Moroccan Chickpea Soup (شوربة الحمص المغربية) — Spiced Chickpea Broth with Cumin and Lemon

• 500 gcooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 30 mlolive oil
• 180 gyellow onion, finely diced
• 120 gcarrot, small dice
• 80 gcelery, small dice
• 12 ggarlic, minced
• 6 gground cumin (about 2 tsp)
• 4 gsweet paprika (about 2 tsp)
• 2 gground coriander (about 1 tsp)
• 1 gground turmeric (about 1/2 tsp)
• 0.5 gcayenne pepper (about 1/4 tsp)
• 30 gtomato paste (about 2 tbsp)
• 1000 mllow-sodium vegetable stock
• 250 mlwater
• 6 gfine sea salt (about 1 tsp)
• 45 mllemon juice, freshly squeezed (about 3 tbsp)
• 2 glemon zest (about 1 tsp)
• 20 gfresh cilantro, chopped (about 1/2 cup loosely packed)
• 15 gfresh parsley, chopped (about 1/2 cup loosely packed)
• 120 gplain yogurt (about 1/2 cup)

Instructions

1. 1

   Warm the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat for 60–90 seconds until it shimmers. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, then cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent and the vegetables begin to soften.

2. 2

   Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 45 seconds, just until fragrant. Add cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne, then stir continuously for 30 seconds to bloom the spices without letting them scorch.

3. 3

   Add the tomato paste and cook it for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pot to dissolve any browned bits. This brief sauté deepens the color and rounds out the soup’s base before the liquids go in.

4. 4

   Pour in the vegetable stock and water, then add the chickpeas and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce to a steady simmer, and cook uncovered for 25 minutes so the broth takes on the spices and the chickpeas become creamy at the edges.

5. 5

   Blend about one-third of the soup (roughly 400 ml) until smooth, then return it to the pot to thicken the broth naturally. Simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring, and adjust the consistency with an additional 50–100 ml water only if needed.

6. 6

   Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, cilantro, and parsley. Let the soup stand for 5 minutes so the herbs perfume the broth, then taste and add an extra 5 ml lemon juice if you want a brighter finish.