Prep Time: 10 minutes I Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Two 15 oz cans chickpeas

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped

• 4 or 5 large garlic cloves, minced

• Kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 3/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 4 cups vegetable stock or low-sodium chicken broth

• 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach

• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 1 large lemon, cut in half

• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

• Crusty bread, for serving

Directions:

1. Drain the chickpeas, reserving 1/2 cup of their liquid.

2. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and season with a big pinch of salt (about 1/2 teaspoon). Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, paprika, red pepper flakes and black pepper and cook, stirring regularly for about 30 seconds.

3. Add the chickpeas and stir to coat with the spices. Using a potato masher or the back of sturdy fork, roughly mash the chickpeas (you’re just looking to break some of them up).

4. Add the stock and the reserved chickpea liquid. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then boil for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and partly cover the pot with the lid. Simmer the chickpeas for 30 minutes.

5. Turn the heat off. Stir in the spinach and parsley, and let the soup sit for 1 minutes, until the spinach wilts. Squeeze half a lemon over the soup, stir and taste, adding more lemon to your liking.

6. Transfer the soup to serving bowls and top each bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and a bit of grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Serve with crusty bread.