Best Creamy Chickpea Gazpacho Recipes

CREAMY GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Place the bread in a large bowl. Pour the reserved tomato juice over the stale bread and set it aside for at least 10 minutes. Not only will this soften the bread, but also infuse it with the tomato flavor.
• In a food processor or a powerful blender, add all of the chopped vegetables. Puree the vegetables until they start to breakdown.
• Add the bread and the sherry vinegar to the blender. Turn the blender on and stream in the olive oil. Puree the mixture until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the consistency is too thick, add water or more vinegar if you like, to adjust the thickness. Place the gazpacho into the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to marry with one another.
• Serve the gazpacho in glasses, like they do in Spain, or you can serve it in bowls if you prefer.
• Cook's Notes: To make your gazpacho spicier, add some of the ribs and seeds from the jalapeno. You can adjust the oil and vinegar in this recipe to make it tangier if you like!
• Gazpacho gets better the longer that it sits.

BEST GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic in a blender or, if using a hand blender, in a deep bowl. (If necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
• With the motor running, add the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.
• Strain the mixture through a strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a ladle. Discard the solids. Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl. A few drops of olive oil on top are a nice touch.

CREAMY CHICKPEA PASTA WITH SPINACH AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high.
• In a wide, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the chickpeas, rosemary and Aleppo pepper, if using. Season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas start to caramelize at their edges and pop, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about half the chickpeas to a bowl. Reserve for garnish.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots and garlic to the skillet, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the spinach and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the pasta until a couple minutes short of al dente according to package instructions, about 5 minutes. Do not drain the pasta, but using tongs, transfer the pasta directly from the pot to the spinach and cream sauce. Add 1 cup pasta cooking water and the Parmesan, and cook over medium-high, stirring vigorously with the tongs, until the sauce is thickened and the noodles are al dente, about 2 minutes. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen sauce, if needed.
• Transfer to bowls, and top with reserved chickpeas, rosemary and black pepper. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges for squeezing on top.

CRISPY CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray.
• Put the chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel or several paper towels and dry thoroughly. In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with the smoked salt and toss again. Transfer in an even layer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake, shaking the pan halfway through the baking time, until the chickpeas are crunchy, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool at least 1 hour; the chickpeas will become crunchier as they cool. These are best eaten within 1 day.

GAZPACHO

Steps:

• Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!
• After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

CREAMY TOMATO GAZPACHO WITH CRUNCHY PECORINO

Steps:

• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spread 2 tablespoons cheese into a thin layer in skillet; let melt and brown on bottom, about 30 seconds to one minute. Use a spatula to flip cheese; let cook until evenly browned on both sides, about a minute more. Transfer fried cheese to a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining cheese, working 2 tablespoons at a time. Break fried cheese into large pieces.
• To make soup, place tomatoes, yogurt, olive oil, basil, garlic, scallions, ice cubes, salt, vinegar, cayenne and black pepper in a blender. Purée until smooth. Taste and add more salt and vinegar, if necessary. Pour into small bowls and garnish with pieces of fried cheese and chopped basil. Drizzle soup liberally with olive oil.

CRAZY CREAMY CHICKPEA CURRY

Steps:

• Melt coconut oil in a heavy 4-quart pot over medium heat. Saute onion until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add curry powder, pepper flakes, broth, soy sauce, maple syrup, and tomato paste and stir.
• Add potatoes and carrot, cover pot, and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a simmer and leave lid ajar. Cook just until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add cauliflower, chickpeas, coconut milk, and cilantro. Stir gently to incorporate. Return to simmer with lid ajar and simmer just until cauliflower is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Fold in peas and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and season with salt, if needed. Serve with steamed basmati rice and, for those who'd like more heat, sriracha sauce. Garnish with cilantro.