Garlicky Chickpea Noodle & Cabbage Soup
This soup is my take on chicken noodle soup, and it makes me think of my grandma/grandmas everywhere. I think that most grandmas would be pleased to serve something like this at their table :) It’s the kind of warming, nourishing fare that can only be made at home. It’s made with humble ingredients like cabbage, chickpeas, and pasta, but they come together to make something much greater than the sum of their parts.
Chickpeas and pasta go so well together, being a nod to Italian pasta e ceci, especially when served in a delicious, clear broth. The cabbage contributes another dimension of flavor, and its texture turns so silky and succulent, when cooked in the soup. This soup is a great thing to make on the weekend, ensuring that you’ll have a pot full of many comforting meals waiting for you at home throughout the week.
Garlicky Chickpea Noodle & Cabbage Soup
serves 6-8
olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced finely
1 medium parsnip, diced finely
2 celery ribs, diced finely
sea salt
1 large head garlic, cloves minced, divided
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
pinch chili flakes, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 small head cabbage, cut into 1” chunks
3 cups (2 15 oz/425 g cans) cooked chickpeas
3-4 bay leaves
4 oz small shape pasta, like mini shells, ditalini, etc.
zest and juice from 1 large lemon
1 large bunch dill or parsley, chopped, plus more for garnishing
Heat a large soup pot over medium heat, and add enough oil to generously coat the bottom. Add the onion, carrot, parsnip, celery, and a pinch of salt. Saute for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft, but not browned. Add about 3/4 of the total amount of the minced garlic, nutritional yeast, mustard, chili flakes, and black pepper to taste. Stir around for about 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the cabbage, chickpeas, bay leaves, 8-10 cups water (8 for a chunkier soup, 10 for thinner soup), and plenty of salt to season. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer over high heat. Once simmering, lower the heat to establish a gentle but steady simmer and let cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes, until the cabbage is soft and silky. Add the remaining garlic at about the last 2 minutes of the cooking time.
Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until very al dente, according to the instructions on the package.
Once the cabbage is cooked, turn off the heat. Discard the bay leaves. Taste the broth for salt and adjust if needed. Add the cooked pasta to the pot, along with the lemon zest and juice, and herbs. Mix to combine. Serve the soup warm, garnished with more herbs and drizzled with olive oil.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
Almost every good soup or stew like this one starts with the flavorful base of onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Some cultures also include parsnips, fennel, and/or bell peppers into the mix. This is called soffritto in in Italian, mirepoix in French, and the holy trinity in Cajun cooking. Slowly cooking these vegetables in oil and salt coaxes out their beautiful flavor and aroma, which creates the perfect foundation for so many savory dishes. Whenever you find yourself improvising a soup or stew recipe and have some or all of the above listed vegetables on hand, know that you can’t go wrong with using them as your base.