Here’s how this chickpea and brown rice soup was born: Looking for a quick lunch idea one morning, I found a simple yet rich-sounding soup on The Healthy Family and Home. It ticked several of my favorite flavor boxes: coconut milk, garam masala, cilantro, and ginger, just to name a few. Kel and I had Healthy Family’s Spicy Chickpea and Tomato Soup for lunch that day and enjoyed every last spoonful.
As I often tend to do… later I noodled around with the recipe, made it more complicated (it’s a sickness I have…), and increased the quantity because I love having soup leftovers either for storage in the freezer or eating within a few days of the original meal. I omitted the oil and added brown rice for additional bite. Blending a few cups of the soup makes for a wonderful thick consistency.
This soup has become a lunchtime staple in our house. Give it a try – or go for the faster, smaller quantity version over at The Healthy Family and Home. Either way, you’ll enjoy a full-flavored soup that’ll warm you inside and out.

Vegan Spicy Chickpea and Brown Rice Soup
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 55
Description
Kicked up with pickled jalapeños and exotic spices, this soup is warming inside and out.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. garam masala
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. turmeric
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ~ 2 1/4 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp. pickled jalapeños
- 1/2 cup brown basmati rice
- 1 15-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- chopped cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the onion, carrot, celery and a splash of vegetable broth (or water) and sauté for about 5 minutes. If the veggies get dry, add more broth or water. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, garam masala, garlic powder, and turmeric and cook for another minute.
- Pour in the 4 cups of broth, chickpeas, tomatoes and pickled jalapeños, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove about 2 cups of the broth mixture and set aside. Now stir in the basmati rice, cover again and cook until tender, 30-40 minutes.
- While the rice cooks, add the reserved broth mixture to a blender and process until smooth. When the rice is tender, add back to the soup the 2 cups of blended broth. Stir in the coconut milk and gently reheat the soup.
- Serve with fresh cilantro, if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 378
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 532
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Protein: 14
- Cholesterol: 0

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It’s that time of year when a bowl of hot thick tasty soup hits the spot, and this looks like the very job. Leftovers are even better because soup always seems to improve in flavour after a day or two.
Mmm brown rice is such a wonderful grain to add to soup!
Simple, hearty, and DELICIOUS!
I just finished the LAST meal using a rice & bean mix that I brought to an event this past weekend. The last of it came home with me and became 3 bowls of soup, including a cheeze version, and just now, a bowl of cooked kale/Asian veggie mix. I love using beans, especially chickpeas cause they blend up well, in my soups and throwing in things I normally wouldn’t eat as a side by themselves. This soup looks perfect for us …after doubling the jalapeno 🙂
Best of luck to you in the event for Charles Saturday. So wish I could be there to walk it at least…♥
(add in your tsp. to the garlic and turmeric when you catch your breath) and TRAVEL SAFELY!!
===Fire Roasted Tomatoes Rock!!!
This sounds amazing!
Looks yummy! Could you please confirm the amounts of garlic powder and turmeric, just to be sure I don’t over spice it? Thanks.
Oh geez! Sorry about that! Both should be teaspoon amounts.
Thanks. Figured it was that, but I have assumed wrong before.
Oh wow, this soup sounds like exactly what I need now! So warming and comforting!
This looks incredible Annie, I love all the spices and flavors! I seriously cannot get enough of fresh ginger either…just bought a chunk of it today in fact for an upcoming recipe. It’s so much more amazing than dried!
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How much rice?
1/2 cup, Robert. Sorry to have omitted that key word!
This soup was for me! I made it & served it with home-made spelt bread! divine! x