Chickpea Escarole Soup

…and we’re back! Welcome to 2021!! Boy, does it feel good to finally be able to type that #1 at the end!! Happy New Year to you all!!

Now I don’t know about you, but I’m not big on New Years resolutions. I’m just not that good at keeping them. That being said, aLOT of goodies, mainly cookies, have been consumed over the last few weeks, so I “resolve” to keep things on the healthy side around here for a while (no promises though, as I said, I’m not good at resolutions). But I do promise to give it a try, so today, I offer up to you this nutritious and easy-to-prepare, Chickpea Escarole Soup. Oh, and it’s mighty tasty too! One thing you can be sure of, we’re never going to sacrifice flavor for health around here!!

Part of that wonderful flavor comes from the escarole, which I love but forget about for long stretches and then feel like kicking myself in the head! Here, it adds a slightly bitter, textural quality which perfectly balances out the earthy starchiness of the chickpeas. I resolve to use a lot more of it in the future!!

The other thing that makes this soup so tasty is the addition of the Parmesan rind which I really, really, really think you should not skip (enough of a sell?). It adds so much richness and flavor and even thickens the broth up a little too. I keep old rinds in the freezer just for these purposes and I was ecstatic to finally be using one, but if you don’t have that, I would urge you to buy a hunk of parmesan, cut off the rind and toss it into the pot. It really is worth it and hey, you’ll have a rind free wedge of Parmesan in the fridge!

Every bite is so comforting and guaranteed to make you feel good. So raise a…spoon to what I just know is going to be a healthy and delicious year!!

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Chickpea Escarole Soup

Makes at least 10 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus time for soaking dried chickpeas if you’re going that route; Cook Time: About 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 large head of fresh escarole, roughly chopped and rinsed well in a colander

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 large onion cut in half and thinly sliced so that you get half moons

• 2-3 carrots, sliced into rounds

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• Two fifteen oz cans chickpeas, drained or about 6 cups cooked chickpeas (about 1 pound dried)

• 2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth (if you are cooking the chickpeas you can use the cooking liquid and supplement with more broth to get 2 quarts worth)

• 1 rind from a wedge of Parmesan (don’t skip this part—it really makes a difference)

• Additional grated Parmesan for serving (optional)

The Recipe

1. Heat the oil over high heat in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Add the onion and carrots and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well. Cover the pot and lower the heat and let cook until the onions are softened and just beginning to brown slightly and carrots have softened too, 12-15 minutes. Uncover the pot and add in the escarole. Let cook for a minute and then use tongs or a large spoon to stir it in and allow it to wilt.

2. Add in the chickpeas and the broth along with the Parmesan rind, along with a pinch or two of salt and black pepper. Let simmer for 35-40 minutes, until everything melds together. Ladle into bowls and serve as is or topped with some additional grated Parm.

Enjoy!

Note: This is especially good when you make it with dried and cooked chickpeas but you do have to plan ahead then since they need an overnight soak. Using canned makes this a soup you can make on a busy weeknight and you won’t sacrifice tons of flavor either.