Description
Mediterranean chickpea stew brings hearty comfort straight from sun-drenched kitchens. Fragrant herbs, tender legumes, and rich spices blend into a soul-warming dish you’ll savor with each delicious spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (946 ml) vegetable broth
- 2 (15 oz/425 g) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz/411 g) can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups (475 ml) chopped kale or spinach
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Sauté Base: In a large pot, warm olive oil over medium heat. Introduce onion, carrots, and celery, simmering for 5-7 minutes until vegetables soften and release aromatic essence.
- Spice Activation: Incorporate garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and red pepper flakes. Toast spices for 1-2 minutes, allowing their complex flavors to bloom and intensify.
- Liquid Integration: Pour in chickpeas, diced tomatoes with their juices, and vegetable broth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Elevate heat to trigger a robust boil.
- Simmering Phase: Reduce temperature, allowing stew to gently simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes. During this time, liquid will concentrate, vegetables tenderize, and chickpeas absorb the rich, layered seasonings.
- Green Enhancement: Fold in chopped kale or spinach, letting the greens wilt and merge seamlessly into the stew’s texture for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Finishing Touch: Brighten the dish with a fresh lemon juice squeeze. Perform a final taste assessment, adjusting seasonings as needed. Garnish with vibrant parsley and serve piping hot.
Notes
- Watch cooking times carefully to maintain vegetable crispness and nutritional value, especially for kale or spinach which can quickly become mushy.
- Enhance the chickpea stew’s protein content by adding quinoa, lentils, or diced tofu during the simmering stage for extra nutrition and texture.
- Adjust vegetable broth quantity based on desired thickness – less liquid creates a heartier stew, while more produces a soupier consistency.
- Toast whole spices like cumin and paprika briefly before grinding to release deeper, more intricate flavor profiles that transform the stew’s overall taste experience.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg