Spanish-Style Chickpea Stew (a simple, flavorful classic)

Sometimes referred to as garbanzo stew, this fresh and flavorful variation on Spanish chickpea stew is easy and quick to prepare. There’s no truly standard recipe; it’s basically a thick stew or soup of chickpeas in a tomatoey, paprika-scented base.

Sometimes spinach is added, sometimes not; sometimes it’s an already-vegan dish, while other times some chorizo is added. We’re not going to do the latter, obviously, but feel free to use vegan sausage or vegan chorizo, though I find it hearty enough in the simple form.

What to serve with Spanish chickpea stew

• Serve over a bed of rice or quinoa.
• Or, if you’d prefer to skip the grain you can serve this in shallow bowls with fresh bread. Either way, all you need to complete the meal is a simple green salad or slaw.

More chickpeas, please

Even those who aren’t keen on beans might make an exception for versatile, tasty chickpeas, a.k.a. garbanzos. Americans have come to appreciate them in popular Middle Eastern, Indian and Mediterranean dishes.

If chickpeas have any drawback, it’s their long cooking time—up to three hours. In this case, the canned version has a definite advantage. Of course, if you have an Instant Pot® or pressure cooker, that’s a different story. In addition to being a great soup and stew bean, there are lots of great uses for chickpeas:

• Mashed and seasoned, chickpeas make an excellent sandwich spread (see Chickpea Salad and Sandwich Spread).
• Pureed, they thicken hearty vegetable soups and make a good base for dips like hummus.
• Roasted in the oven or pan-roasted, they become an addictive yet blessedly low-fat snack.
• Chickpeas are delicious in green salads, or as the main ingredient in heartier salads like Hot & Cool Buffalo Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad.
• Explore more easy and tasty chickpea recipes

Adapted from Vegan Soups and Stews for All Seasons by Nava Atlas.

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Yield: 6

Spanish-Style Chickpea Stew

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Sometimes referred to as garbanzo stew, this variation on the Spanish chickpea stew is easy and quick to prepare.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into short, slender strips
• 28-ounce can (or two 15-ounce cans) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 3 to 3 1/2 cups cooked)
• 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (try fire-roasted)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 to 2 teaspoons smoked or sweet paprika, to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, plus more for topping
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Hot cooked rice, optional

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and green pepper and continue to sauté until all are golden.
2. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, cumin, oregano, thyme, and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the parsley or cilantro and season sparingly with salt and generously with pepper. Adjust the consistency if more water is needed, but let the stew remain thick.
4. Serve the in bowls on its own or over a small amount of hot cooked rice, if desired, and pass around some extra parsley or cilantro for topping each serving.

Notes

Smoked paprika will make this a spicier dish and give it a more authentic flavor

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 223Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 200mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 9gSugar: 9gProtein: 9g

Nutrition data is always an estimate depending on program used to calculate and exact products used. This is given for informational purposes only and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

If you like this chickpea stew, you might also enjoy …

Coconut Curry Carrot Chickpea Soup

See lots more vegan soups & stews.