So, I was perusing the bean shelves in my favorite Indian market and found roasted split chickpeas (chana dalia). I’d never seen them before and wondered if they could be cooked just like split green peas. I bought a package and this recipe is the result of my experimentation.The resulting soup is very thick—not just in the viscosity of the soup but the pureed chickpeas themselves leave a thickness on the tongue. Unlike pureed split pea soup, it has a somewhat grainy—but not unpleasant—texture, and the flavor is intensely nutty.

What I discovered was that roasted split chickpeas don’t break down during cooking, the way split peas do. Once the chickpeas are tender (which can take over an hour), they have to be pureed. You could also eat the soup without pureeing, but I found it more appealing to puree it.

The soup is hearty and filling, and if you pair it with a salad, you’ve got a great meal. It’s also gluten free, dairy free, and almost fat free. Enjoy!

Split Chickpea Soup

Makes 4 servings.1 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup chopped carrot
1 tablespoon paprika
6 cups vegetable broth
2 cups roasted split chickpeas
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnishes: Minced parsley, whole chickpeas

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt and sauté until soft and translucent. Add garlic and sauté another 2 minutes.Add the carrot and sauté another 2 minutes.Stir in the paprika.Pour in 6 cups broth and bring to a boil. Add split chickpeas, remaining salt, and pepper and bring to a boil again. Lower heat to medium-low and let simmer until chickpeas are tender. This will take about 1 to 1½ hours. Stir occasionally. Add more broth or water if liquid starts to dry out.The chickpeas will still be whole. Transfer soup to a blender and puree, or use a stick blender.Transfer to bowls and garnish with whole chickpeas or minced parsley. Serve with croutons, if desired.