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Garlic and Cilantro Soup with Chickpeas (Açorda Alentejana)

Garlic and Cilantro Soup with Chickpeas (Açorda Alentejana)

This brothy bowl of green—our take on Portuguese açorda alentejana—starts with a sort of jalapeño-cilantro pesto, served with a hefty dose of Parm.

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    20 minutes
  • Rating

This soup, with its fragrant, bright green broth, is our take on Portuguese açorda alentejana. Soft-cooked eggs are a perfect garnish that also turn the soup into a complete meal. To soft-cook eggs, bring 2 cups water to a simmer in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add the eggs, cover and steam over medium for 7 minutes. Immediately transfer to ice water to stop the cooking.

Tip

Don't skimp on the olive oil in this soup. The croutons absorb oil as they toast and the broth takes on a rich, creamy texture when the pesto is stirred in.

Ingredients
  • 2

    cups lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

  • ½

    ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (¼ cup), plus more to serve

  • 1

    jalapeño chili, stemmed and roughly chopped

  • 1

    tablespoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1

    teaspoon sweet smoked paprika, divided, plus more to serve

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • ¾

    cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 5

    ounces rustic bread (such as ciabatta), sliced ½ inch thick and torn into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups)

  • 8

    medium garlic cloves, roughly chopped

  • 1 ½

    quarts low-sodium chicken broth

  • 2

    15½-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

  • 4

    soft-cooked eggs, peeled (see note)

Step 1

In a food processor, combine the cilantro, Parmesan, jalapeño, lemon zest and juice, ½ teaspoon of the paprika, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Process until finely chopped, about 20 seconds, scraping the sides as needed. With the machine running, add ½ cup of the oil and process to a pesto-like consistency, 30 to 45 seconds. Set aside.

Step 2

In a small bowl, toss the bread with the remaining ¼ cup oil and the remaining ½ teaspoon paprika. Toast in a large Dutch oven over medium, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, return the bread to the bowl, leaving excess oil in the pot; set the croutons aside.

Step 3

Set the Dutch oven over medium and add the garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the broth and chickpeas and bring to a simmer over medium-high.

Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in the pureed cilantro mixture, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the croutons among 4 serving bowls. Ladle in the soup and top each with 1 egg. Sprinkle with additional paprika and Parmesan.

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