Bowl of chickpea and tomato soup with fresh parsley

Oct 28, 2024

Chickpea Soup Recipe

This aromatic, spice-rich soup is Moroccan themed, yes, but the recipe comes directly from Thomson’s camp chefs in Tanzania!

Chickpeas form the base, followed by a kaleidoscopic parade of colorful spices. Add in cilantro and lemon, and you’ve got a meal that’ll turn any table into a fragrant safari memory.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cilantro

  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1 ½ teaspoon sweet paprika

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ¼ cup plain flour

  • 4 cups water

  • 3 cups vegetable stock

  • 2 10-ounce cans of chickpeas, rinsed, drained

  • 24 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes

  • 1 ½ tablespoon preserved lemon, finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan. Cook onion, garlic and ginger, stirring until the onion softens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add remaining spices and cook, stirring until fragrant.

  2. Add flour. Cook, stirring until mixture bubbles and thickens. Gradually stir in the water and stock, then cook, stirring until mixture boils and thickens. Reduce heat to a simmer, uncovered, and cook for 5 minutes.

  3. Add chickpeas and undrained tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you transfer them to the pot. Return the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until soup thickens.

  4. Add lemon and coriander just before serving.

Wildebeest massing along the riverbank in the northern Serengeti.

Start Planning Your Safari

Our free printed catalog gathers every Thomson safari in one place, with day-by-day itineraries, the camps we stay in and the wildlife you'll meet along the way.

Rather hear from us by email? Sign up for our newsletter for safari news and new departures.

Request a Free Catalog

Related Stories