120 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Garlic Garbanzo Soup

For thousands of years, from Hippocrates to Chinese medicine, garlic has been credited with medicinal properties — boosting the immune system by being antiviral, anti-fungal and antibacterial, and reducing inflammation. It has also been credited with reducing cholesterol; is a good antioxidant; detoxifies the body; and best of all, it’s delicious.

On the other hand, ayurveda recommends minimal use of garlic mainly because excessive consumption produces too much heat in the body, which in turn can make us irritable and drain our energy.

However, at a time when we are preparing for a possible onslaught on our immune system, a small cup of garlic soup a day may be just what we need.

On the other hand, ayurveda recommends minimal use of garlic mainly because excessive consumption produces too much heat in the body, which in turn can make us irritable and drain our energy.

However, at a time when we are preparing for a possible onslaught on our immune system, a small cup of garlic soup a day may be just what we need.

Share this recipe

Cook Time

120 Minutes

Serves

4

Directions

Step 1

Soak the garbanzo beans for 3 to 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. They should double in size.

Step 2

Drain the water, combine with 4 cups of fresh water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer until they are completely soft and almost falling apart. Depending on the quality of the beans, this may take from 45 minutes to over an hour.

Step 3

In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil with garlic cloves. The garlic will turn golden brown. Lower the heat and continue cooking for another minute.

Step 4

Add the cumin seeds; they will pop and sizzle. Immediately add the chile powder and celery and fry for a minute, then add to the soup. If the soup has become dry, add 1 to 2 cups of water.

Step 5

Add the tomatoes, fenugreek, and salt and bring the mixture to a boil; lower the heat and continue cooking for another 30 minutes until the garlic is soft.

Step 6

Turn the heat off and let the soup rest for 20 to 30 minutes. The consistency of the soup is best if it is slightly watery and not too thick.

Step 7

Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.

Notes & Variations

When adding chile, be careful the oil is not too hot. It should color the oil but not burn — burned chile can contribute a bitter flavor to the soup.
To make the soup more substantial, add 2 chicken legs when cooking the beans — remove the meat from the bone and add it back to the soup.
To make a creamier version, add 1/2 cup of heavy cream or coconut milk.
Replace garbanzo beans with white navy beans or red beans.

Ingredients

1/3 cup dry garbanzo beans

5 tablespoons olive oil

20 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon chile powder

1 celery stalk, minced

1 cup canned, chopped tomatoes (or 2 cups fresh)

1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves

1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Chopped herbs for garnish such as mint, cilantro, or thyme

Step 1

Soak the garbanzo beans for 3 to 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. They should double in size.

Step 2

Step 3

In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil with garlic cloves. The garlic will turn golden brown. Lower the heat and continue cooking for another minute.

Step 4

Add the cumin seeds; they will pop and sizzle. Immediately add the chile powder and celery and fry for a minute, then add to the soup. If the soup has become dry, add 1 to 2 cups of water.

Step 5

Add the tomatoes, fenugreek, and salt and bring the mixture to a boil; lower the heat and continue cooking for another 30 minutes until the garlic is soft.

Step 6

Turn the heat off and let the soup rest for 20 to 30 minutes. The consistency of the soup is best if it is slightly watery and not too thick.

Step 7

Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.

1/3 cup dry garbanzo beans

5 tablespoons olive oil

20 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon chile powder

1 celery stalk, minced

1 cup canned, chopped tomatoes (or 2 cups fresh)

1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves

1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Chopped herbs for garnish such as mint, cilantro, or thyme

Notes & Variations

When adding chile, be careful the oil is not too hot. It should color the oil but not burn — burned chile can contribute a bitter flavor to the soup.
To make the soup more substantial, add 2 chicken legs when cooking the beans — remove the meat from the bone and add it back to the soup.
To make a creamier version, add 1/2 cup of heavy cream or coconut milk.
Replace garbanzo beans with white navy beans or red beans.

Tags:

120 Min

Tags:

120 Min

Garbanzo beans are our kind of beans.

Have some more by making the tasty recipes below!

BEANS BEANS AND MORE BEANS

Garbanzo Chaat Salad

Garbanzo Mushroom Meat Curry

90 Min

DF

GF

V

Almond Soup

Many years ago, I enjoyed a delicious chilled almond soup, ajoblanco, native to Spain, at a wonderful restaurant called Feast in Houston. The dish was garnished with a drizzle of good olive oil, sliced grapes and was delicious to the last spoonful. Ajoblanco is often called white gazpacho and predates its more popular tomato version, since tomatoes did not arrive in Spain until the time of Columbus. The classic version is made with slices of white bread pureed with almonds. Preferring my bread warm, grainy, toasted and slathered in butter, I use plain white rice as the thickener here. The quality of rice will not matter, as it will all get pureed in the end. The addition of aromatic cardamom to the base balanced the garlic, and a pop of mustard seeds and kari leaves was the final flourish. If you can find Spanish Marcona almonds, the soup will be even more delicious.

20 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Chilled Heirloom Tomato Soup

When heirloom tomatoes are in full bloom, this chilled raw soup is the delicious epitome of a hot summer. I’ve omitted the onion, switched out garlic for ginger; the soup takes minutes to make. The color of the tomatoes will deeply affect the color of the soup, so pick the reddest ripe tomatoes you can.

35 Min

GF

NF

Broccoli Soup

Here is a soup that elevates the vegetable to an elegant course, perfect when served with a holiday dinner.

60 Min

GF

NF

Buttermilk Soup

This soup is eaten more like a curry with rice. There are umpteen variations: some made with tomato, tamarind, coconut milk or buttermilk. It is usually eaten during summer months for lunch.

90 Min

GF

NF

Butternut Squash Soup

This soup, with a spice infusion and a pop thrown in for good measure, is soul satisfying in the middle of a cold winter!

55 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Carrot Soup

This smooth and creamy soup is supremely simple to make as we drift into the autumn season. If you do not have asafetida, which is a natural spice that mimics the flavor of onions and garlic, slice a few cloves of garlic instead.

45 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Cauliflower Soup

This soup is creamy enough to pass off as a luxurious indulgent soup even though it is entirely plant based. Use roasted carrots instead of butternut or keep it really simple and top it off with pomegranate seeds. Instead of almonds, use cashews or hazelnuts – it’s delicious either way.

180 Min

NF

Coastal Chicken Soup

Here is a soup inspired by the coast of Kerala using cardamom and black pepper native to that region.

90 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Heirloom Tomato Soup

A few small spoons of aromatic spices elevate the soup; the cardamom adds a sweet aroma and the coriander a lemony flavor to accentuate the tomato. Enjoy it warm or chilled.

60 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Fennel Soup

Fennel fronds (the skinny stems with tiny leaves on top of the bulbs) can often be toothsome and chewy if eaten raw. In this soup, we cook them down to a soft, deeply flavorful finish and garnish the bowl with finely chopped fronds.

75 Min

GF

NF

Rustic Okra Soup

Roasting okra in the oven at high heat preserves its integrity and flavor without turning it slimy. This yogurt soup is an adaptation of the classic Punjabi kadhi, usually eaten with rice — the chickpea flour is the binder that keeps the yogurt from “breaking,” and turns it viscous and creamy.

90 Min

GF

NF

Spinach Yogurt Soup

A classic idea rooted in Indian techniques, the chickpea flour acts as a binder for the yogurt and also prevents it from ‘breaking’. The pureed spinach adds an herby and fresh flavor to the soup.

75 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Black Eyed Pea Soup

Drizzled on this good-luck black-eyed pea soup, a single-origin olive oil with strong notes of fruitiness, bitterness and pungency beautifully complements the sweetness of the cardamom, cinnamon, and carrots.

45 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Moringa Mango Lentil Soup

This soup uses moringa in the traditional Indian way, stewed in a soup. The mango adds a nice contrast of sweetness to the savory soup.

60 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Skinny Dal Soup

The broth like soup will absorb and enhance any flavor you put into it – so use what you have and enjoy it as a light dinner or with some rice on the side.

45 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Turmeric Soup

This is a healing and nourishing soup that can be enjoyed as a first course, or in accompaniment with khichri.

60 Min

GF

NF

Yellow Beet Soup

My favorite way to cook beets is to combine them with a small amount of lentils, which helps balance the flavors. This soup also works well as a sauce for grilled portobello mushrooms or fish.

45 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Asparagus Soup

Best made in spring when asparagus and fennel are in season, this soup is creamy with the simple addition of sesame seeds.

120 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Garlic Garbanzo Soup

When we are preparing for a possible onslaught on our immune system, a small cup of garlic soup a day may be just what we need.

60 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Golden Beet Soup

Given the cold weather, I decided to make a warming soup with the golden beets and, on a hunch, instead of the perfunctory turmeric, added saffron threads and sesame seeds to the broth, with delicious results.

60 Min

GF

V

Red Beet Soup

This soup is satisfying on its own, topped with your favorite melting cheese, or even as a sauce for grilled fish.

60 Min

DF

GF

NF

Shrimp Mango Soup

Here is a delicious South Indian inspired shrimp soup with mango, a fruit much more likely to show up in savory foods in India. Enjoy it on its own or with noodles or rice.

60 Min

GF

NF

Tamarind Soup

For most Sindhis, this tamarind fragrant soup, or Sindhi kadhi, as it is called, is synonymous with a lazy Sunday afternoon lunch. Usually eaten with steamed rice and sweet laddus, this was one of my favorite memories of growing up in a traditional Sindhi household.

310 Min

GF

Wonderstock

It is easy to purchase chicken stock but once you make your own, you may never go back to boxed or canned stock. For homemade stock, one can use all the bones from chicken to oxtail to lamb. Your house will smell wonderful also!

70 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

7 Vegetable Stew

Every region eats different treats for Diwali from decadent meat curries, kebabs, & pilafs to sweet laddus, mithai and dried fruits. The Sindhis from the province of Sindh typically eat a 7 vegetable stew with pooris (fried balloon bread) and halwa.

45 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Autumn Stew

Here is a simple stew in which the sweetness of the yams balances nicely with the smokiness of coriander seeds and bitter fragrance of fenugreek leaves. It can either be enjoyed with rice or bread or on its own as a soup. Either way, it’s a heartwarming way to welcome autumn.

DF

GF

NF

V

Buckeye Bean Stew

A bean native to the United States, the yellow buckeye bean is extremely creamy, more like a classic turtle bean than anything else. Thought to be originally from Montana, it’s dense without being too intense in flavor.

60 Min

GF

NF

Diwali Vegetable Stew

Diwali is the time for indulgence and this stew with a rich base of ghee and chickpea flour provides just that.

60 Min

GF

NF

Kerala Stew

The fragrant coconut stews of Kerala are especially transporting and legendary — and we can create the same flavors in Houston with seasonal local vegetables.

95 Min

GF

NF

Malabar Mushroom Stew

This stew is a cross between a vindaloo and a xacuti (pronounced “shakuti”), both of which are fiery meat stews traditionally made with pork.

120 Min

GF

NF

Mushroom & Bean Stew

Try this stew using chestnut mushrooms and serve it with warm toasted sourdough bread. If you do not have garam masala — an aromatic finishing spice blend native to Indian cuisine — add a varying combination of ground cinnamon, cardamom, clove and nutmeg or mace.

DF

GF

NF

V

Mushroom Minestrone

In many versions of this soup, the beans are what create the magic in the minestrone, however, do use this recipe as a guide when making your own. Given the enormous popularity of new mushrooms on the market, try using your choice of mushrooms.

45 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

South Indian Vegetable Stew

Every home in South India has its own version of a vegetable coconut stew. Here is one using the bounty of spring vegetables but feel free to substitute different vegetables to suit the season.

120 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Spring White Bean Asparagus Stew

This stew can be made with so many different root vegetables like potatoes, turnips, yellow beets and instead of asparagus, use fennel, kale, or spinach.

120 Min

GF

V

Biryani

Biryani usually starts with marinated meat, chicken, vegetables, or beans slow cooked with warm spices, onions, garlic, and ginger to make a base masala. Tomatoes, yogurt, or coconut can be added next. On the lighter side, one can forego the onion masala and make a vibrant fragrant green herb masala, like a salsa verde or pesto (minus the cheese) for quick cooking seafood or vegetable biryanis. Rice is usually prepared separately, and can be cooked in stock or just plain water – saffron and/or warm spices like a large stick of cinnamon, mace flowers, or bay leaves can be added to the rice. I usually cook the rice with oil rather than ghee or butter as the oil facilitates the flakiness of the rice and prevents it from getting sticky. It is best to make the rice last as freshly cooked hot rice is placed over the base masala topped with nuts and dry fruits, tightly sealed, and allowed to rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes for all the flavors to meld. Here is a recipe for a simple garbanzo and vegetable biryani that can be easily adapted to the addition of meat.

120 Min

Cauliflower Bread Pudding

It’s decadent, deeply satisfying and well worth the time it takes to prepare.

120 Min

DF

GF

V

Channa Fry

These make a great snack just on their own, warm or cold.

120 Min

DF

GF

V

Chickpea Sundal Salad

India is a land of snacks — from crunchy, addictive, savory, nut-filled chevdas to tingly, glorious street foods such as chaats. Some of the snacks can be transformed into cold salads — and this summer, I am on a path of discovery. I ate a warm sundal, a traditional South Indian salad made with chickpeas, coconut and mild spices once in a restaurant in New Delhi, and the memory has haunted me ever since. Sundal can be served warm, cold or at room temperature, and it makes for the most satisfying midday or late-night snack. Staying true to my tradition of turning most foods into carriers for vegetables, here I threw in tiny local ‘Sun Gold’ tomatoes and purple cabbage — but feel free to add diced cherry or large heirloom tomatoes.

120 Min

GF

NF

Chole

Chole has many regional variations but is usually prepared with white garbanzos. Here is our rendition from the northern state of Punjab, using iron rich garbanzo beans!

60 Min

DF

GF

V

Farmer's Pie

This is a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. It’s hearty, vegetable-filled and a delicious comfort food to warm up a cold day.

120 Min

GF

Garbanzo Chaat Salad

The garbanzo beans are seasoned to a spicy richness with cumin, black pepper, ginger and asafetida and then added to the salad.

30 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Garbanzo Kale Pilaf

This pilaf can make a great meal on its own with just some plain yogurt on the side and also tasted great the next day.

30 Min

GF

V

Garbanzo Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps are essentially a delicious and nutritious vessel for fillings and are far more satisfying than salads - especially in the summer, when the heat in our bodies helps us digest raw foods.

60 Min

GF

NF

Garbanzo Mushroom Meat Curry

The curry takes the flavors of meat be it lamb, beef, chicken or turkey and multiplies it with the rest of the ingredients. Use it to spoon over toast, tortillas, rotis or over rice.

25 Min

DF

NF

V

Garbanzo Stuffed Paratha

Stuffed parathas are the stuff of breakfast dreams for North Indians – Punjabis love the cauliflower and daikon stuffing, the Sindhis love the potato and lentil.

45 Min

DF

GF

V

Garbanzo Vegetable Stew

Given how delicious they are, there are dozens of ways to cook garbanzo beans ~ this is a simple yet delicious recipe and the leftovers will taste even better.

20 Min

DF

GF

V

Green Garbanzo Bean Salad

In season through the spring, fresh green garbanzo beans are tender, bright green, cook in minutes and shockingly delicious.

120 Min

GF

NF

Lamb Garbanzo Stew

This is a perfect make ahead stew — tastes even better the next day! Lamb may be replaced with beef or venison. It is delicious when served with rice or crusty warm slices of bread.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Stuffed Mushrooms

These baked caps can be served as an appetizer, side or a small lunch with a salad.

90 Min

DF

GF

V

Almond Soup

20 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Chilled Heirloom Tomato Soup

35 Min

GF

NF

Broccoli Soup

Here is a soup that elevates the vegetable to an elegant course, perfect when served with a holiday dinner.

60 Min

GF

NF

Buttermilk Soup

This soup is eaten more like a curry with rice. There are umpteen variations: some made with tomato, tamarind, coconut milk or buttermilk. It is usually eaten during summer months for lunch.

90 Min

GF

NF

Butternut Squash Soup

This soup, with a spice infusion and a pop thrown in for good measure, is soul satisfying in the middle of a cold winter!

Drinks

Drinks

Hot Drinks

Cold Drinks

Cocktails

Condiments

Condiments

Raita

Chutneys

Pickles

Masala

Grains

Grains

Buckwheat

Khichri

Millet

Noodles

Quinoa

Rice

Whole Grains

Dough

Dough

Roti

Paratha

Naan

Bread

Crackers

Pizza

Batter

Batter

Dosas

Pancakes

Crepes

Savory Baked

Savory Baked

Biscuits

Bread Pudding

Soups

Soups

Light Soup

Creamy Soup

Dal Soup

Stews

Cold Soup

Snacks

Snacks

Chaat

Spreads

Fried Snacks

Nosh

Legumes

Legumes

Dal

Beans

Salads

Salads

Veg Salads

Non-Veg Salads

Land & Sea

Land & Sea

Eggs

Birds

Meat

Fish

Shellfish

Paneer

Paneer

Paneer

Vegetables

Vegetables

Sabzi

Potatoes

Mushrooms

Eggplants

Cauliflower

Squashes

Root Vegetables

Vegetable Curries

Green Vegetables

Okra