Chickpea-Tomato Soup with Rosemary

adapted from Orangette

While I know I will never actually do it, the thought of making a-soup-a-week is very tempting. It's hands down my favorite thing to cook in the Fall (and no, this statement does not diminish my avowed love of pumpkins because of course, they can also be used in many soups!). I love the way a pot of soup makes the house smell as it simmers on the stove and the way a big bowl warms you up better than an extra pair of socks. There are just so many types I want to try…. so on my day off, I decided to make this simple and easy Tomato Chickpea Soup. Perfect for a cold evening served with warm bread and extra sharp cheddar cheese, and even better warmed up the next day for lunch!

Ingredients

2 15-ounce cans chickpeas
3 Tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 3-inch sprigs fresh rosemary, needles removed from stem and finely chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes, one 28-ounce and one 14.5-ounce
A pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

Directions

Drain the canned chickpeas in a colander, and rinse them well. Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat, and add the garlic and rosemary. Cook for a minute or two, and then add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, a few grinds of pepper, roughly half of the chickpeas, and the stock. Bring to a boil over high heat; then reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat and purée the soup directly in the pot using an immersion blender. Add the remaining chickpeas, and warm the soup over medium heat. Serve warm.