Mediterranean chickpea soup

Step 1

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Add the garlic, paprika, oregano and bay leaves. Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 1 minute.

Step 3

Add the chickpeas, and cook for another minute, stirring often.

Step 4

Pour in the diced tomatoes, the frozen spinach, the broth and 1/2 tsp of salt. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat and cook gently for 10 minutes.

Step 5

In the meanwhile, dissolve 1/2 heaped Tbsp of flour into 1/2 cup of cold water, mix to a smooth consistency and stir in the soup. Srtir well and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove the pot from heat, then remove the bay leaves. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and lemon juice until the flavors really sing. (You might need more salt, depending on your vegetable broth and your personal preferences.)

Step 6

Divide into bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and some chili flakes if you’d like.