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Herby Chickpea Lemon Soup From A Blue Zone With Half The Heart Disease Rate Of America

Dan Buettner
Author:
September 01, 2023
Dan Buettner
New York Times Bestselling Author
By Dan Buettner
New York Times Bestselling Author
Dan Buettner is a National Geographic Fellow and bestselling author who discovered and reported on the Blue Zones.
September 01, 2023
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Greeks, and Ikarians, especially, have mastered the blend of lemon, olive oil, and herbs. This simple soup is a warming alternative to chicken soup in the winter and yet another way to creatively make beans taste good and figure into your daily diet. Chickpea soup is one of the most classic comfort foods in Ikaria and even throughout the rest of Greece—you'll find it in almost every home and tavern.

Total Cook Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes (45 minutes if using canned chickpeas)

Serves 6

Chickpea Soup With Lemon & Herbs

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, rinsed, and peeled (or four 15-ounce cans low-sodium chickpeas, drained)
  • 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • Salt and pepper
  • Juice of 3 lemons, for serving

Directions

  1. Place the drained chickpeas in a pot with just enough water to cover, and bring them to a boil. Remove from the heat, drain, rinse, and put them into a clean pot.
  2. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, olive oil, and enough water to cover the ingredients. Stir to combine.
  3. If using dried chickpeas, bring to a boil and then simmer for about 2 hours, or until chickpeas are soft.
  4. If using canned chickpeas, bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water at a time to thin the soup as needed.
  5. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Serve with generous drizzles of lemon juice and olive oil.

Excerpted from the book The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer by Dan Buettner. Copyright © 2023. Reprinted with permission of National Geographic. All rights reserved.

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