Tomato Chickpea Soup (Instant Pot and Stovetop Options)

Name: Tomato Chickpea Soup (Instant Pot and Stovetop)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cans no-salt added diced tomatoes; 1 can no-salt added chickpeas (drained and rinsed); 1 can no-salt added red kidney beans (drained and rinsed); 1 cup no-salt added vegetable broth; 1/4 cup tahini; 1 medium-sized onion (chopped); 3 cloves garlic (pressed or chopped); 2 Thai peppers (chopped with seeds); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

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Tomato Chickpea Soup is thick and creamy with a spicy kick and lots of fibre and plant-based protein. It's gluten-free and vegan, and comes together in just 30 minutes using the Instant Pot and some pantry staples. (Stovetop instructions are also included in the recipe).

This post was originally published in February 2018. It has been updated with new photos and text, including helpful tips for readers and stovetop instructions. The recipe remains the same.

Overhead view of bowls of Tomato Chickpea Soup on a brown wooden surface.

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And, just like that, it's the dead of winter around here. A month ago, I was certain we were going to have a green Christmas. Apparently, I had nothing to worry about. Since Christmas Eve, we've had about 100 centimetres of snow! While I love a white Christmas, it's a bit much now.

At least it's comfort food season.

And this warm and cozy tomato soup is a go-to for me every winter. But it's not your typical tomato soup recipe. It's spicy and smokey, and tastes more like a hearty bowl of chili than a soup.

Why you'll love this soup recipe

It's made with pantry staples such as canned tomatoes, chickpeas and kidney beans.
If you're looking to increase your daily fibre intake, this soup has you covered.
It's quick and easy. Just 30 minutes and you have a homemade tomato soup on the table.
There's no milk or cream used. It's completely vegan, thickened with just chickpeas, beans and tahini.
If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can easily make this soup on the stovetop, it will just take a little longer.

Ingredients

Canned tomatoes
Canned chickpeas
Canned red kidney beans
Veggie broth
Tahini
Chopped onion
Chopped or minced garlic
Chopped Thai peppers (with seeds)
Smoked paprika
Salt and pepper

How to make tomato soup with canned tomatoes

Instant Pot method:

Drain and rinse your chickpeas and beans. Add all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot and stir together. Lock the lid in place, seal the valve and set to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. (It will take about 10 minutes for pressure to build).
When the timer goes off, quick release the pressure. Purée using a handheld or stand blender.

Stovetop method:

Drain and rinse your chickpeas and beans. Add all of the ingredients to a large pot, stir together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 25-30 minutes. (You will need to stir the mixture occasionally to ensure it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pot).
Purée using a handheld or stand blender.

Overhead view of Tomato Chickpea Soup cooked in the Instant Pot.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to prepare tomato soup in the Instant Pot vs the stovetop?

The soup will take about 30 minutes in the Instant Pot. This includes prep and purée time, as well as 10 minutes for pressure to build, 5 minutes to cook and 5 minutes for quick release of pressure. The soup will take about 45 minutes on the stovetop, including 5 minutes to bring it to boil, 30 minutes to cook plus prep and purée time.

How long does this soup last?

Store any leftover soup in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator. If stored properly, it should last for about a week.

Can you freeze it?

Yes, since the soup doesn't contain dairy, which tends to separate in frozen soups, you can freeze and re-heat this soup. Just wait for it to cool in the refrigerator, then place the desired amount in freezer safe containers (leaving enough room at the top for the soup to expand) and place in the freezer. It should last for about 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before re-heating.

How do you re-heat any leftover soup?

This soup can be re-heated in a sauce pan on the stovetop or in the microwave. The soup will thicken in the refrigerator, so before re-heating leftovers, you may wish to add some water or broth. Frozen soup, however, may be a little watery so you likely won't need to add any water or broth before re-heating.

Overhead view of Tomato Chickpea Soup being pureed with a handheld blender in the Instant Pot.

Recipe tips

This recipe calls for no salt added vegetable broth. You can also use a regular or reduced-sodium broth, but you may wish to reduce the amount of salt you add to the soup. You can also use chicken broth if you don't need this soup to be vegan or vegetarian.
The Thai chilis make this soup spicy. If you don't like spicy food, you can reduce the amount of chilis, use the chilis without seeds or leave them out altogether. This will change the taste of the soup to a more smokey flavor as the smoked paprika will be more pronounced.
Speaking of smoked paprika, make sure you're using smoked paprika and not regular paprika. The two look similar but they taste very different.
I used a handheld immersion blender to purée the soup, but you can also use a traditional stand blender. You will just need to purée the soup in batches. If you don't have a heat proof blender, just let the soup cool before transferring it to the blender to purée. You'll also need to re-heat the soup before serving.
This soup is thick. If you prefer your puréed soups a little thinner, just add some more broth.
To keep this soup gluten-free, make sure your canned beans, chickpeas, broth and spices are certified gluten-free.

Tomato Chickpea Soup in black bowls and topped with crispy chickpeas.

Ways to garnish

Add a handful of crispy chickpeas.
Sprinkle on some savory granola.
Massage some arugula with extra virgin olive olive and serve on top.
For a non-vegan soup, add some grated parmesan or cheddar.

More comfort food soups

Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is gluten-free and dairy-free and comes together in less than an hour in your pressure cooker.
Chicken Fajita Soup with White Beans has all the flavor of a fajita with spicy chicken, peppers and onions. It's also loaded with white beans for extra fibre and protein.
Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup is ultra creamy with a sweet and smokey flavor, crushed red pepper flakes and a hint of coconut.
Dairy-Free Seafood Chowder is thick and creamy with plenty of shrimp, scallops and salmon. Puréed cashews are the secret to keeping this chowder dairy-free.