Learn how to prepare this chickpea stew using simple ingredients. Ready in less than an hour, it’s easy to make, and a healthy and filling meal!
We love elevating our recipes with plant-based proteins, meatless but never flavorless. Like our chickpea curry, this stew recipe is full of flavors and nutrients.
A healthy and delicious meal on the go!
FREE EBOOK SERIES! 5 SECRETS FOR FOOLPROOF VEGAN DESERTS
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to make. There is barely any hands-on time required, and the stew comes together very quickly.
- Budget-friendly. Cheap and affordable ingredients that can be found at any basic grocery store.
- Delicious. The combination of spices and herbs makes this stew taste amazing.
- Perfect for any time of year. This stew is hearty and comforting, whether it’s cold or warm outside.
What I love the most about this chickpea stew is that it can be served in different ways. It can be served over rice, quinoa, or pasta, or with a side of crusty bread for dipping in the flavorful broth, and tastes great every way!
Ingredients needed
This recipe calls for simple pantry staples and some warming spices. Here is what you’ll need:
- Olive oil. Use extra virgin olive oil.
- Large red onion. Sliced.
- Garlic. Minced.
- Sweet potato. Peel and cut it into small cubes.
- Cumin. Ground.
- Harissa paste. It’s a hot red chili paste that is primarily made from roasted red peppers.
- Tomatoes. Crushed.
- Chickpeas. Drained.
- Vegetable stock. Homemade or store-bought.
- Sugar. Or any other sweetener, such as honey.
- Maple syrup. Natural sweetener to balance the flavors.
- Baby spinach. Remove the stalks.
- Salt. To taste.
- Almonds. Toasted.
- Parsley. Chopped.
How to make a chickpea stew
This recipe takes a handful of minutes to prep, and then it’s very hands-off! Ready to whip this up?
Step 1: Fry the sweet potato
Take a deep saucepan, heat some oil in it, and add garlic and onion to it. Fry these on low heat until translucent or 5 minutes. Then, add sweet potatoes and coat them with olive oil.
Step 2: Add remaining ingredients and cook
Now, add ground cumin and harissa paste. Cook for a minute or two before adding crushed tomatoes, drained chickpeas and vegetable stock. Mix everything well.
Then, add maple syrup and sugar to the pan, cover with the lid and cook for at least 25 minutes or until the sweet potato has become soft. Continue stirring the stew during this time.
Step 3: Add baby spinach
Once the potatoes are cooked, add baby spinach and cover the pan with the lid to let the spinach wilt for a while.
Tips to make the best recipe
- If you don’t want to use canned chickpeas, soak raw ones overnight and cook them until they are tender before adding them to the stew. This will give the stew a more authentic, homemade flavor.
- To thicken the stew, mash some chickpeas with a fork or potato masher before adding them to the pot.
- Allow the stew to simmer for a longer period, up to an hour or more, to let the flavors meld together and create a rich, hearty dish.
Storage instructions
To store. Leftover chickpea stew can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To freeze. Place the leftovers in an airtight container to keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating. Heat it in the microwave or a pot on the stove before serving.
More dinner recipes to try
Frequently asked questions
Yes, chickpeas can thicken a stew. When cooked, they break down and release starch, which can help to thicken the liquid in a stew.
Yes, Chickpea stew is gluten-free because chickpeas are naturally gluten-free. Besides this primary ingredient, chickpea stew is made with vegetable broth, vegetables, and spices which are also gluten-free.
Chickpea soup can be a healthy option for a meal. Chickpeas are a good source of protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals such as folate, iron, and manganese.
Chickpea Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 large red onion sliced into crescents
- 2 teaspoons Garlic minced
- 1 small Sweet Potato peeled cut into 1 cm cubes (3 oz or 100 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Harissa Paste
- 14 ounces Tomatoes canned
- 14 ounces Chickpeas canned
- 1/2 cup Vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
- 3 oz Baby Spinach
- 1 teaspoon Salt to taste
- 1 oz Slivered Almonds toasted
- 1 tablespoon Parsley Chopped
Instructions
- In a deep saucepan, heat olive oil up. Fry sliced onion and garlic on low heat till onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tiny diced sweet potato to the pan and stir to coat in olive oil.
- Add Ground Cumin and Harissa Paste to the pan, and stir/cook for a minute or two to toast the spices off. After 2 minutes, pour in can of Crushed Tomatoes into the pan, along with drained chickpeas and 1/2 cup of Vegetable stock. Stir well.
- Add Sugar and Maple Syrup to pan, stir well, and cover pan with a lid. Let simmer, on low to medium heat, for about 25 minutes, or until sweet potato has softened.
- During hat 25 minute simmering time, stir the stew every 10 minutes or so to prevent scorching at the bottom of the pan.
- Once sweet potato is softened, add Baby Spinach into the pan, cover with a lid for a minute to let spinach wilt, and then uncover and stir spinach in.
- Taste, and season appropriately with Salt and Pepper.
- Serve with a side of Brown Rice, and top stew with Toasted Slivered Almonds and Chopped Parsley.
Diana says
Amrita says
Marc Sager says
Jenny says
Amrita says
Heather @Gluten-Free Cat says
Amrita says
janet @ the taste space says
dixya @food, pleasure, and health says