Chickpea Soup with Pesto (+ Giveaway WINNER)

...and the random winner of the adorable Anthropologie apron is:  Joanna (#7)!!  Thanks to everyone who played.  I find it especially fun to have these giveaways because most of the time, I know everyone who enters and it's always a delight to send a package off to a friend, or sister or a friend, or friend of a friend, or, in this case, the wife of a very dear friend. :D  Happy wearing, Joanna! (I'll be sending this off on Monday so you'll have it for all your holiday baking!)

And now, a new recipe!

I can't even begin to tell you how easy this soup is.  And usually, when a soup is a snap to put together, I expect it to be as equally simple in the taste department.  Not this one!  I walked into the kitchen late (5:30), but in 30 minutes, I went from having a cold, dark kitchen, to the family sitting down at the table.

Seriously.  Thirty minutes.

And it was delicious!  Absolutely delicious.  I think it was the pesto that made the dish -- even if/when I have fresh basil around, I still think I'll use the pesto.  Not only was it a cinch to use, but the flavor of it really brought the soup to a new level.

It also makes a bit, which is nice.  I froze half for a later use.  And, I got more portions out of it because I served it over some brown rice I had in the fridge.  Gotta love an easy, delicious, versatile soup!


Chickpea Soup with Spinach and Pesto -- updated 9.13
serves 8

• olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 TBLS minced garlic
• 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained OR any other white bean
• 4 cup vegetable broth + 2 cups water
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3-4 cups chopped spinach OR 10 oz pk frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 2-4 T basil pesto OR  1  .5oz pkt basil pesto sauce
• pepper to taste (I didn't add any salt with the broth and tomatoes already having their own salt and it was fine)

-- Saute onion and garlic 10 minutes.
-- Add everything else and heat through.