Best Garbanzo Bean Soup With Ham

Spanish soup recipes from the southern region of the country are known for being diverse and flavorful, with a large range in terms of difficulty level and types of ingredients used.

The garbanzo bean soup with ham is an easy-to-make soup recipe, perfect for busy weeknights or leisurely weekends when you crave a comforting and nourishing meal.

Read this article and you will learn how to make chickpea soup from scratch, with clear instructions and helpful tips to ensure success. 

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Pssst…!!?? You can’t get enough of Spanish soup recipes? Have a look at my other posts: 

• Spanish chickpea stew

• Spanish chickpea soup

• Lentil soup with ham bone

Background of the Dish

The original garbanzo bean soup can be traced back to ancient civilizations, with a wide variety of versions according to the ingredients that were prominent in each region.

In Andalusia, the traditional chickpea soup met some amazing new ingredients, such as Serrano ham, garlic, onion, olive oil, and chopped parsley.

In the present day, it continues to be cherished as a beloved staple in Spanish cuisine and beyond, loved for its simplicity, versatility, and delicious taste.

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Things You’ll Need for Garbanzo Bean Soup With Ham

To make this garbanzo bean soup with ham you will need dry chickpeas, serrano ham, onion, garlic cloves, carrots, vegetable (or chicken) broth, and olive oil as the main ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (400gr) dried garbanzo beans (chickpeas), soaked overnight
• 4 cups (960ml) chicken or vegetable broth
• 200gr serrano ham
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

How to Make Garbanzo Bean Soup With Ham – Step by Step Guide

1. Before starting with this chickpea soup recipe, you have to soak the dry chickpeas overnight in a pot filled with water. You could skip this step by using canned chickpeas.

2. When you are ready to start, the first step is to prepare the vegetables. For that, peel and chop the carrots, onion, and celery stalks into small pieces. Also, mince the garlic cloves. Set everything aside.

3. Now, drain and rinse the soaked garbanzo beans. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until the vegetables get soft, for about 7 minutes.

4. After that, add the diced serrano ham to the pot and cook for 4 minutes until it goldens slightly. Be careful because if it burns you won’t be able to use it.

5. Then, add the garbanzo to the pot along with the bay leaf and chicken or vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let the garbanzo bean soup with ham simmer for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the garbanzo beans are tender.

6. Once the beans are tender, remove the bay leaf from the pot. With the help of an immersion blender or a regular blender, blend about half of the soup until smooth. This will help thicken the soup with garbanzo beans while still leaving some texture.

7. Now, season the Spanish soup with salt and pepper to taste. If it is too thick, you can add more broth or water to reach your desired consistency.

8. To finish this Spanish soup recipe, simply pour the soup into small bowls. If desired, you can add chopped fresh parsley and additional diced Serrano ham as the toppings for this garbanzo bean soup with ham.

Substitution of Ingredients

There are some changes that you can make to the ingredients of this garbanzo bean soup with ham, to customize it to your taste preferences or accommodate dietary restrictions. 

For a vegetarian version, replace the serrano ham with tofu, mushrooms, or more veggies, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. 

In this Spanish soup with chickpeas, the garbanzos are a key element, but instead of dry ones, you can use canned and cooked chickpeas, making the cooking process faster without sacrificing flavor or texture. 

A highlight of authentic Spanish soup recipes is the use of local ingredients, and you can enhance that in this recipe by adding a pinch of saffron, or chorizo pieces, or drizzling some more olive oil.

The garbanzo bean soup with chorizo is worth trying especially if you love chorizo-packed Spanish soups or the Cuban garbanzo bean soup with bacon.

Do you want to experiment with different flavor profiles? Then we have more Spanish soup recipes for you to try, like the white fish soup or the Spanish leek and celery soup.

Tips on Serving Garbanzo Bean Soup With Ham

The garbanzo bean soup with ham is one of the best main dishes that you can find, perfect for warming up on chilly evenings or impressing guests with its hearty and comforting flavors. 

Like most soup recipes with chickpeas, the best way to serve it is to top each dish with chopped fresh herbs to add a contrast of freshness to the dish, but you can also enhance its presentation and flavor by drizzling a swirl of olive oil over each serving.

Similar to the Spanish bacon bean soup, you can add some extra cooked and golden serrano ham (or bacon) pieces on top to garnish and include a different layer of texture.

You can also copy the fish noodle soup, and serve this dish with a portion of your favorite cooked pasta, as it adds a satisfying texture and turns the soup into a complete and wholesome meal.

How to Store Garbanzo Bean Soup With Ham

When you finish preparing the recipe for Spanish soup, let it cool to room temperature and take it to an airtight freezer-safe container (you can also cover it with plastic wrap for extra protection).

Then, place the garbanzo bean soup with ham in the fridge and store it for up to 3 days, or in the freezer where it can last up to 60 days.

You can reheat this soup on the stove over medium heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, or in the microwave for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even heating. 

If the soup thickens upon reheating, you can add a splash of broth or water to reach your desired consistency. 

Other Spanish soups recipes that you can prepare and store for later are the flounder soup, the pork and potato soup, and the Spanish bean tomato soup.

Recipe Card: Garbanzo Bean Soup With Ham

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