Chickpea and cavolo nero soup

Name: Chickpea and cavolo nero soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 600g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water, drained (see tip); 200ml extra-virgin olive oil; 75g pancetta, diced; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 celery stalks, chopped; 5 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 litre fresh chicken stock; 2 fresh oregano sprigs, leaves stripped and chopped; Pinch of chilli flakes; 400g cavolo nero, roughly chopped; Grated parmesan, soured cream and crusty bread to serve

Published: 31 Jan 14
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

This chickpea and cavolo nero soup is delicious and warming for the colder weather. You can use dried chickpeas or tinned.

Serves 6
Hands-on time 45 min, plus overnight soaking (optional)

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Ingredients

600g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water, drained (see tip)
200ml extra-virgin olive oil
75g pancetta, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 litre fresh chicken stock
2 fresh oregano sprigs, leaves stripped and chopped
Pinch of chilli flakes
400g cavolo nero, roughly chopped
Grated parmesan, soured cream and crusty bread to serve

Method

Put the chickpeas (see tip) in a large pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside in the saucepan.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and gently fry the pancetta until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion and celery to the pan and fry gently for 15 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Put the fried onion, celery and garlic (and residual oil) along with the pancetta in the pan containing the chickpeas.
Pour over the chicken stock and add the oregano and the chilli flakes. Season well and bring to a simmer, then add the cavolo nero and cook gently for 10-12 minutes. Season well. Serve bowlfuls of the chunky soup with grated parmesan sprinkled over, and dollops of soured cream and crusty bread.

Recipe from February 2014 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 611kcals
Fat: 34.2g (5.5g saturated)
Protein: 25.1g
Carbohydrates: 51.6g (6g sugars)
Fibre: 17g
Salt: 0.6g

delicious. tips

600g dried chickpeas is equal to about 3 x 400g tins cooked chickpeas, drained. You can use tinned in placed of dried if time is short – start at step 2.
Make the soup to just before the point where you add the cavolo nero in step 3, then chill for up to 2 days. Bring to a simmer and finish the recipe.
Chickpeas freeze really well. Divide the soup or any leftovers into batches and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen.

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