Italian Cicerchie Bean & Ventricina Soup (Zuppa di Fagioli Cicerchie)

You will not believe how delicious or easy this 6-ingredient, 30-minute fall soup is! Italian cicerchie (delicious beans that look a lot like gravel) have an earthy flavor somewhat reminiscent of chickpeas, but have an altogether unique flavor and texture. And spicy ventricina (a favorite Abruzzese salami umami bomb) gives each bowl a glaze of lip-smacking red oil around the rim! If you're not yet familiar with cicerchie or ventricina, it's definitely worth seeking them out.

 *Don't worry if you can't find cicerchie or ventricina, though - dried chickpeas, pinto, cranberry, and cannellini beans, and spicy salami all make great substitutions.

Cicerchie: Everything You Need To Know

In this post, you'll learn everything you need about this special Italian bean. Click any of the links below to get straight to the section you want!

Cicerchie Pronunciation

Cicerchie is pronounced 'chee-chair-kee-ya'. Not as difficult as it first appears once you see it phonetically spelled out! Cicerchia with an 'a' at the end is the singular form of cicerchie with an 'e' at the end.

Cicerchie in English (or what you'll find them called outside of Italy) are often referred to as grass peas, Indian peas, blue sweet peas, white vetch, chickling peas, or chickling vetch.

What are Cicerchie?

Cicerchie (also known as 'grass peas') is an ancient legume that predates grain-based cultivation and is rich in protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins. They come from the same family as fava (broad beans) and chickpeas. In fact, they're a variety of wild chickpeas known by the scientific name Lathyrus sativus. 

They've been consumed as far back as 8,000 years ago in Mesopotamia and have traditionally been considered peasant food or 'cucina povera' (poor cooking) because they were most often consumed in periods of drought, famine, and war. The cicherchia plant is very nutritious and drought-resistant, with the ability to grow in very poor conditions, often where many other crops can't survive.

Do not confuse 'cicerchiata' (a dessert eaten during the Carnivale season or at Christmastime) with cichercie, although they do share a common thread! You'll find cicerchiata recipes that consist of little fried dough balls that have been covered in a sticky honey mixture (sometimes with nonpareils or nuts mixed in) and formed into a mound or a ring -- and they are delicious!

Cicerchiata is thought to have originated in Abruzzo (Sangro) and is meant to resemble the cicerchia beans or ceci (chickpeas) found in the area. 

Cicerchie Origin (Where Do Cicerchie Come From)?

Cicherchie (or cicheria bean), is a staple agricultural product of Europe, Africa, and Asia. In Italy, cicerchie are grown mostly in the regions of Abruzzo (where the cicerchie for this post came from), Umbria, Molise, Marche, and Lazio.

Cicerchie is thought to have first been brought to Europe (the Abruzzo (Sangro) area or Umbria from the Middle East, somewhere in the Balkans. Lots of artisanal producers like Azienda Agricola Di Mascio Marco, in Abruzzo, Italy (where we visited) are still cultivating cicerchie today.

What Do Cicerchie Taste Like?

Cicerchie are similar in taste and texture to chickpeas but have their own distinct flavor. They are a bit lighter perhaps, but also have an earthier taste.

I've read where some describe them as tasting like a cross between a pea and a chickpea, but don't expect them to be sweet at all, like fresh or frozen sweet peas. I personally don't think they taste like peas, but try them for yourself and see what you think!

Are Cicerchia Beans Poisonous?

You've probably read about the potential dangers of eating cicerchie, which contain a minuscule percentage of the neurotoxic amino acid (ODAP), much like their cousin, the fava bean. But don't worry, you'd have to eat excessive and unnatural amounts of cicerchie with little else in your diet for an extended period of months in order for them to be harmful.

In fact, they're super healthy when eaten as part of a well-rounded diet and pose no risk in modern times when they're eaten moderately as part of a varied diet. There is even research suggesting it has the ability to raise serotonin (the feel-good hormone) in your body. And because of these health benefits, the Italian Slow Food movement is making sure the grass pea sticks around!

To reduce the amount of (ODAP), it's important to properly soak cicerchie for at least 8 hours to 12 hours (or even better up to 24 hours) before cooking.

Why You'll Love This Cicerchie Recipe 

• There are only 6 ingredients plus salt
• It's garlicky, spicy, perfectly meaty, and delicious
• The ingredients are versatile and can easily be substituted
• Spicy ventricina gives this soup a little kick and a glaze of red oil around each bowl
• Grass peas (cicerchia) are highly nutritious
• Cicerchie soup freezes really well so youcan make it ahead
• This soup takes just 20 minutes to cook using a pressure cooker or 45 minutes to 1 hour on the stovetop

Optional garnishes:

• grated Parmigiano, Grana Padano, or Parmesan Cheese
• finely chopped chives or scallions

How to Make Cicerchie Soup in 3 Simple Steps

I've outlined below the basic steps to making easy cicerchie soup, but you can find full recipe details and instructions in the recipe card. I've also included a how-to-make cicerchia soup video (coming soon).

It's recommended to soak cicerchie for 8-12 hours (even up to 24 hours), but never less than 6 hours or the outsides will overcook and the insides will be undercooked.

1. Sauté the aromatics with onions and ventricina.
2. Add the cecerchie and water and cook in the pressure cooker or large pot on the stove until tender. 
3. Garnish the soup and serve. 

Find detailed instructions in the recipe card.

How to Make Zuppa di Cicerchie (Cicerchie Soup) step-by-step recipe photos

Looking for More Easy Soup Recipes? 

If you love warming up to a bowl of hot soup when the weather cools off and becomes crisp, these soup recipes will do the trick.

Cicerchie Nutrition

The health benefits of cicerche are many (given you don't go on an all-cicerchie diet for 3 months and end up poisoning your body)! They're low in fat, and full of protein as previously mentioned, but are also loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber (i.e. vitamins B1, B2, phosphorus, calcium, polyphenols, and phosphorus). They're good for your teeth, bones, heart, and digestive system, too.

Below are the nutritional facts per 100g of cicerchie:

• Calories (300g)
• Fiber (25g)
• Fat (1.2g)
• Saturated Fat (.4g)
• Carbohydrates (36.8g)
• Sugar (2.5g)
• Protein (22.9g)
• Salt (.02g)

What is Lathyrism?

According to the National Institute of Health, "Lathyrism is an incurable neurological disorder, resulting from excessive consumption of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus), which clinically manifests as paralysis of lower limbs."

Ok, so that's a lot! Just know you'd have to eat a diet of only cicerchie for months on end before they would cause negative effects like this serious neurological disease. These beans are safely eaten everywhere here in Italy and around the world.

Where to Find Cicerchie Beans For Sale

In Italy, you can find cicerchie on grocery store shelves throughout the country, but if you're in the States, you can find them at well-stocked specialty shops or order them online.