Moroccan Tomato Couscous Chickpea Soup is rich in spices and flavors while being nutritious and full of protein. Vegetables and plum tomatoes are simmered with rich spices like turmeric, paprika and cinnamon while couscous and chickpeas add texture and protein. Silk Soymilk helps to create a creamy texture and adds additional protein.

MOROCCAN TOMATO COUSCOUS CHICKPEA SOUP

A lot of the recipes I create are inspired by something. It might be a cooking show, a restaurant I recently ate at, a dream I had {not joking 😉 }, an old recipe that I put a new twist on or a Lebanese family recipe.

Today’s Moroccan Tomato Couscous Chickpea Soup is inspired by a recent trip to a Lebanese restaurant in Cleveland called Taza Lebanese Grill {if you live in Cleveland try this out!} and my Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup.

When we made a recent trip to Taza I ate a Tomato Couscous Soup that was out of this world and I knew I had to recreate it.

When I started coming up with the recipe I felt that the best spices to pair with the tomatoes, chickpeas and couscous were from my Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup. The warm flavors of turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, cumin and coriander just can’t be beat.

If you have make homemade tomato soup you might be one of those people that adds milk or cream to give it a creamy texture.

Today’s Moroccan Tomato Couscous Chickpea Soup uses Silk Unsweetened Soymilk as a swap for milk and not only helps give it a creamy texture but also adds in additional plant based protein.

Swapping soymilk for milk is just one way you can add more plant based proteins into your diet. April happens to be National Soyfoods Month and I am teaming up with Soyfoods Association of North America to provide you with more simple swaps for a more plant-based diet.

Whether you’re a flexitarian, someone who does Meatless Monday, a vegan before 6 p.m. (like author Mark Bittman suggests), a full-fledged vegan or vegetarian, or someone who just wants to switch it up at the dinner table, April is your “swapportunity” to learn more about soy foods and participate in National Soyfoods Month.

Did you know that soy is the only plant protein considered “complete?”

In other words, like animal protein, soy protein contains all nine essential amino acids in the ratios needed for health and well-being. Soy protein may reduce the risk of heart disease as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Here are some ideas on how you can swap soy in your recipes:

Substitute soymilk for milk or cream in soups {like I did today}.
Make a smoothie with soymilk, the only plant-based dairy alternative with an average of 7g of protein per serving.
Choose a soy-based veggie burger instead of a hamburger and cut the fat in half.
Try marinated tofu in your next stir fry instead of beef steak and save about 6g saturated fat and 53mg cholesterol per serving.
Swap the ground meat in chili dishes or lasagna with soy crumbles – or make them yourself by pressing firm tofu to remove water, then crumbling with soy sauce, soy or peanut butter, cumin, garlic and chili powder.

OTHER TOMATO RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

PERSIAN TOMATO CUCUMBER SALAD

TOMATO CUCUMBER FETA QUINOA SALAD

EASY LEBANESE SALAD

LEBANESE TABBOULEH

CUCUMBER TOMATO SALAD WITH YOGURT DRESSING

RATATOUILLE

SIMPLE MARINATED TOMATOES

Moroccan Tomato Couscous Chickpea Soup

Name: Moroccan Tomato Couscous Chickpea Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 1/2 cup couscous {I used whole wheat}; 3 Tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 sweet onion, chopped; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 carrot, peeled and chopped; 1 celery stalk, chopped; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper {cayenne pepper}; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; 2 teaspoon coriander; 1 teaspoon turmeric; 28 oz. can whole peeled plum tomatoes; 4 cups vegetable broth {you could use chicken broth}; 1-15oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained; 1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk {I used Silk}; Salt and pepper to taste; Fresh cilantro, chopped; Crushed red pepper flakes; Lemon wedges

Yield: 8-10

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Moroccan Tomato Couscous Chickpea Soup is rich in spices and flavors while being nutritious and full of protein. Vegetables and plum tomatoes are simmered with rich spices like turmeric, paprika and cinnamon while couscous and chickpeas add texture and protein. Soymilk helps to create a creamy texture and add additional protein.

Ingredients

1/2 cup couscous {I used whole wheat}
3 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper {cayenne pepper}
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
28 oz. can whole peeled plum tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth {you could use chicken broth}
1-15oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk {I used Silk}
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes:

Fresh cilantro, chopped
Crushed red pepper flakes
Lemon wedges

Instructions

Cook the couscous according to the package.
While the couscous cooks heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and begin to sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots and celery and a dash of salt and continue to sauté until the vegetables become soft.
Add the spices and continue to sauté for 2 more minutes.
Put the plum tomatoes, vegetable broth and chickpeas and simmer on low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the soymilk in and stir well. Simmer for 2 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Separate half of the soup into a large mixing bowl and either puree using an immersion blender or using a blender. Return the pureed soup back into the soup pot and mix well.
In soup bowls put a few spoonfuls of couscous in the bottom, ladle the soup on top and garnish as you wish {fresh cilantro, crushed red pepper, lemon wedges and extra chickpeas}.
Serve alongside Naan bread for dipping.

Notes

You can substitute milk, cream or half and half for the soymilk.
You could try rice instead of the couscous.

Thanks to the Soyfoods Association of North America for sponsoring this post. All opinions are always my own. Thanks for supporting the brands and organizations that make A Cedar Spoon possible.

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Martha C Brown

Sunday 9th of October 2016

I made this and it was easy and delicious. I just added the couscous at the end and let it cook for a few minutes in the soup. Easy, hearty and really tasty!

Julia

Monday 10th of October 2016

So glad you liked it!

allie @ Through Her Looking Glass

Thursday 9th of April 2015

I learned so much about soy today, thank you Julia. Love the Moroccan twist and inclusion of cinnamon. This is a gorgeous soup. (Also a little adventurous for me, but I'm gonna give it a whirl!) Thanks for the inspiration.

Friday 10th of April 2015

Thanks Allie! Yes it has a lot of bold spices but hopefully it is something you think you could try. I promise it is flavorful and the everything goes together nicely.