Dynamic duo beans and greens come together again in this pantry-friendly soup. Toasted garlic, tomato paste, and smoked paprika boost store-bought vegetable stock (use a base like Better Than Bouillon for superior potency) into a rich broth. Chickpeas and Swiss chard hang on to their texture in the brew, but use whichever white beans and hearty greens speak to you.
While you could enjoy a bowl with crusty bread alone, consider breaking out another skillet for Halloumi crumbles. Perhaps you’ve seen these golden nuggets bejeweling salads and pastas across your social feed, and with good reason. Where a block of the seared Cypriot cheese is gobbled up in moments, grating into “crumbs” stretches it to serve a group. The pieces toast up crisp, but when served over warm soup, channel the gooeyness promised from the center of a fried slab.
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
1
6
6
¼
3
2
¼
2
4
1
1
1
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Remove ribs and stems from 1 large bunch Swiss chard (about 8 oz.). Coarsely chop leaves and set aside. Coarsely chop ribs and stems. Cook 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, and 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until garlic is light golden and fragrant, 5–7 minutes. Stir in chard ribs and stems and cook until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Stir in ¼ cup double-concentrated tomato paste, 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces, 2 tsp. hot smoked Spanish paprika, and ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (if using), and season generously with kosher salt. Cook, stirring, until butter is melted and mixture turns brick red, about 1 minute.
Step 2
Add two 15-oz. cans chickpeas or white beans, rinsed, smashing slightly with a spoon to break some open. Pour in 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, season with freshly ground black pepper, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook soup 20 minutes to let flavors meld.
Step 3
Meanwhile, grate one 8–10-oz. package Halloumi cheese, patted dry, on the large holes of a box grater. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high. Arrange cheese in pan in a single layer and cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes (cheese will release some water at first, but it will cook off). Stir in 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest and season with black pepper. Transfer cheese crumbles to a plate.
Step 4
Stir reserved chard leaves into soup and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice; season with salt and black pepper. Taste and add more lemon juice if needed.
Step 5
Ladle soup into bowls and top with cheese crumbles. Serve with country-style bread if desired.