A vegan spinach tahini chickpea soup which is so rich and velvety it feels like it should be a naughty treat, but in fact it is full of goodness! The deep green spinach provides a big iron hit whilst the tahini and chickpeas offer up their earthy flavour and healthy protein. I have been unwell for the past week and my go-to recipe is always soup. There is something so comforting about a big bowl of silky smooth soup, and the vibrant green of this spinach tahini chickpea soup makes me feel like I am giving my body all the nutrients it needs to get better.

The recipe was inspired by one of my favourite blogs, Green Kitchen Stories. The original recipe was Spinach & Kale soup with Tahini Dressed Chickpeas. I incorporated the tahini chickpeas into the soup to make a thicker more filling soup, and omitted the chilli. I thought a swirl of crème fraîche or vegan cream would look and taste wonderful in the recipe, but it was by no means lacking without it. I topped it with lightly toasted pumpkin seeds for extra texture and protein. I made enough to last a few meals, perhaps enough for 6 people and the recipe will freeze very well. 

Spinach Tahini Chickpea Soup

• 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1kg fresh spinach or thawed frozen, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated/ ground nutmeg
• 1 litre / 4 cups organic vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 lemon, juice
• 1 can/ 240g/ 1 cup cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Handful pumpkin seeds

1. Add the olive oil to a large saucepan and place over a medium heat. Finely chop the onion and cook for about 2 minutes.
2. Finely chop the garlic,add to the pan and lower the heat stirring occasionally until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add half of the spinach and the nutmeg and gently cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the broth, tahini, lemon and chickpeas. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.
5. Add the rest of the spinach to the pan. Adding half of the spinach at the end keeps your soup a wonderful bright green colour.
6. Blend the soup in batches or with a stick blender until smooth and silky. Season to taste.
7. Lightly toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat and serve scattered over the bright green soup.
8. Top with a little grating of nutmeg and a swirl of crème fraîche or vegan cream, if you like. 

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