marry me chickpea soup with kale

Dinner

Marry Me Chickpea Soup with Kale

This creamy chickpea soup was inspired by Marry Me Chicken, a dish that features chicken and sun-dried tomatoes. We gave this dish a plant-based spin by swapping out the chicken for chickpeas and kale to create a cozy, warming meal perfect for cooler weather.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomato jar
½ cup chopped drained julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes in oil with herbs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large shallot, chopped (about ½ cup)
2 tablespoons unsalted tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed
6 cups unsalted vegetable broth
1 small bunch tuscan kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (about 3½ packed cups)
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
⅓ cup heavy cream
2 ounces cream cheese (¼ cup), cubed and softened
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus small leaves for garnish

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until melted and shimmering. Add chopped shallot; cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste and the minced garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes are slightly broken down and deep red in color, about 2 minutes.
Stir in rinsed chickpeas, 6 cups broth, chopped kale and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender and the mixture is slightly reduced, 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from heat. Add 6 tablespoons Parmesan, ⅓ cup cream and the cubed cream cheese; stir until melted and combined, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons basil. Divide among 4 bowls; top with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired.