Chickpea Stew Recipe
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This healthy and hearty chickpea stew from scratch is what winter dreams are made of. Protein loaded, comforting, meatless, bursting with flavor, vegan and can easily be made gluten-free.
Chickpea Stew
Another comforting 1-pot vegan stew recipe you are sure to love and add to your delicious winter rotation. The flavor base has a lovely Italian flair; it starts with simple ingredients like onion and garlic then built upon with toasty fennel seeds and fragrant rosemary.
If you love our Jackfruit Stew, Zuppa Toscana, Veggie Stew and the Spiced Coconut Stew from years past, you are sure to fall in love with this one as well.
About the Chickpeas
This is where you want to use those dried chickpeas hiding in your pantry. Soak for 6 hours for the creamiest most amazing buttery texture. So much of the flavor here comes from simply cooking everything from scratch, slow and low. Now If you must, you can of course reach for those cans of chickpeas in the cupboard, in which case i suggest using veggie broth instead of water and cutting back the amount of liquid by a third or so. From scratch is better though…
Recipe Tips + FAQs
- The Greens -Any dark leafy greens that need using up from the fridge will work. I love using mustard greens, baby kale or spinach to boost up the micronutrient and fiber profile of the stew.
- Tomatoes – Use just enough fresh tomatoes to balance out the earthiness of the chickpeas with their mildly sweet aroma. (Avoid using tomato paste or canned tomatoes here unless you are after a very tomatoey broth of course, in which case go wild!)
- Pasta – I used toasted Italian couscous here but you can use a short shape pasta like orzo, little shells, elbows, pearled Israeli couscous or a gluten-free variety. Color outside the lines and maybe add in some dumplings, cooked rice, quinoa, barley or farro.
- Veggie Add Ins – This stew is already hearty but you can certainly add in more vegetables here. I’m thinking steamed green beans, any leftover roasted broccoli or cauliflower florets mixed in just before serving would be really lovely.
- Storage – Refrigerate any leftovers up to 5 days or freeze in lidded containers for 3 months. Thaw out overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on stovetop pr microwave oven.
Serving Suggestions
- Vegan Bread
- Potato Flatbread
- Dinner Rolls
- Focaccia
- Quinoa Flatbread
- Biscuits
- Vegan Caesar Salad
- Bruschetta.
how to make chickpea stew recipe
Chickpea Stew
This healthy and hearty chickpea stew from scratch is what winter dreams are made of. Protein loaded, comforting, meatless, bursting with flavor, vegan and can easily be made gluten-free.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups dried chickpeas
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 cup short pasta (i used Italian couscous or fregola)
- 3 cups mustard greens or any dark leafy greens (baby kale, scarole, spinach, chard)
- 8 cups water + more as desired
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Soak the dry chickpeas in a large bowl of cold water overnight, or in the morning for evening cooking.1.5 cups dried chickpeas
- Preheat a heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat and sautee the onion with a pinch of salt in a drizzle of olive oil until translucent.1 yellow onion
- Stir in the fennel seeds, chili flakes, garlic and rosemary. Toss to coat well and cook just until the garlic is fragrant (3 seconds or so). Add the chopped fresh tomatoes and cook just until they start releasing their juices.3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp red chili flakes, 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- Add the soaked chickpeas and the water and bring to a boil. Season with a good pinch of salt, cover with a lid and cook for one hour until the chickpeas have softened. Stir in the nutritional yeast if using and adjust seasonings with more salt if needed.1.5 cups dried chickpeas, 8 cups water, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- Remove about 5 ladles of the soup (making sure to get a little bit of everything) and transfer to a powerful blender. Puree until silky smooth and set aside.
- Meanwhile add the pasta to the simmering soup and stir well. Boil until al dente following the package directions and making sure to stir often to prevent sticking. Once the pasta is cooked add the pureed soup back into the pot and mix well to combine.1 cup short pasta
- Stir in whatever greens you are using and cook another minute or so just until wilted. Discard the rosemary sprigs and serve with vegan bread.3 cups mustard greens or any dark leafy greens
Video
Notes
- The Greens -Any dark leafy greens that need using up from the fridge will work. I love using mustard greens, baby kale or spinach to boost up the micronutrient and fiber profile of the stew.
- Tomatoes - Use just enough fresh tomatoes to balance out the earthiness of the chickpeas with their mildly sweet aroma. (Avoid using tomato paste or canned tomatoes here unless you are after a very tomatoey broth of course, in which case go wild!)
- Pasta - I used toasted Italian couscous here but you can use a short shape pasta like orzo, little shells, elbows, pearled Israeli couscous or a gluten-free variety. Color outside the lines and maybe add in some dumplings, cooked rice, quinoa, barley or farro.
- Veggie Add Ins - This stew is already hearty but you can certainly add in more vegetables here. I'm thinking steamed green beans, any leftover roasted broccoli or cauliflower florets mixed in just before serving would be really lovely.
- Storage - Refrigerate any leftovers up to 5 days or freeze in lidded containers for 3 months. Thaw out overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on stovetop pr microwave oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 836mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1644IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 5mg
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 316kcal
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I finally got around to making this stew and it was fabulous. I have never had dried chickpeas in the house, so substituted with 2 regular-size cans (450 ml). Went with the veggie broth recommended for this situation, and reduced the amount as suggested. I didn’t have fresh rosemary either, so used a heaping teaspoon of the while dried. Also didn’t have any nutritional yeast, substituted with a generous spoonful of miso paste added at the end with the greens. The only other change was a squirt of lemon added at the end, as that had become a customary practice in our house. Despite these changes the stew was absolutely easy and excellent with everyone reaching to take seconds. Yum!