Greek Chickpea soup, Revithosoupa (Ρεβιθόσουπα)

Revithosoupa, a Greek chickpea soup, is a hearty and rustic vegan soup made with a few simple ingredients. Chickpeas, carrots, celery, onion, leeks, garlic, olive oil and some herbs and spices combine to make this traditional and easy Greek recipe.

Growing up in a Greek home, a pot of soup simmering on the stove top was often supper. I loved lifting the lid and peeking in to see what delicious meal I would be enjoying with my family. Sometimes it was the classic Greek chicken and rice soup with avgolemono sauce, on Fridays it was usually fakes, Greek lentil soup, and sometimes when the pantry was really running low my dad would make the soup he enjoyed in his village. Psilofasola is a mung bean soup that is so basic, and yet so good and it reminds my Baba of his childhood.

Real Greek cuisine has plenty of soup recipes. One of my favourites is this revithosoupa, or Greek chickpea soup. I am so excited to share it with all of you!

Why I love this recipe

Chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) are legumes which are nutritional powerhouses; high in protein, folate, iron and fiber, they are a filling and inexpensive way to pack in the good stuff. What’s not to love!?

This chickpea soup is a fantastic vegan recipe. It is therefore perfect for periods of Orthodox Lent or fasting. It is one of my favourite Nistisima (Lenten) Recipes.

It is easy! There is not a lot of chopping, nothing complicated and a lot of inactive prep and cooking time! While the soup is simmering you can sit back and check out some of these Easy Greek Recipes to make for future meals!

Key ingredients

You don’t need much to make this amazing Greek soup. Simple, inexpensive ingredients, and a bit of time is all you need.

Chickpeas I like to use dry chickpeas in this recipe and I purchase them in a place where I know there is a high bean turnover. Although dry beans don”t spoil per se, if they are very old then it will take a very long time to cook them, and they may never become fully soft and tender. I definitely don’t want chickpeas that have been sitting on the shelf for years!

Celery Finely chopped celery is the basic building block of so many recipes, including this revithosoupa. It adds flavour and texture.

Carrots The carrots in this recipe add a pop of colour, a hint of sweetness and some added nutrition. I like to cut them into rounds or half rounds, depending on the size of the carrot.

Onion I use yellow onion in this recipe. I enjoy the mellow flavour, and the way it softens up nicely when sautéed.

Leeks I love the addition of leeks in this soup. I find that they add another depth of flavour that complements the onion. Be sure to wash your leek very well before adding it to pot.

Garlic I am always careful to use only locally sourced garlic, or garlic that I know has not been bleached to prolong its shelf life and have it appear white. I check the roots – any garlic bulb without roots will not be purchased by me!

Olive oil As usual, I use olive oil to saute my vegetables in this soup. I love the flavour and aroma that I get from pure olive oil. Nothing beats it!

Bay leaf I add a bay leaf to the hot oil as I am sautéing my vegetables. It adds flavour to the oil, and the soup. The impact is subtle, but I like to add in the bay leaf when I have it. If I have no bay leaves, I just leave it out to be honest.

Thyme I love the earthy flavour of the fresh thyme in this recipe. It tastes great and adds a nice touch of colour to the soup.

Lemon juice I always use fresh squeezed lemon juice, and adding a bit to this soup really helps to brighten it up and highlight all the flavours. So good!

Salt & pepper Of course I season my soup with salt and pepper. You can use the amounts I recommend, or season to your tastes.

How to make it

Making this classic Greek revithosoupa is not difficult at all! Follow these easy steps to a hearty, healthy and delicious meal.

Preparation

I like to use dry chickpeas for this recipe. I measure out my chickpeas and then sort threw them to remove any stones or broken bits of chickpea. Then I rinse them before placing them in a large bowl and covering them with at least 2 inches of cold water. Set aside for about 12 hours or overnight.

When it is time to make the soup, I drain the chickpeas, rinse them, and set them aside to be using in the recipe.

Instructions

Step 1
In a large pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and leek for approximately 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add the carrots, celery and garlic and sauté for an additional 3 – 4 minutes, stirring often.  Add the fresh thyme, bay leaf and the drained chickpeas and stir well.  Cook for a couple of minutes.

Step 2
Next, add the water to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium high.  Cook covered for approximately 75 – 90 minutes.  Add the salt and pepper.  Check the chickpeas for doneness; they should be soft, but not mushy.

Step 3
When the chickpeas are done to your liking, remove the soup from the heat and stir the fresh lemon juice into your pot.

Cooking tips

The recipe for chickpea soup below calls for the addition of freshly squeezed lemon juice after the soup has cooked.  This amount of lemon juice give a mild, but noticeable citrus taste.  You can absolutely add more lemon if you prefer; just remember that you can add, but you can’t take away.  So, start with what we suggest, and go from there!

Recipe substitutions

Although I like to cook with dried beans whenever possible (and encourage you to do the same), you can certainly substitute canned chickpeas in a pinch.  If you do, the cooking time of the soup will of course will be quite reduced, and the water called for in the recipe should be reduced by one cup.

If you prefer to use something other than olive oil, go ahead. Canola oil or vegetable oil would have a less pronounced flavour, which you may prefer. You can also use half olive oil and half another type of oil.

If you do not have fresh thyme you can use the same amount of dry oregano instead.

Video: Make Greek chickpea soup

Recipe variations

You can make your revithosoupa a little spicy by adding some chili peppers or chili flakes to the oil at the same time that you are sautéing the onions and leeks.

For additional vegetables you can add some finely cubed potatoes; this will add body and heartiness to your already hearty soup.

If you want to make a meal which stars chickpeas, you can also consider making Greek baked chickpeas (Revithia sto fourno).

Storing and reheating

Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Leftovers can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Sometimes it’s great to be organized, and prepared.  If you are going to make this chickpea soup, how about doubling the recipe?  Have some for supper, and freeze the rest. This is a great soup to have on hand when there is no time to make dinner, or when you are too lazy to cook (come on…I can’t be the only ones who is sometimes too lazy to cook!).  To serve, simply allow your soup to thaw in the fridge from the morning, and heat in a pot.  Dinner is ready in about 10 minutes!

How to serve

Served with a nice hunk of bread, some olives and perhaps a maroulosalata, this is a complete meal that is simple, inexpensive and very satisfying.

Related recipes

I think that if you landed here, it might be because you like chickpeas or you want to like them! So, here you are…a few more chickpea recipes that I think you will love:

Chickpea wraps These vegan wraps are so good, and so easy to put together! The flavours, textures and colours are so good!

Greek chicken with chickpeas (Kota me revithia kokkinista) Protein on protein! This is humble, rustic food at its finest. Not a recipe you will find in a fancy Greek restaurant, by any Yiayia would be happy to prepare it for you!

Youvetsi with chickpeas (Γιουβέτσι με ρεβύθια) Here the classic youvetsi meal (made with orzo) is made plant-based by using chickpeas as the protein. So good!

Herbed orzo with chickpeas, Kritharaki me votana ke revithia Light, refreshing, and packed with flavour. This salad goes well with everything, and can even be a light meal no its own.

Thanks for sharing!