This soup is by far the most popular soup at Las Vegan. It is quick to make, thick and chunky with a great tasting broth. Chickpeas are a good source of zinc, folate, calcium, protein and high in dietary fibre.

Add chickpeas to pumpkin and you have an excellent nutritional combination as pumpkin is loaded with antioxidant beta-carotene.

1 medium onion, diced

2-3 large cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon dried mint

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

1 x 400g can chickpeas (or 1/2 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked)

2 medium carrots

400g pumpkin

1 x 400g can diced tomatoes

4-6 cups vegetable stock (see page 36 or use cubes or liquid stock)

1 large cinnamon stick

1 bunch fresh mint, chopped 

Heat oil in a large saucepan then add onion, garlic, dried mint, salt, pepper and cardamom. Fry until onion is translucent.
Add chickpeas with juice and simmer.
Meanwhile, chop two large carrots into 1.5cm bits and add to saucepan.
Chop pumpkin into chunks slightly larger in size than the carrots, add to saucepan with tomatoes.
Cover ingredients with stock, add cinnamon stick (if you only have ground cinnamon, add it with the cardamom).
Bring to a boil then simmer, with lid, for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Add water, stock or tomato juice if soup is too thick.
Add half chopped mint to soup and stir in. Serve remainder as a garnish.

This recipe is featured in:

Soup for all Seasons

by Las Vegan cooks Lia Vandersant & Liam Davies

Paperback | ISBN 978-0-9803351-4-9 | RRP: $11.95 | 48 pp

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