A bowlful of this hearty soup evokes the flavors of a Tuscan farmhouse kitchen.  The fragrant drizzle of herbed olive oil is so delicious, you may want to make extra for dipping crusty bread.

Makes 8 (1-cup) servings.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Nutritional Information

For 1 serving
Calories: 211
Sodium: 824mg
Fat: 7g
Carbohydrates: 30g
Cholesterol: 3mg
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 7g

Tuscan Pasta and Chickpea Soup

 Fiber Rich

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Marjoram Leaves
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Rosemary, Crushed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans (16 ounces each) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
3 1/2 cups Kitchen Basics® Original Chicken Stock
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
1 cup ditalini pasta
1 package (6 ounces) baby spinach or 6 cups sliced spinach leaves

Herb-Infused Olive Oil:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Basil Leaves
1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Marjoram Leaves
Pinch McCormick® Gourmet Collection Red Pepper, Ground Cayenne

Directions

1. Heat oil with marjoram, rosemary and garlic in large saucepot on medium-low heat until fragrant. (Do not allow garlic to brown.) Stir in chickpeas, stock, tomatoes and water. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling salted water as directed on package. Drain well and rinse under cold water.

3. Spoon 1/2 of the chickpea mixture into blender container; cover. With center part of cover removed to let steam escape, blend until smooth. Return puree to saucepot. Stir pasta and spinach into soup. Cook on medium heat until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally.

4. For the Herb-Infused Olive Oil, heat all ingredients in small saucepan on low heat 5 minutes. Strain through small sieve into small bowl. To serve, ladle soup into serving bowls. Drizzle with Herb-Infused Olive Oil.