Chickpea, kale and ginger brothy stew
A light, deeply flavorful brothy stew made with chickpeas, kale and ginger.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been spending the heat wave in LA testing soup recipes.
It is September after all.
My favorite of the bunch was a chickpea, ginger and kale brothy stew, which I’m sharing here today.
Simple, nourishing, satiating, nutritious and utterly delicious - this soup comes together quickly and easily, and definitely not one to miss.
Here’s everything I love about it and all you need to know before you set out to make it…
Health Perks
Immune-boosting. Ingredients like leeks, garlic and turmeric are all known for their immune-boosting and general health benefits. A cup or bowl of this soup can help reduce inflammation, strengthen the body and fight off infection.
Good amount of fiber per serving. Kale and chickpeas both lend a good amount of fiber to this brothy soup, which will help keep you feeling full and satiated and promote elimination.
Even has some protein. Just 1/2 a cup of chickpeas contains about 11 grams of protein - pretty good for soup if you ask me!
Vegetable dense. A must on any plate or bowl, since vegetables are a critical source of vitamins and minerals and essential for good health. This soup contains both leeks and kale, but there’s plenty of room for more such as carrots or celery if you want to bulk it up (add them right after you sauté the leeks and stir for a few minutes before adding the chickpeas). Or add a handful of additional greens to each bowl, which I often do.
Designed for improving digestion and optimizing energy. This soup follows food combining principals, which are meant to aid digestion, minimize bloat and discomfort and promote healthy, regular elimination.
Contains no sugar, dairy or grains. Compatible with just about any diet and generally made with non-aggravating ingredients.
Pure plant-based whole foods, which means you know it’s good for you. It does contain a minimal amount of oil per serving. If quality is important to you, make sure you use a cold-pressed olive oil, which means it’s minimally processed and unrefined. Or if you prefer no oil at all, sauté the leeks and vegetables with a few tablespoons of vegetable broth.
Other Thoughts, Tips and Suggestions
Go ahead and add more veg. Like I mentioned, if you want to a bulkier, even more vegetable dense version of this soup, then feel free to include more vegetables or greens.
Bulk it up with grains. For a more complete meal, pour it over cooked basmati rice (or another grain of your choice).
Or bulk it up with a grain-free option and spoon in some cauliflower rice or kelp noodles.
Do not sub water for broth. I do this often and did try it while testing this recipe, but broth really enhances the overall flavor.
Check out the full recipe below.
Chickpea, kale and ginger brothy stew
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Yields: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 leeks, sliced and white parts only
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 inch knob of fresh ginger, cut into thin slices
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 (425g) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
4-5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 bunch of lacinato kale, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions
Start your soup. lace a large dutch oven on medium heat, and warm your olive oil. Add the leeks and garlic and stir until leeks begin to sweat and pot is fragrant (about 3 minutes)
Stir in your spices. Add ginger, masala, turmeric, curry, coriander and continue to sauté until fragrant (about 3 minutes)
Add your chickpeas and broth. Next, fold in your chickpeas and stir until well coated with spices. Follow this with broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook (covered) for 15 minutes or so.
Add your greens and citrus. Remove lid from dutch oven. Fold in kale and lemon juice and gentle stir. Cook until greens are wilted (5-10 minutes).
Enjoy. Ladle a spoonful into a bowl, season with salt and pepper (some cilantro would be great too) and enjoy as is or over a bed of rice.
If you liked this recipe, be sure to sign up for Eat With: A Newsletter to receive this type of content and other health and wellness tidbits delivered to your inbox every week!
