Simple Chickpea Soup

This is a simple recipe made with simple ingredients. It was featured in a story about the food writer Michael Moss and I making lunch together in New York Times Dining Section on April 30, 2013.

Total cook time about 1 hour 15 minutes. Serves about 6.

  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, more for serving
  • 1 clove garlic, slivered
  • 2 (15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
  • Salt and pepper
  • Parmesan, optional
  1. In a soup pot over medium heat, sauté onion in olive oil until onion is translucent and has lost its bite. Add garlic and cook until slightly colored.
  2. Rinse chickpeas in cold water, then add to pot. Add water to pot until chickpeas are covered to the depth of 1 inch.
  3. Cook over medium heat (soup should bubble, but not come to a full boil) for an hour, or until the chickpeas are soft and silky. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with grated Parmesan or a drizzle of good olive oil if desired.