DELICIOUS! And so simple. I did not have any quinoa (how could that happen?) so added a little couscous, but besides that teeny change I followed the recipe. Really, really good.
pgyx
Saw your post on Facebook and made this tonight. Delicious! Had planned to wait until I get bay leaves and saffron but I needed a dinner plan tonight and had everything else. I used pressure-cooked chickpeas so added extra salt to compensate and also used 1/2 tsp of cayenne. Otherwise followed the recipe, including 8 cups of kale. Could have used even more kale as your recipe suggests but I decided to use freshly blanched kale when we eat the leftovers tomorrow. Used Bryanna Clark Grogan’s homemade chicken-style veggie broth (recipe on her blog) for the first time with success.
Hubby loved it tho’ did ask for a spritz of lemon as he’s new to soups with sweeter spices like cinnamon & allspice. But by the end he was asking me what modifications I made to the recipe so he will know what to do when he makes it! Will definitely make again and next time add bay leaves & saffron as per your recipe!
If I run out of cinnamon sticks do you think I could substitute a very small amount of ground cinnamon?
Kath
WOW….is all I’m going to say!
Regina
I made this following the recipe exactly, and it’s amazing. The only deviation I made, wasn’t really a deviation: I used Lacinato Kale, because that’s my favorite variety and I always have it on hand. My 11 year old son loved this soup as well.
Judy
It has taken me to long to write this but I have been making this soup at least once a month for over a year now. It is my husbands and my favorite soup. The only thing I’ve changed is I put fresh minced ginger in it (lots of it!)
Thankyou for this AWSOME recipe
Judy D
debbie
This is such a favorite… I’ve been following you for years and enjoy many of your recipes, but since I make this one like every other week, I felt I finally needed to thank you personally!!! thank you!!! I’m so grateful :o)
Dorothy Bevill
You see and feel the good coming in with every spoonful! Found saffron inexpensively in the Latin American section!
Kenna
This is an amazing recipe! I’ve made it many times and now that the weather is warmer, I cut the carrots out and turned it into a salad with barley and quinoa. So good and filling! My picky eater loves it too!