Peel, deseed, and dice the butternut squash into 1/2-inch cubes. Chop the onion and bell pepper, and rinse and drain the chickpeas. DO NOT DRAIN the diced tomatoes.

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add squash, onion, and bell pepper. Cook and stir until onion is translucent and red pepper is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in seasonings until blended.

Add chickpeas, tomatoes and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until squash is tender, about 8 minutes. If desired, top with cilantro.