Creamy Chickpea Miso Vegetable Stew

Recipe adapted from Gena Hamshaw

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 large stalks celery, chopped or three fennel stalks
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups cooked chickpeas (2 14.5-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
6 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 cup miso
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cups cauliflower cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small rutabaga or half of a large, peeled and chopped (substitute 1 turnip, Yukon gold potato, or celery root)
1 small bunch kale (or other hearty greens, like chard, collards, or beet greens), chopped - use half a bunch if it’s a large bunch
Salt and pepper as needed
Lemon juice

Add the olive oil to a stockpot over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion is clear and tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the chickpeas, broth, and paprika to the pot. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat.

Place the miso in a small bowl. Use a ladle to transfer a small amount (about 3/4 cup) of broth to to the bowl. Whisk the miso with the broth to create a smooth slurry, then transfer the slurry back to the soup pot. Stir the soup. Place about half of the soup into a standing blender and blend till it’s totally smooth, then return it to the pot; alternately, you can use an immersion blender to puree half the soup. Stir again.

Add the carrots, cauliflower, rutabaga, and kale to the pot. Bring the soup back to a low simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are tender. If you like your greens a bit firmer, add closer to the end. Taste the soup and add salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed. Serve, ideally with some toast or a hunk of bread.

Leftover soup will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftovers can be frozen for up to 1 month.