Beans and Greens Soup With Halloumi Cheese Crumble

 This weekend in Boston was very cold. I wanted to make a new soup, but it had to easy and quick. I flipped through a few recipes that I had saved and thought I would try this recipe from Bon Appetit.

Ingredients

1 large bunch Swiss chard (about 8 oz.)

6 garlic cloves, minced

6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

¼ cup tomato paste

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tsp. hot smoked Spanish paprika

Kosher salt

2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

Freshly ground pepper

1 8–10-oz. package Halloumi cheese, patted dry

1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest

Preparation

Step 1

Remove ribs and stems from 1 large bunch Swiss chard (about 8 oz.). Coarsely chop leaves and set aside Cook 6 garlic cloves, minced, and 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until garlic is light golden and fragrant, 5–7 minutes. Stir in chard ribs and cook until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Stir in ¼ cup double-concentrated tomato paste, 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 2 tsp. hot smoked Spanish paprika, and  and season generously with kosher salt. Cook, stirring, until butter is melted and mixture turns brick red, about 1 minute.

Step 2

Add two 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed. Pour in 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, season with freshly ground black pepper, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook soup 20 minutes to let flavors meld.

Step 3

Meanwhile, grate one 8–10-oz. package Halloumi cheese, patted dry, on the large holes of a box grater. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high. Arrange cheese in pan in a single layer and cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes (cheese will release some water at first, but it will cook off). Stir in 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest and season with black pepper. Transfer cheese crumbles to a plate.

Step 4

Season soup with salt and black pepper. 

Step 5

Ladle soup into bowls and top with cheese crumbles.