Hearty garbanzo bean and pasta soup is a quick pantry-staple soup that has homemade SpaghettiOs vibes. Top it with melty cheese and enjoy!

This simple recipe makes a cozy, family-friendly soup in a healthyish vegetarian package. It really is like a classier version of SpaghettiOs in a rich tomato broth. Inspired by an Italian soup called Pasta e Ceci, this is one that translates well to any home kitchen. Best of all, you probably have everything you need to make it in your kitchen right now.

Serve the soup with grilled cheese sandwiches for a bit of nostalgia or with garlic bread or a nice crusty bread for great dipping. See below for everything you need to know!

And if it’s just really feeling like soup season at your house, we’ve got you covered. Try your next batch of soup in the Instant Pot with Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup (my favorite twist on classic chicken noodle soup), Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup or Pasta e Fagioli.

How to Make Garbanzo Bean Soup

1. Saute aromatics. In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook garlic, tomato paste, and paprika in olive oil until fragrant.
2. Add liquids. Stir in vegetable broth and crushed tomatoes to create the base of the soup.
3. Add beans and pasta. Finally, stir in the garbanzo beans, pasta, and some balsamic vinegar, salt, and a pinch of sugar to give it flavor.
4. Cook until tender. Simmer the soup until the pasta is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on what pasta shape you use.
5. Top with melty cheese. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• Pasta – This soup is the best with a small pasta shape that fits easily on your spoon. If you can find O-shaped annelini, it’s the best here. Ditalini or rice-shaped orzo are also great. Adjust the cooking time as needed – the smaller the pasta shape, the faster it will cook.
• Olive Oil – Saute the aromatics in olive oil, but it’s also great to drizzle some over the finished soup as well.
• Garlic, Paprika, and Tomato Paste – These flavorful ingredients form the base of the tomato broth. If you’d like some smoky flavor, smoked paprika is delicious instead of the regular variety.
• Stock – Use vegetable or chicken stock broth. In a pinch you can use water, but the soup won’t have quite as much rich flavor
• Crushed Tomatoes – I tested this soup with whole tomatoes, but ultimately I preferred a smooth tomato soup base that comes from crushed tomatoes.
• Balsamic Vinegar, Sugar, and Salt – Don’t forget these pantry staples that help to bring the tomato flavors of the broth into balance. In place of the balsamic vinegar, you could also stir in some lemon juice for tart flavor.
• Parmesan Cheese – Melty cheese on top of this soup is the best! Parmesan is classic for this Italian recipe, but any type of cheese is great.

Variations

• Make it spicy – Garbanzo soup is great with some spice. Stir in your favorite hot sauce, red pepper flakes, or smoky harissa.
• Add vegetables – Almost any vegetables would be great stirred into the tomato broth base. Try diced carrots, red or green pepper, fresh regular or cherry tomatoes, or chopped zucchini.
• Add chicken – To add some protein to this vegetarian soup, stir in shredded cooked chicken.
• Change the beans – While garbanzo beans are classic, another variety of beans would work well. Cannelinni or another white bean would be great. Even kidney or black beans would be great in a pinch.
• Add fresh herbs – Top the soup with some chopped fresh parsley, basil, or cilantro for color.

Garbanzo Beans vs. Chickpeas

Garbanzo beans and chickpeas are the same thing. You can use either term to refer to them and purchase either one to use in recipes calling for one or the other.

Slow Cooker

This soup can easily be made in the slow cooker. Just combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 2 to 4 hours. The cook time will vary depending on the size and shape of the pasta you use. A small, quick-cooking pasta will be done in 2 hours, but a more hearty shape can take up to 4 hours.

Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker

This is a great soup to cook in the Instant Pot. Just combine everything in the Instant Pot and cook according to the recommended cook time for the pasta shape you’re using. Check out my guide on How to Cook Pasta in the Instant Pot to figure out how long to cook it.

More Cozy Soup Recipes

Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup

Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini and Kale

Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup

Sweet Potato Soup with Miso

 

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