Ham Chickpea Soup Lemon Dill (Print)

A zesty blend of ham, chickpeas, dill, and lemon for a warm, comforting Mediterranean-style soup.

# Ingredients:

→ Meats

01 - 9 oz cooked ham, diced

→ Legumes

02 - 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - Juice and zest of 1 lemon

→ Herbs & Spices

10 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Instructions:

01 - Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the diced ham and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in the broth, add the chickpeas, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
05 - Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and fresh dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Simmer for 2-3 more minutes, then ladle into bowls. Garnish with extra dill if desired. Serve hot.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can go from craving to eating without any drama.
  • The ham does the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you're really just building on something already delicious.
  • That lemon-dill punch at the end reminds you why fresh herbs exist in the first place.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the chickpeas, your broth will be cloudy and taste vaguely metallic rather than clean and bright—I learned this the hard way with a batch that tasted off for reasons I couldn't name.
  • The lemon is not optional, and it's not something you should add beforehand. It needs to go in at the very end, so the brightness doesn't get cooked out of it and become just another note in the background.
03 -
  • Don't let the broth boil hard for the full 20 minutes—a gentle, rolling simmer means the vegetables stay tender instead of mushy and the flavors are cleaner.
  • Taste the soup before you finish it. Your palate knows what it needs better than any recipe does, and this soup is forgiving enough to be adjusted in the bowl.
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