Spinach Chickpea Soup

We absolutely adored this soup- bright and interesting flavors, easy to make and very satisfying for a meatless dinner.  Flavors are kind of Spanish, maybe North African.  Just yummy to us. 

However, maybe this one isn't for everyone, in reading the online reviews I was shocked to see that not everyone did.  People said rude things, but I just cannot relate.  Haters of spinach?  Not sure what their problem was.
I mean... ask yourself the following:
- Do you like spinach?
- Do you like chickpeas (or garbanzos, ceci beans)?
- Do you like curry?
If you answered yes, then try this soup.

My recommendation is to make the curry, lime and oil "drizzle" to serve on the top of the soup. We thought it was really the thing to do.  I may use this drizzle stuff for other things, it was that good.

This recipe hails from Sunset Feb 2015. I will make it again and again.

Serves about 4

Ingredients

3 Tbsp olive oil

3/4 cup diced onion, or shallots

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tsp curry powder

2 cans (15 oz. each) chickpeas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed

5 cups vegetable broth (or chicken)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

6 cups packed spinach leaves, stems removed

Curry Drizzle

1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder

1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

1 Tbsp Olive oil

Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a medium pot over medium heat and add shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, curry powder and ginger and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute more.

Add chickpeas, broth, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until flavors are well blended and chickpeas are very soft, about 10-15 minutes. Add spinach and cook just until softened and bright green, about 2 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.

Whirl half of soup at a time in a blender, starting on low speed, until very smooth. Ladle into bowls. Just before serving, stir lime juice, curry powder and olive oil together and drizzle over soup.