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Chickpea Rice and Kale Soup

Feb 20, 2013 · by Katie Koteen · This post may contain affiliate links · 31 Comments · Modified: Apr 10, 2018

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Post updated: January 9, 2016

This Chickpea, Rice and Kale Soup is one of my winter favorites from Isa Chandra Moskowitz. If you haven’t been to her site, it’s a prolific collection of tried and true vegan recipes, most of which you won’t find in her cookbooks.

Our Favorite

Isa Does It by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

This post contains affiliate links.

Chickpea Rice and Kale Soup this recipe

But back to the soup, it’s easy to make, gluten-free and oh-so-creamy with a touch of blended cashews. I made a few edits to her original — more kale and carrots, and you can make it your own. Just about any hearty green can substitute for the kale, any root veggies are also an easy swap for the carrots.

Chickpea Rice and Kale Soup

If you don’t have fresh rosemary on-hand,  1 tsp. of dried will substitute nicely.

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Chickpea, Rice and Kale Soup

5 from 10 reviews
  • Author: Isa Chandra Moskowitz
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
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Ingredients

Scale
  • ¾ cup cashews, soaked in water for 2 hours or overnight
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • ¾ cup brown rice, rinsed
  • 3 ribs celery, diced
  • 2–3 medium carrots, diced
  • 5–6 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cans (15 oz. each) Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups chopped kale
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. After soaking, drain the cashews and place them in a blender with one cup of fresh water. Blend until completely smooth. You don't want any gritty bits if you can help it. And if you're not firing up a Vitamix, this could take a few minutes to get it really smooth.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and sauté a minute more.
  3. Add rice and broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, add the chickpeas, and let cook for about 30 minutes, until rice is cooked.
  4. Add the cashew cream and kale, and simmer until kale is wilted, 3 to 5 more minutes. You may need to add water to thin the soup if it seems too thick. Add more salt and pepper to taste.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 6
  • Calories: 340
  • Sugar: 5
  • Sodium: 1560
  • Fat: 13
  • Carbohydrates: 47
  • Fiber: 8
  • Protein: 11
  • Cholesterol: 0

Did you make this recipe?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Katie Koteen

    August 12, 2020 at 2:58 pm

    I don't think walnuts would be creamy like cashews. You could try adding some non-dairy creamer, blended with some of the chickpeas.

  2. Melissa Padfield

    August 05, 2020 at 11:26 am

    Could walnuts be used instead of cashews?

  3. Lisa

    June 18, 2020 at 7:41 pm

    This was to die for!! I made a few substitutions to use up ingredients I had (mushrooms, black rice & potatoes instead of carrots, celery, and brown rice). It tastes like the heartiest and most nourishing cup of cream-of-mushroom you'll ever have. It felt strange making such a wintery creation only three days before the summer solstice, but absolutely no regrets!

  4. Darla Smith

    May 03, 2020 at 7:03 pm

    This one was soooo delicious!! We will definitely make again!

  5. Jayne

    July 02, 2019 at 2:55 pm

    I made this recipe this weekend because I had wanted to try cashew cream. I don't like rosemary so I left that out and my husband doesn't like thyme so I left that out too. It was still delicious. Any recommendations for a different spice?

  6. Justen

    March 17, 2019 at 3:00 pm

    Why not list the ingredients in order of use like standard recipe format? Makes it easier to follow 😉

  7. Katie Koteen

    March 04, 2019 at 11:17 am

    Add it with the soup 🙂

  8. Uyen

    March 03, 2019 at 6:11 pm

    What do you do with the garbanzo beans? Do you blend it with the cashews or add it in the soup?? This part was left out.

  9. C

    February 20, 2019 at 8:58 pm

    LOVE this recipe. It's a staple for me now. Instead of doing the raw cashews and water blend, I sub in a large spoonful of cashew butter. It's just easier for me and my blender always leaves a gritty texture! Otherwise I follow this to a T. Thank you so much!






  10. Chris N

    January 21, 2019 at 3:36 pm

    I have made this soup 4 times now. It simply is incredible. I live at higher elevation and the brown rice takes forever to cook so I use a rice cooker to cook my rice first, then I add it towards the end.






  11. Katie Koteen

    December 06, 2018 at 5:00 pm

    How great! It's so versatile too. Sometimes I add dried fennel or red pepper flakes. So good!

  12. Aryn

    November 11, 2018 at 6:24 pm

    Wow this is SO GOOD! My new favorite soup recipe. It was my first time using cashews like this and I can't believe how creamy and delicious it is.






  13. Kate Kasbee

    October 29, 2018 at 12:13 pm

    That's an innovative swap! Really glad you liked the soup 🙂

  14. C

    October 22, 2018 at 6:22 pm

    The rating have it, this is awesome! Used a big spoon full of cashew butter instead of making the cashew cream.
    WIll definitely make this again!






  15. Cathy Scarpello

    October 13, 2018 at 4:43 pm

    Love This!!! So soothing. I added 1/2 a tsp of freshly grated nutmeg at the end just before serving. YUM!

  16. Katie Koteen

    April 16, 2018 at 11:07 am

    Fantastic! So glad you like it!

  17. Anonymous

    April 14, 2018 at 4:53 pm

    Made this tonight for the second time, amazing! Both times I forgot to soak the cashews so I just blended it with a cup if hot water. Such a healthy, filling simple soup to make. If you are thinking of making it, do it.






  18. Veunta Dailey

    March 02, 2018 at 12:25 pm

    This was probably one of the best soups (vegan and non-vegan) that I have ever had! I recently decided to start eating a plant-based diet and have been having naughty cravings for clam chowder. I must say that this tastes very similar to clam chowder and if you used Dino-Kale, it mimics the texture of clams.

    I will definitely be making this again tonight 🙂






  19. Felicia

    January 21, 2018 at 10:06 pm

    I made this soup tonight for the first time and it is Amazing perfect flavor and texture and the cashews gives it the final oh lalala for my taste buds!!!






  20. Cassie

    January 05, 2018 at 8:40 am

    This was excellent. Very cozy and savory =). I






  21. Vanessa

    December 13, 2017 at 11:46 am

    YUMMM!!! This was so yummy! Thank you for this recipe! Even the kids enjoyed it!






  22. Katie Koteen

    November 01, 2017 at 8:37 am

    So glad you liked it!! It's adapted from Isa Chandra's site.

  23. Stephanie

    October 31, 2017 at 7:54 pm

    Wow, just made this tonight for dinner and it was DELICIOUS!

    Thanks 🙂






  24. Katie Koteen

    September 05, 2017 at 8:37 am

    Yes, absolutely! After freezing, leave in the refrigerator to defrost overnight and you're set.

  25. Laura

    September 04, 2017 at 6:26 pm

    would this freeze well? I would love to try to but wouldn't go through a whole pot of it.

  26. Katie Koteen

    August 07, 2017 at 8:04 am

    I'm not sure peanuts or cashews will work for this one, but I think the recipe would be fine with out the cashew cream. A little less creamy, so maybe smash some of the chickpeas against the side of the pot to add a little creaminess. Good luck!

  27. Ajani

    August 06, 2017 at 8:07 am

    This recipe sounds amazing. Can i substitute peanuts or almonds for the cashews? Just thinking of ingredients I have on hand.

  28. Katie Koteen

    June 22, 2017 at 2:31 pm

    Hey Gina - The cashews make it creamy 🙂

  29. Gina

    June 22, 2017 at 10:43 am

    What's the purpose of the cashews??

  30. Kate Kasbee

    April 24, 2017 at 8:27 am

    Terrific!! So glad you enjoyed it, Darlene.

  31. Darlene

    April 23, 2017 at 2:25 pm

    Just made this soup, it is delicious!!! I wouldn't change a thing!

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