Martha Stewart's Breakfast Soup Is Cozy Comfort Any Time of Day

Martha Stewart's Breakfast-Vegetable Miso Soup with Chickpeas

We're right in the midst of fall and the weather is starting to get chilly. For those into fashion, it’s a time for busting out those boots, coats and scarves before leaving the house. But for those home bodies (and home cooks) looking to warm things up at home, it’s a time for warm beverages and even warmer soups. Though I’m not that big of a soup guy myself, it doesn’t stop me from understanding the comfort and nostalgia it brings to those who enjoy it. The latest version of the classic comfort food classic to get the internet talking? Breakfast soup.

It’s almost becoming a food subculture, with so many videos of “breakfast soup” going viral on TikTok. So in another effort to better understand this subset of soup culture, I thought I would go with a recipe from a source I could trust: Martha Stewart. Here's how it went.

Get the recipe: Martha Stewart's Breakfast Vegetable-Miso Soup with Chickpeas

Ingredients for Martha Stewart's Breakfast Soup

To make this soup you’ll need olive oil, half of a yellow onion, minced garlic cloves, diced stalks of celery, peeled and diced carrots, chopped broccoli, cooked chickpeas (more on that later), white miso and some coarse salt for seasoning.

Getting my hands on the white miso was a little difficult because none of the local Publix’s around me carried the item. Luckily for me, there was a Sprouts not too far away that just started carrying organic white miso, which saved me from having to place an overnight order through Amazon Prime.

Related: Martha Stewart is Working on Her 100th Cookbook—Here’s What We Know So Far

How to Make Martha Stewart's Breakfast Soup

Martha’s recipe would have you start by heating the olive oil in a pot over medium heat, but I’m going to stop you right there. If you have no experience cooking with chickpeas, then you may not know that they typically need to be soaked overnight before they can be cooked. While there are some methods for cooking them in about three hours—or even one hour if using a pressure cooker—I urge readers to first make sure your chickpeas are cooked before proceeding with the recipe. Otherwise, your “breakfast” soup might turn into a “midafternoon” soup, as it did for me.

If you have a can of chickpeas handy, now's the time to use them.

With that said, after your chickpeas are cooked, start by heating the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots for about 6-8 minutes until they are all tender. Next, stir in the broccoli and chickpeas and cook for another 2 minutes.

Next, add 4 cups of water, and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes—or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside. With the pot to the side, dissolve your miso in two tablespoons of cold water, then stir it into the soup.

Season the finished product with some salt, and it's ready to serve.

Related: Martha Stewart, 82, Transforms Into Audrey Hepburn for 'Breakfast at Tiffany's Halloween Costume

What I Thought of Martha Stewart's Breakfast Soup

I think by now you all may know that I’m not the biggest soup fan. I personally prefer to chew my food instead of drink it, but I will say this soup did taste really good. I think it was the combination of the minced garlic with the miso that really gives the soup its flavor, but it smelled just as good as it tasted.

I think I would have preferred there to be some sort of protein added into the soup, but that very well could have turned this breakfast soup into something else. I do wonder, however, how much different the soup might taste if chicken broth was used instead of water. I’m not sure how well it would pair or contrast with the white miso, but I feel like it would make for a heartier soup.

All in all though, I was very happy with the dish and each sip felt warm and satisfying.

Tips for Making Martha Stewart's Breakfast Soup

1. Cook your chickpeas ahead of time or use canned. As mentioned above, be sure your chickpeas are cooked ahead of time. I suggest letting them soak overnight the day before you plan on making the soup. You can also used canned beans here, which makes the recipe much quicker and easier.

2. Make it your own. Like most recipes, I believe that this one is easy to customize. Add a few more veggies, throw in some protein, or some freshly baked bread on the side.

Up next: The Super-Easy Pasta Dish Audrey Hepburn Ate Once a Week