This delicious, spicy and filling Gypsy Soup recipe is sure to become your go-to comfort food. This soup is loaded with healthy vegetables such as tomatoes, celery, bell peppers and carrots, along with chickpeas and seasoned well with flavourful spices.
Not only is this recipe chock full of flavors, but it is also a recipe that is sure to appeal to different palates because of its versatility and hassle-free cooking.
For more easy soup recipes, check Chinese Seafood Soup and Egyptian Molokhia Soup.
The history behind Gypsy Soup is obscure. It is however relatively agreed that the Gypsy Soup has Spanish origins and was a recipe that was used by the Moosewood people – a famous group of people known for introducing the Moosewood vegetarian restaurant in Ithaca, New York.
No matter the history and origin of this dish though, one thing is for sure. The Gypsy Soup is one of the recipes that has survived the test of time and is a classic dish whose appeal will last and be passed on from generation to generation.
Jump to:
Related: Caribbean seafood stew recipe, Gypsy Soup and Spicy Korean-Chinese Seafood Soup (Jjampong).
Why does this recipe work?
This Gypsy recipe is great because of the following reasons:
- This recipe is not an exact copy of the most famous recipe outlined in the Moosewood Cookbook. It is derived from the original but is made to be easier without comprising its flavor.
- This is a very versatile dish. It is vegan and vegetarian friendly but appeals also to those who don’t necessarily live that kind of lifestyle.
- The Gypsy Soup is a dish that can be treated as a main course when paired with a steaming bowl of rice. It can also be treated as soup and an appetizer before the entrees.
- Anyone who is trying to eat more vegetables or trying to incorporate vegetables into their family’s usual diet would have an easier time doing so through this recipe. Gypsy soups are not boring and can exhibit the unique flavors of vegetables.
- This soup is a good soup for when you’re just feeling hungry but is also a great soup for those convalescing from sickness.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- Onions: They are great vegetables because when cooked properly they contain sweet notes in their flavor. It also adds savoriness to a dish.
- Celery: Celery is one of the most common vegetables that are ingredients in vegetable stews. The flavor of celery goes well with that of onions and bell peppers.
- Red or green bell pepper: Red or green peppers add colors to your dish and are a must-have for any savory dish.
- Carrots: Carrots are another mainstay when it comes to vegetable stew. They have great, but not overwhelming, flavor and add crunchiness and texture to the dish.
- Fresh Tomatoes: They are great additions to this soup as they can balance the spices and heat by contributing their tangy flavor.
- Fresh parsley: Fresh parsley is most often used as a garnish to dishes but is also known to balance the different flavors, especially in a savory meal.
Spices/Seasonings
- Salt & ground black pepper: Salt and ground black pepper are used to add flavor and helps balance out the different combination of flavors in the dish.
- Garlic: It provides the dish with a delectable aroma and renders its unique flavor that adds depth to the soup.
- Paprika: It is a commonly found spice in the market. It has different variants, the most common of which is sweet and spicy. Paprika is most used to add color to the dish. Its most common variants can also be used to add the sweetness of flavor or a hint of spice to the dish.
- Turmeric: Turmeric adds heat and depth of flavor to a dish. It has a rich color, a distinct aroma, and earthy flavors that complements spicy or sweet flavors.
- Ground cinnamon: It adds intense flavor to the dish by adding its unique brand of heat and spice to the flavor.
- Cayenne Pepper: Cayenne pepper is famous for adding heat to a dish.
Other Ingredients
- Olive oil: Olive oil is the best complement to a vegetarian soup as it contains healthy fats. It is aromatic and contains subtle sweet notes that add flavor to the vegetables.
- Chickpeas (cooked): Cooked chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein and are known to complement the flavors rendered by tomatoes and broth.
- Vegetable stock: The vegetable stock is used as the base of your soup and is chock filled with flavors for a hearty meal.
- Bay leaves: Bay leaves are used to add aroma to your soup, but it also deepens the flavors in a dish, thus making it savorier.
How to make a Gypsy Soup?
One: In a large pot, Heat the olive oil and then sauté onions, celery, peppers, and carrots until softened.
Two: Stir in salt and pepper, garlic, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper, and cook for about 1 minute.
Three: Then, stir in chickpeas, tomatoes, vegetable stock, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
Four: Lower the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes; stir in fresh parsley and serve.
Top Tips!
- Some might find the Gypsy Soup a bit intimidating to make. To get you over that hurdle, follow these top tips:
- Prepare your ingredients beforehand. It is a best practice that you have all your ingredients ready and prepped before cooking. This makes cooking less of a stressor when you have your ingredients ready.
- Make sure that you are using a sturdy pot. Some might think that tools used in the cooking process don’t matter much, but they do. A pot with a thick bottom is preferred when cooking soups to make sure that your soup does not burn.
- Keep your soup at a simmer. Do not heat the soup to boiling, this will overcook the vegetables, making them soggy.
Recipe variations
- Do not limit yourself when it comes to the vegetables you want to add to the dish. If some of the vegetables listed in the ingredients are out of season, the versatility of the dish makes it easy for you to substitute ingredients with ingredients that are in season.
- You can also add meat such as chicken breast if you’d like more protein.
- If you are not serving the dish to vegetarian people, you can substitute vegetable stock with chicken broth.
- Add some potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet peppers or green beans.
- For extra flavour, you may add a splash of soy sauce or hot sauce.
- Add more fresh or dried herbs, along with fresh parsley; you can add some cilantro or basil.
Serving suggestions
You can serve this soup as an appetizer to a meal, or you can make it a full meal by pairing it with Zucchini Pancakes, Cabbage Patties, rice or bread such as nan or pita.
Storage
To store: Always keep your soup in an airtight container when storing it. You can opt to keep it in the fridge, which will keep it safe to eat for three to five days.
To freeze: Storing it in the freezer will make it last longer, for 1-2 months.
Re-heating this dish is as simple as heating it in the microwave or a pan on the stovetop.
Recipe FAQs
The most common way to check if a vegetable is cooked is to pierce them with a fork. If it’s too hard, then it is not yet cooked, if it breaks, then It is ready.
To avoid burning your soup, always cook from low to medium heat.
I have no idea why; however, I think because this soup is warm and loaded with healthy vegetables, Gypsy people used to make it all the time. Whatever the reason was, this soup is so delicious.
More easy recipes
Follow Recipe Tale on Pinterest and Instagram or subscribe to our newsletter to keep up-to-date with all new recipes.
Recipe
Gypsy Soup
Ingredients
- 2 olive oil
- 1 cup green bell peppers , diced
- 1 cup celery , sliced
- 2 cup carrots , diced
- 1 cup yellow onions , diced
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- 1 cup tomatoes , diced
- 1 can chickpeas , rinsed and drained
- 5 cups vegetable stock
- 3 bay leaves
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley , chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, Heat the olive oil and then sauté onions, celery, peppers, and carrots until softened.
- Stir in salt and pepper, garlic, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper and cook for about 1 minute.
- Then, stir in chickpeas, tomatoes, vegetable stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes; stir in fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
- Prepare your ingredients beforehand. It is a best practice that you have all your ingredients ready and prepped before cooking. This makes cooking less of a stressor when you have your ingredients ready.
- Make sure that you are using a sturdy pot. Some might think that tools used in the cooking process don’t matter much, but they do. A pot with a thick bottom is preferred when cooking soups to make sure that your soup does not burn.
- Keep your soup at a simmer. Do not heat the soup to boiling, this will overcook the vegetables, making them soggy.
Sue
This is so good! I added some chopped mushrooms and zucchini. The best soup I've had! Thanks for sharing!
Laney
This is amazing. I added some cabbage; my daughter loved this soup so much.
Rebecca
Delicious and with no expensive ingredients, I served it with some green