Ham Chickpea Soup Lemon Dill (Printable)

Zesty soup with ham, chickpeas, lemon, and fresh dill for a comforting meal in any season.

# Components:

→ Meats

01 - 9 oz cooked ham, diced

→ Legumes

02 - 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - Juice and zest of 1 lemon

→ Herbs & Spices

10 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add diced ham and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in broth, add chickpeas, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, and fresh dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, then ladle into bowls. Garnish with extra dill if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect for something this satisfying and deeply flavored.
  • The brightness of lemon and dill keeps it feeling light even though the ham and chickpeas make it genuinely filling.
  • It's naturally dairy-free but tastes rich enough that nobody misses cream.
02 -
  • The lemon and dill go in at the very end—add them while the broth is still hot but off the heat, so the brightness doesn't cook away into nothing.
  • If your soup tastes flat even after seasoning, it's usually asking for more lemon zest, not more salt—that citrus oil is what wakes the whole thing up.
03 -
  • Don't rinse the canned chickpeas hastily—take a moment to really rinse them under cold water until the water runs clear, which makes the whole soup taste cleaner and brighter.
  • Fresh dill wilts quickly, so buy it the day you plan to cook this soup and store it upright in a glass of water on the counter, like a tiny bouquet.
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