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Vegetarian, South and mountains

Provençal chickpea soup with croutons

Provençal chickpea soup is a rustic blend of chickpeas, garlic, sage, and olive oil, served with baguette croutons. It serves 4, takes 50 minutes, is easy to make, and costs about €1.80 per person. The key is blending only half the chickpeas, so the soup keeps some texture under the creaminess.

Tonight, chickpea soup with garlic, sage, and olive oil, with croutons.

Provençal chickpea soup with croutons
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.80
Calories per person
540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

This soup carries the bold flavors of southern French cooking, garlic that perfumes the oil as it warms, sage with its almost resinous edge, and chickpeas that give body without turning into a smooth puree. Blending only half the pot leaves whole chickpeas with some bite, so the soup eats almost like a stew.

It's a good fit for a cold evening in fall or winter, when you want a warm bowl and a simple meatless dinner. It comes together fast on a weeknight since the chickpeas are already cooked, and it also works for a quiet Sunday, when garlic rubbed croutons make all the difference.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Cooked chickpeas 800 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Vegetable brothoften in the pantry 1 l
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Sage 4 sprigs

Bakery

  • Baguette 1

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Sweat the onion and garlic in the oil. 8 min

    Keep the heat low so the garlic turns sweet rather than bitter.

  2. Add the chickpeas, sage, and broth, then let it simmer. 20 min

    Rinse the chickpeas first if they're canned.

  3. Blend half the soup with an immersion blender.

    The texture should stay rustic.

  4. Toast slices of baguette into croutons. 8 min

    Rub them with garlic.

  5. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and the croutons.

    Finish with a little black pepper.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick an olive oil you'd happily drink on its own, since it flavors the soup directly without long cooking to mellow it out.
  • If the soup feels too thick after blending, thin it with a little hot water or broth rather than cooking it longer.
  • Set aside a few whole chickpeas before blending, then scatter them on top when serving for texture and a nicer look.

The variations

  • Swap the sage for rosemary or thyme if you don't have any, the flavor stays in the same Mediterranean family.
  • This recipe is already vegetarian, you can make it vegan by checking that your vegetable broth has no animal traces.
  • For kids, blend all the chickpeas for a smooth texture, and serve the croutons on the side without rubbing them with raw garlic.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with olive oil
  • Grated parmesan on top
  • A glass of fresh tomato juice

Storage

The soup keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, without the croutons. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a little water if it has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Can I use dried chickpeas instead of cooked ones?

Yes, soak them overnight then cook them for about an hour before following the recipe. Use 300g of dried chickpeas to get the equivalent of 800g cooked.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, it's even better reheated the next day, once the garlic and sage flavors have had time to settle in. Make the croutons at the last minute so they stay crisp.

Why blend only half the soup?

It gives a texture that's both creamy and rustic, with whole chickpeas keeping some bite. A fully blended soup would be smoother but would lose that character.

What vegetable broth works best for this soup?

A simple, lightly salted broth lets the garlic and sage flavors come through better. You can use homemade broth or a store bought one, adjusting the salt at the end.

How long does it take to make a Provençal chickpea soup with croutons?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Provençal chickpea soup with croutons?

About 540 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Provençal chickpea soup with croutons cost?

About €1.80 per serving, or €7.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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