Description
A hearty and flavorful Moroccan Chickpea Soup made effortlessly in an Instant Pot. This soup combines tender chickpeas, aromatic spices, and fresh vegetables to create a warming and nutritious meal perfect for any season. With a touch of cinnamon, cumin, and paprika, this recipe delivers authentic Moroccan flavors in a quick and easy pressure-cooked method, garnished with fresh spinach and a splash of lemon juice for brightness.
Ingredients
Scale
Pressure Cook Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
- 4–5 cloves garlic, crushed (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 cup chopped carrot (2 carrots)
- 1 cup chopped celery (2 ribs)
- 31 ounces cooked chickpeas (2 cans), drained and rinsed
- 14.5 ounce fire-roasted tomatoes (1 can) or 4 medium ripe Roma tomatoes, de-seeded and coarsely pureed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes (optional, but recommended)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (reduce to ¼ teaspoon for milder taste)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika (not smoked)
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (optional but recommended, e.g., sambal oelek, adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper or ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3–4 cups vegetable broth or water
After Pressure Cooking
- 2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Gather and chop all vegetables as indicated. Drain and rinse canned chickpeas if using canned. If using fresh Roma tomatoes, de-seed and coarsely puree.
- Add Ingredients to Instant Pot: Turn on the Instant Pot and add all pressure cook ingredients including olive oil, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, chickpeas, tomatoes, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, spices, chili garlic sauce, salt, pepper, and vegetable broth or water. Stir well to combine.
- Pressure Cook: Close the lid of the Instant Pot and set the valve to sealing. Select Manual or Pressure Cook mode and set cooking time to 8 minutes at high pressure.
- Release Pressure: Once the cooking cycle completes, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to venting to manually release any remaining pressure. Open the lid once the pin drops.
- Thicken Soup: Using a potato masher, mash some of the chickpeas and vegetables inside the pot to thicken the soup slightly, stirring gently.
- Add Fresh Ingredients: Stir in the chopped baby spinach, freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon, and honey if using. Allow the soup to sit for 5 minutes so the spinach wilts and the flavors meld.
- Serve: Enjoy the Moroccan Chickpea Soup as-is or serve with toasted sliced baguette, couscous, or quinoa for a gluten-free option.
Notes
- This recipe has been tested on both 3qt and 6qt Instant Pots; it’s easy to double for 6qt or 8qt models but not recommended for doubling in 3qt.
- If using dried chickpeas, soak overnight for at least 8 hours, drain, and increase pressure cooking time to 45 minutes at high pressure with a 15-minute natural release.
- For unsoaked dried chickpeas, rinse and drain, then cook for 60 minutes at high pressure with 15-minute natural pressure release.
- Customize by adding vegetables like diced sweet potato or kale to increase nutrition and flavor.
- Serve with toasted baguette, couscous, or quinoa for a wholesome meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 470mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
