Italian Chickpea Soup From Liguria (Zimino di ceci)

If you're craving a rustic, nourishing dish straight from the Italian Riviera, this Italian chickpea soup Liguria recipe is exactly what you need. Packed with chickpeas, an aromatic soffritto, and Swiss chard, this soup is humble yet deeply flavorful.

It's the kind of meal that feels both comforting and elegant, perfect for cozy nights, meal prep, or impressing guests with authentic regional Italian cooking.

Ligurian cuisine is known for its simplicity: fresh vegetables, legumes, olive oil, and herbs take center stage. This chickpea soup (called zimino di ceci) reflects the region's "cucina povera" roots, where inexpensive ingredients are transformed into something extraordinary.

This dish is especially popular in the cooler months, from autumn through early spring, when hearty soups are a staple in Italian households. However, thanks to its light yet satisfying nature, it's enjoyed year-round.

Ingredients

• Olive oil: The foundation of flavor
• Onion, carrot, celery: For the typical aromatic soffrito
• Garlic: Infuses the soup with bold, savory aroma
• Dried porcini mushrooms: Deliver an intense umami boost
• Tomato puree: Adds acidity and richness to round out flavors
• Swiss chard (erbette): Brings freshness
• Chickpeas: The hearty, protein-rich base of the soup
• Vegetable broth: Helps meld all flavors together
• Bread: Essential for serving and soaking up the soup

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

1. Rehydrate the dried porcini mushrooms
   Cover the porcini with hot water and leave to soak for 20 minutes. Then chop finely.
2. Prepare the vegetables
   Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery. Chop the swiss chard into strips.
3. Sautè the soffritto
   Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add finely diced onion, carrot, celery, smashed garlic, and chopped rehydrated porcini mushrooms. Season with a pinch of salt and sauté for 5-8 minutes until soft and fragrant.
4. Blend part of the cooked chickpeas
   Blend 1 cup of cooked chickpeas with some of their liquid to create a paste.
5. Build the soup base
   Stir in tomato puree, the chickpeas, chopped Swiss chard, and enough vegetable broth to barely cover everything.
6. Add creaminess naturally
   Stir in the blended chickpea mixture. This step thickens the soup.
7. Simmer gently
   Cover and cook for about 30 minutes, allowing flavors to meld. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve hot with toasted bread and an extra splash of olive oil on top.

Substitutions

This recipe is naturally flexible and easy to adapt:

• Swiss chard - substitute with spinach, kale, or escarole
• Porcini mushrooms - use fresh mushrooms if dried aren't available (though flavor will be milder)
• Chickpeas - you can use other beans.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days Flavors deepen overnight, making it even better the next day

Related

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Italian Chickpea Soup Liguria (Zuppa di Ceci alla Ligure)

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for serving
• 1 onion finely diced
• 1 carrot finely diced
• 1 celery stalk finely diced
• 1 garlic clove smashed
• 10 g dried porcini mushrooms rehydrated and chopped
• 3 tablespoon tomato puree
• 1 bunch Swiss chard erbette, chopped
• 2 cans chickpeas reserve 1 cup for blending
• Vegetable broth enough to cover ingredients
• Salt to taste
• Rustic bread for serving

Instructions

 

Prepare the vegetables

• Rehydrate the porcini mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes. Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery. Smash the garlic clove. Chop 1 bunch of swiss chard into strips
  1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 1 garlic clove, 1 bunch Swiss chard

Cook the soffritto

• Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add finely diced onion, carrot, celery, smashed garlic, and chopped rehydrated porcini mushrooms. Season with a pinch of salt and sauté for 5-8 minutes until soft and fragrant.
  Salt, 2 tablespoon olive oil

Build the soup base

• Stir in tomato puree. Reserve 1 cup of chickpeas and blend with some of their cooking water then add the rest to the pot. Add the chopped Swiss chard, and enough vegetable broth to barely cover everything. Stir in the blended chickpea mixture.
  3 tablespoon tomato puree, 1 bunch Swiss chard, 2 cans chickpeas

Simmer gently

• Cover and cook for about 30 minutes, allowing flavors to meld. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
  Rustic bread

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