Chickpea & Rice Soup with Kale

Most people probably don’t salivate at the mere thought of kale, but I’m not most people. Kale has easily taken root in my heart as my green of choice, and I can’t walk past it in the grocery store or at the farmers’ market without buying another bunch. If there’s no kale in my fridge right now it’s only because I just used up what was there, and as soon as I walk past another leafy bouquet, I’ll happily carry it home to look for additional ways to use it in my meal preparations.

Hmmmm. What should I fix for supper tonight? What’s something I can do with kale? Let’s start and end there.

That’s usually how it goes in my head. Except it’s not usually contained in my head because I do talk out loud to myself, especially when food and kitchen tools are involved in the conversation.

And so it was that I came across this masterful recipe for more soup from Isa over at the Post Punk Kitchen. Isa’s recipes never fail me. They’re amazing. She’s got mad recipe creating skillz. Seriously. But this recipe? It’s a must-make and take no prisoners kind of soup.

I don’t eat meat. But I used to. I grew up on the What Meat is in the Freezer For Supper Tonight? classic American diet, so I’ve had it all. Ask my mom. And this soup from Isa? It’s like eating chicken and wild rice soup. Honest. I don’t even miss eating chicken soup – never, not even once. All I’m saying is this is a hearty, meaty-like, extremely filling and over-the-top satisfying kind of soup. Yes, it’s THAT good!

My tasters wanted more. I wanted more, too, so I kept most of the leftovers for myself and enjoyed two lunches out of it! So very scrumptious.

And the prep? It wasn’t difficult. The key ingredient you might need to add to your shopping list will be the cashews. Otherwise, assuming you have kale, you’ll have the list of basic ingredients and can get right to chopping that onion.

The cashew cream is really what gives this soup its hearty base, and it’s so simple to make. Know that you can use any rice variety you choose. I went with a wild rice blend, and don’t know that I’ll ever want to use anything but that if I make it again; it was that good.