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Chickpea Kale Soup [Instant Pot or Stove]

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Chickpea Kale Soup is a 20-minute soup made with fresh kale, cooked chickpeas, and a few pantry items. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and includes instructions for the stove AND Instant Pot, just like my crazy popular Tuscan White Bean Kale Soup Recipe.

kale chickpea soup in white bowl on marble background with green napkin

Chickpea kale soup in a hurry

This soup recipe was MADE for busy people! Whether you love to cook on your stove or in your beloved Instant Pot, this 15-minute kale soup will become your new favorite, last-minute dinner!

Chickpeas AND kale are nutrition-packed superfoods that, together in this broth-based soup recipe, create quick comfort food with almost no planning.

Chickpea kale soup is made with onions, garlic, vegetable broth, a few seasonings.

kale chickpea soup in white bowl with spoon

What are beans and greens?

Beans and greens are typically a combination of white-colored beans and really any kind of green.

They’re not traditionally served as a soup, but I’m no traditional gal. I absolutely love beans and greens as a soup because I LOVE soup and practically live on it during the winter.

Kale and chickpeas are super nutritious, they complement each other in texture and flavor, and they’re really easy to prepare, especially if you’re using canned beans.

If you like to cook your beans from scratch, have you seen my hands-free bean-cooking method? Guys, this makes the BEST beans of all time!

Chickpea kale soup [stove method overview]

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

* See full recipe instructions below (this is an overview)

Chickpea Kale Soup [Instant Pot method overview]

  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. Do a quick pressure release or 10-minute natural pressure release…your choice.
  4. Serve warm.

^ See full recipe instructions below (this is an overview)

This chickpea soup is naturally gluten-free and vegan, but of course, sometimes I ruin that with croutons and parmesan cheese. Because…cheese!

kale chickpea soup in white bowl with spoon

How do you cook canned chickpeas?

This is what I love about all canned beans…they’re fully cooked and ready to eat!

Right out of the can, chickpeas nutritional value holds impressive amounts of Vitamins A and C, as well as protein, iron, and fiber.

To cook them, you’re actually just reheating them via boiling, baking, or sauteeing.

Can you eat chickpeas out of the can?

Yes, canned chickpeas are fully cooked, and technically you can eat them out of the can, but I don’t usually eat them like that.

What’s the best way to use canned chickpeas?

In the canned bean world, chickpeas (garbanzos) are one of my very favorite ingredients that I always have on hand…in multiples.

I use them in soups, salads, dips, and appetizers…straight out of the can! In fact, you can see my chickpea recipes ALL in one place.

They have a natural sweetness that makes them the perfect companion to naturally bitter ingredients, such as kale.

What’s great about kale?

Like chickpeas, kale is another on-demand ingredient among my kitchen staples.

I use it for multiple dishes and it rarely goes to waste.

What I love about it in this soup, or in any dish, is that you up the nutrition game with super simple prep and relatively little cooking.

What’s the best kale to use?

You may notice I like to use Dino kale in my recipes.

It’s just my preference, but I’ve found curly kale to be the best for making baked kale chips and more cost-effective for smoothies. Yum!

kale chickpea soup in white bowl on marble background

Chickpea Kale Soup Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil – you can use any oil for something, but EVOO adds a depth of flavor to this soup that makes it more Italian.

onion – The best onion is the one you have on hand. Red, white, yellow, green…any will be great for beans and greens soup.

garlic – Fresh garlic, if possible. Garlic powder would work fine too.

cooked chickpeas – If you use canned chickpeas, I always recommend reduced-sodium so you control the salt. If you like to cook your chickpeas from scratch, check out how I cook dried beans without soaking.

kale – I used Dino kale for this recipe, but any kale variety will be delicious for beans and greens soup.

vegetable broth – I’ve been in love with this reduced-sodium vegetable base for years. If you don’t have that, this classic vegetable broth works great.

thyme – This herb adds SO much flavor to this soup. If using fresh, double the amount.

salt – I love Kosher salt for cooking. Sea salt is wonderful too, but you need to reduce the amount by 1/3 because it’s much finer than Kosher salt.

pepper – Fresh ground black pepper is always my preference. Finely ground pepper is always a winner too!

Recommended Tools

More kale recipes

Instant Pot Vegan White Bean Kale Soup

Sesame Kale Noodles

Crispy Kale Chips Recipe

More chickpeas recipes

Lemony Kale Chickpea Avocado Salad

Vegan Thai Coconut Vegetable Curry

Turmeric Chickpea Buddha Bowl

kale chickpea soup in white bowl
Print REcipe
5 from 26 votes

Chickpea Kale Soup [Instant Pot or Stove]

Chickpea Kale Soup is a 20-minute soup made with fresh kale, cooked chickpeas, and a few, everyday pantry items. It's vegan, gluten-free, and includes instructions for the stove AND Instant Pot.
Course Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6 1-cup servings
Calories 68kcal
Author Traci Antonovich

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 large Onion diced
  • 1 clove Garlic minced
  • 1 15oz can Chickpeas or 1.5 cups, rinsed and drained
  • 1/3 lb Dino Kale torn or sliced into pieces
  • 4 cups Vegetable Broth
  • 1/2 tsp dried Thyme
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper

Instructions

Chickpea Kale Soup (Stove Instructions)

  • In a 3-quart soup pot over medium heat, add OLIVE OIL and heat until shimmering (about 2 minutes).
  • Add ONIONS and GARLIC; sauté until slightly tender (about 3 minutes).
  • Stir in CHICKPEAS, KALE, VEGETABLE BROTH, THYME, SALT, and PEPPER; increase heat to HIGH until a gentle boil is reached (3-5 min); reduce heat, cover, and simmer 5-10 minutes.

Chickpea Kale Soup (Instant Pot Instructions)

  • Select "Sauté" on the Instant Pot and heat the OLIVE OIL.
  • When the display reads "Hot", add ONION and GARLIC; sauté a few minutes until tender, stirring as needed.
  • Press the "Cancel" function on the Instant Pot.
  • Add cooked CHICKPEAS, KALE, VEGETABLE BROTH, THYME, SALT, and PEPPER.
  • Secure the lid and turn the pressure release valve to the "Sealing" position.
  • Select "Manual" and set the Instant Pot on "High" pressure for +1 minute.
  • When the cycle completes, allow the Instant Pot to sit for 10 minutes, undisturbed, for a natural pressure release (NPR). Alternatively, you can do a quick pressure release (QPR) if you're really in a hurry.
    Safety Note: Always use an oven mitt for protection when turning pressure valve to "venting" position to release steam.

Serving and Storage Instructions

  • Serve kale soup warm. Garnish options: lemon zest, fresh parsley, croutons, or grated parmesan cheese.
  • Refrigerate kale soup in an airtight container up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.

RECIPE NOTES

Yield: 6 cups
Serving size: 1 cup
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, and are estimates based on unbranded ingredients acquired from a nutrition database. For accurate calculations, please refer to brand packaging information and consult your nutritionist.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Chickpea Kale Soup [Instant Pot or Stove]
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 68 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 831mg36%
Potassium 142mg4%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 2851IU57%
Vitamin C 31mg38%
Calcium 41mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Did you make this recipe? Tag me!Mention @thekitchengirl or tag #thekitchengirl
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Comments

  1. Lil says

    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

  2. Pamela Osborne says

    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

      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!!!

  4. Sara Welch says

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

    Reply

  5. Kelly Anthony says

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

    Reply

  7. Caroline says

    5 stars
    I’m all about quick soups, they make such a great meal in colder weather. This looks hearty and tasty.

    Reply

  8. Dina says

    5 stars
    Hey Traci! Thanks so much for sharing these terrific recipes! And I know this one is going to be fantastic…I’ll try it this weekend!
    Hey, do you think I can freeze this soup. I want to bring some with me to a remote area where I can’t really cook, but I can heat up.in a microwave. Thanks, Traci! Keep being awesome!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks for the kind words, Dina…makes my day 🙂 I have not frozen this soup, but I’ve done it with similar soups…no problem. I always freeze my soups in 2 cups portions so they thaw/reheat faster. Hope you love this recipe like I do! Have a great weekend!

  9. Miko Hughes says

    Gonna try this recipe using spinach instead of kale and chicken broth instead of vegetable broth; since those are the ingredients I have on hand at the moment.

    Reply

  10. Sarah Ellis says

    Thanks for a great recipe. I made this today using freshly cooked chickpeas and a load of young kale leaves from my garden. It was so light, fresh-tasting and creamy. 10/10!

    Reply

  11. Amy says

    5 stars
    What a great recipe and so easy to make! Thank you for this! I am making it tonight and I cannot wait. Trying in the Instant Pot.

    Reply

  12. DEBORAH RYCUS says

    When you say “keep the liquid” on the garbanzo beans, do you mean save it to use for other reasons or pour it in the pot?

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Hi Deborah…great question! You can add the bean liquid to the soup, but I find it be “cloudy”. I just edited the recipe to say ‘drain and rinse’ the beans. Hope that helps! 🙂

  13. Jill R Hildebrandt says

    5 stars
    Thank you, Traci! My teenage daughter and 8 year old loved it. Easy to make for this single mama, and healthy and so fab, too!

    Reply

  18. Elaine Benoit says

    5 stars
    Wow! Talk about quick and easy! Your kale chickpea soup looks so delicious and hearty. You’d never know you just threw it together in the time you did!

    Reply

  19. Edyta at Eating European says

    5 stars
    Chickpea and Kale are among my favorite food combination ever. I often make curry with chickpeas, kale and coconut milk. But I really love your “in a hurry” soup. I will be trying it for sure!

    Reply

  26. Kent Swimley says

    5 stars
    Hi Traci! I’m glad I found your website. I can tell you’ve put in a lot of effort in making your website appealing. I was Googling for fast soups to make during flu season because a lot of my loved ones have been falling ill and I want to be able to make something warm that can help soothe their symptoms and provide some nourishment. Lo and behold, I found your website and this quick recipe! I actually use chick peas a lot in my meals, but I haven’t yet made a soup like this so naturally, I’m very excited to try this out.

    Best regards,

    Kent

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Kent…wow! I’m so honored that you thought to leave me a comment…and happy you found my recipes. Yes, it’s a favorite, quick soup that’s very flexible. I also use my “Feel Better Pho” recipe for when I’m sick too. Thanks again! Enjoy 🙂

  31. Dannii says

    5 stars
    Anything with kale gets a big thumbs up from me. It’s freezing here today, so it’s totally soup weather.

    Reply

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