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Home » Recipes » Soup, Stew & Chili

by Traci · Published: 09/19/2019 · Updated: 10/04/2022 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Kale Chickpea Soup Recipe

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4.98 from 45 votes
20 minutes

Hearty Kale Chickpea Soup is made with fresh kale, cooked chickpeas, and simple pantry items. Chickpea kale soup answers the what's for dinner dilemma in 20 minutes a healthy, budget-friendly way!

kale chickpea soup in white bowl with spoon
Table of Contents hide
1) Why you'll love this chickpea soup recipe
2) Ingredients you'll need
3) Stove instructions
4) Instant Pot instructions
5) What kale should I use?
6) The best chickpeas for this soup
7) What's the best broth for chickpea soup?
8) More kale recipes
9) More vegetarian soup recipes
10) Kale Chickpea Soup Recipe

Why you'll love this chickpea soup recipe

  1. Quick and convenient
  2. Nutrition-packed
  3. Great for busy weeknights

This chickpea soup is busy people needing a healthy soup in a hurry. Whether you prefer to cook soup on the stove or in the Instant Pot, you'll get this comforting soup on the table in about 20 minutes.

Kale and chickpeas are super nutritious and complement each other in texture and flavor. Between the kale and chickpeas, this soup is loaded with fiber. It's also naturally vegan and gluten free. Both are always available at any grocery store.

You won't believe how easy it is to get this healthy soup on the table with such little effort! It has saved so many of our unplanned weeknight dinners and I hope it will do the same for you!

Ingredients you'll need

  • olive oil - or other cooking oil
  • onions and garlic - These aromatics really flavor the soup nicely.
  • chickpeas - canned or cooked chickpeas
  • kale - any variety will work for this soup
  • vegetable broth - I recommend a low salt version so you can add salt to suit your preference.
  • thyme - fresh or dried (or other seasoning as desired)
  • salt and pepper - to taste
  • garnish options - homemade croutons and grated Parmesan cheese
kale chickpea soup in white bowl

Stove instructions

* See full recipe instructions below

  1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil.
  2. Add all other ingredients, bring just to a boil, then simmer 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
  3. Serve warm.

Instant Pot instructions

* See full recipe instructions below

  1. Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil in the Instant Pot.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and pressure cook on high pressure for 1 minute.
  3. Allow a 10-minute natural pressure release.
  4. Serve warm.

I love to add Parmesan cheese and homemade croutons as seen in my photos.

kale chickpea soup in white bowl

What kale should I use?

I used Dino kale, also called Lacinato, in this soup. However, any kale will work! In fact, curly kale will naturally add more volume. Dino kale tends to be more expensive than curly kale, so it really all comes down to personal preference.

The best chickpeas for this soup

Canned chickpeas are convenient because they're fully cooked and ready to eat right out of the can. This is what makes this soup so quick and easy to make since you don't have to cook the beans.

But, if you want to skip the canned beans, save money, and eat a higher quality ingredient, check out my Instant Pot Chickpeas method. Or, if you don't mind turning on your oven for a few hours, check out my article on how to cook dried beans without soaking to cook the chickpeas.

What's the best broth for chickpea soup?

I've been very happy with this reduced-sodium vegetable base for over a decade. It's affordable, requires minimal pantry space, and tastes great! You can use bouillon cubes or packaged vegetable broth.

More kale recipes

  • Sesame Kale Noodles
  • Crispy Kale Chips Recipe
  • Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing

More vegetarian soup recipes

  • Thai Coconut Soup
  • Hearty Minestrone
  • Homemade Tomato Soup
  • White Bean and Kale Soup
kale chickpea soup in white bowl

Kale Chickpea Soup Recipe

20-minute Kale Chickpea Soup with fresh kale, cooked chickpeas, and a few pantry items. This easy, healthy, budget-friendly soup for Instant Pot or stove is a weeknight dinner win!
4.98 from 45 votes
Print Pin
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 1-cup servings
Author: Traci The Kitchen Girl

INGREDIENTS
 

  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • ½ medium Onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 (15 ounce can) Chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
  • 2 cups Kale, chopped
  • 4 cups Vegetable Broth
  • ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions
 

Get Instant Pot instructions in recipe footnote

  • Heat OLIVE OIL in a 3-quart soup pot over medium-high heat.
  • Add ONIONS and GARLIC; sauté until slightly tender, stirring as needed.
  • Stir in CHICKPEAS, KALE, VEGETABLE BROTH, THYME, SALT, and PEPPER. Increase heat to HIGH and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.
  • Serve warm. Garnish options: lemon zest, fresh parsley, croutons, or grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months (or longer if vacuum sealed).
Tried this recipe? I'd love your review!Visit the comments below and tell me how it went.

Traci's Recipe Notes

Instant Pot Instructions
  1. Select "Sauté" on the Instant Pot and heat the OLIVE OIL.
  2. When the display reads "Hot", add ONION and GARLIC; sauté a few minutes until tender, stirring as needed.
  3. Add cooked CHICKPEAS, KALE, VEGETABLE BROTH, THYME, SALT, and PEPPER.
  4. Secure the lid and set pressure valve to "Sealing" position.
  5. Select "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" and pressure cook on "High" for 1 minute followed by a 10-minute natural release.

Equipment

  • chef's knife optional
  • cutting board
  • 4-quart soup pot or Instant Pot
  • stirring utensil

NUTRITION

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 831mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2851IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.

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More Soup, Stew, and Chili Recipes

  • Easy Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • Lasagna Soup
  • Italian White Bean and Kale Soup
  • Thai Coconut Soup (Vegan + GF)
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Comments

  1. Mary says

    May 24, 2022 at 8:03 pm

    5 stars
    Loved it quick, easy and yummy . Added cooked rice and more Kale.

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      May 25, 2022 at 7:00 am

      Awesome! I'm so glad you enjoyed. Thanks for letting me know 🙂

  2. Megan says

    January 12, 2022 at 8:51 am

    4 stars
    I liked it! Blended it, my own preference. I only had 1 cup chickpeas so it was thinner soup. Added garlic butter croutons.

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      January 12, 2022 at 9:20 am

      Yay! So glad you enjoyed. I haven't blended it before but would definitely want more chickpeas than said amount to make it a little thicker. Thanks for taking the time to review 🙂

  3. Donna says

    November 20, 2021 at 4:43 pm

    5 stars
    Hi, Tracy! I used your recipe as my point of departure and had a little fun with it. I swapped out the vegetable stock for chicken stock, added diced golden potatoes, and took inspiration from another reviewer and zipped some of the potates and chickpeas in the food processor to add more body to the soup. I increased the amount of kale and added it just before serving to keep its gorgeous green color. Finally, I added a dash of bacon salt just before serving and then served this delicious soup alongside my sourdough flatbread. My family loved it! Thanks so much for the inspiration!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      November 20, 2021 at 4:57 pm

      I'm so glad to inspire your family's dinner enjoyment. Thanks for all the great ideas for this chickpea kale soup:) And thanks for the review!

  4. FeLicia says

    November 07, 2021 at 4:22 pm

    5 stars
    I've made this and sometimes I add a bit of Italian sausage and/or grated parmesan to make it a main dish. Great with a nice salad and warm bread.

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      November 08, 2021 at 6:08 am

      Awesome Felicia. So glad to hear you're enjoying it with customizations. Thanks for the review. Cheers!

  5. Christine says

    October 10, 2021 at 4:40 pm

    5 stars
    Just made this and it is great and easy- will be doing this again for sure! What would you think about blending some chickpeas to make it thicker or blending the whole thing for puree? Thanks!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      October 10, 2021 at 7:47 pm

      Yay! So glad you enjoyed! As for blending some to make it thicker, go for it. I wouldn't have thought to blend it all but you're welcome to. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

  6. Kara says

    January 16, 2021 at 11:35 am

    5 stars
    Simple, quick, delicious soup. Came together in no time for dinner and the whole family scarfed it down.

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      January 16, 2021 at 11:51 am

      Awesome, Kara! So glad to hear your family loved it 🙂 Thanks for the feedback

  7. Shirley Cook Brooks says

    January 08, 2021 at 12:58 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious soup! I've made this 3x now! Made it tonight and added nduja sausage for a little kick and smokiness. Yum-mee!!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      January 08, 2021 at 1:44 pm

      Awesome Shirley, so glad you're enjoying it! Sausage always goes with kale soup 😉 Thanks for the review!

  8. Sam says

    December 23, 2020 at 5:21 am

    5 stars
    So delicious! Even my vegetable hating husband loves this recipe! I add turkey sausage for some added protein and flavor. Yum!

    Is there a way to make this in a crockpot? Or does the kale get too soggy?

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      December 23, 2020 at 7:52 am

      Hi Sam, glad you both enjoyed it. The soup really is the perfect base for add-ins. And yes crockpot would work just fine. You could apply pretty much any crockpot soup instructions. Thanks for the review 🙂 Cheers!

    • Miranda says

      August 07, 2021 at 8:36 am

      When I use kale in the crockpot I add it at the last minute so it doesn't get soggy. Usually let it sit for about 15 mins.

  9. Jennifer says

    October 03, 2020 at 3:39 pm

    5 stars
    My family loved it. I used homemade veggie broth and it was great

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      October 04, 2020 at 7:10 am

      Glad to hear it! We love this quick and easy soup too 🙂 Thanks so much!

  10. Gayle says

    October 03, 2020 at 11:57 am

    This soup recipe looks really good. About how many cups is 1/3 a pound of Kale? I don't have any means of weighing it. Thank you for your help.

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      October 04, 2020 at 7:56 am

      Hi Gayle, it's about 1 cup. Hope you enjoy! Thanks!

  11. Raquel E says

    August 17, 2020 at 10:31 am

    5 stars
    The best quick & easy soup ever! My husband loved it too. It is such a delicious recipe. I added diced zucchini. I topped with croutons. Such a delicious soup. I’m sure you can add all different types of veggies. I kept it simple and stuck to the recipe. I actually added more broth to make more liquidity. Love!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      August 17, 2020 at 11:29 am

      Yay, Raquel...so glad you love it as much as we do! You're right about all the veggies too Thanks for taking the time to leave this feedback

  12. Bridget says

    May 03, 2020 at 1:08 pm

    5 stars
    Fantastic recipe! It was delicious and quick. I added some crushed red pepper because I like spice. I will make this again and again. Thank you!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      May 03, 2020 at 3:39 pm

      Awesome, Bridget! So glad you liked this soup. I'm always up for crushed red pepper 🙂 Thanks for the review!

  13. Lil says

    October 18, 2019 at 7:57 am

    5 stars
    This is a great soup! My husband and I made it last night and used a little more kale, since we love kale, added miracle noodles and smashed half of the chickpeas to make it a little creamier. Thanks so much for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      October 18, 2019 at 8:41 am

      Yay, thanks Lil...day made! I'm a kale lover too, so I usually do the same 🙂 I love your additions too!

  14. Pamela Osborne says

    September 19, 2019 at 9:43 am

    5 stars
    This soup is so flavorful and delicious. I will be making this again! I had all ingredients on hand except the vegetable broth so I used chicken broth instead. I added a little fresh grated parmesan and croutons after dishing up.

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      September 19, 2019 at 11:25 am

      Awesome, Pam! I'm so glad to hear it...and chicken broth is a perfect substitution. Some might prefer it. I also love to add parm and croutons to mine sometimes. We must be related 😉 Thanks for the feedback!!!

  15. Alison says

    September 18, 2019 at 9:39 am

    5 stars
    I love this recipe! So easy to make and full of nourishing ingredients.

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      September 18, 2019 at 9:44 am

      Thanks, Alison! Chickpea soup really IS so easy to make 🙂

    • Christina says

      September 02, 2020 at 8:01 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe I added some Italian sausage for more flavor, and some meat.

    • The Kitchen Girl says

      September 03, 2020 at 6:12 am

      That sounds delicious, Christina! So glad you're enjoying it 🙂

  16. Sara Welch says

    September 18, 2019 at 9:38 am

    5 stars
    This was such a flavorful dish; easily a new family favorite recipe! Looking forward to enjoying this again later this week!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      September 18, 2019 at 9:43 am

      Awesome, Sara! So glad you can enjoy this one 🙂

  17. Kelly Anthony says

    September 18, 2019 at 8:06 am

    5 stars
    What a great quick and easy soup to warm up after a long day. This has everything a good soup needs!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      September 18, 2019 at 8:35 am

      Thanks, Kelly! Chickpea soup is one of my favorite ways to end a long day 🙂

  18. Rebecca says

    September 18, 2019 at 7:50 am

    5 stars
    I've got lots of chickpeas that I need to eat, now I'm super excited to make this!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      September 18, 2019 at 8:34 am

      Haha, yep! Always lots of chickpeas on hand. Hope you love it! 🙂

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