Chickpea and Spinach Soup with Lemon

Other Fast Without Oil Published March 07, 2026

This is a one-pot soup that comes together in thirty minutes and provides everything you need on a no-oil fasting day: protein from the chickpeas, iron from the spinach, brightness from the lemon, and warmth from the cumin and garlic. It is the kind of recipe you memorize after making it twice and then cook from instinct for the rest of Lent.

The lemon goes in at the end, stirred into the hot soup just before serving, so it stays bright and fresh rather than cooking out into dullness. This is the difference between a good lemon soup and a great one.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast Without Oil (cooked food permitted, no oil, no wine)
SERVINGS: 4
TIME: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 2 cans (800g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 300g fresh spinach (or 200g frozen spinach, thawed)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- Juice of 2 large lemons
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped, for serving
- Crusty bread, for serving

METHOD

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion with 3 tablespoons of water. Water-sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently and adding water a tablespoon at a time as needed, until the onion is soft and translucent.

2. Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Stir for 30 seconds until the spices are fragrant and toasted.

3. Add the chickpeas and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

4. Using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, mash about a quarter of the chickpeas against the side of the pot. This thickens the broth and gives the soup body without adding any fat.

5. Add the spinach. If using fresh, stir in handfuls at a time and let each batch wilt before adding the next. Cook for 2-3 minutes until all the spinach is wilted.

6. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice. Season generously with salt and pepper. The soup should taste distinctly lemony — add more juice if needed.

7. Serve in deep bowls with fresh herbs and bread for dipping.

NOTES

- Mashing some of the chickpeas is the technique that makes this soup feel rich and substantial without any oil. Do not skip it.
- Frozen spinach works perfectly here and is more economical. Squeeze out excess water before adding.
- A can of diced tomatoes added in step 3 creates a heartier variation.
- This soup reheats well but the lemon fades over time. Add a fresh squeeze when reheating.
- Keeps refrigerated for 4 days. Freezes well for 2 months.