Chickpea Stew Recipe

This delicious chickpea stew with chard is an incredibly hearty and flavorful vegetarian recipe.

It's full of spices - including cumin, turmeric, and paprika - which combine with the veggies to make this an excellent meal.

You can serve it on its own (it's a complete meal) or with some crusty bread or couscous.

It saves well in the refrigerator (it's even better the next day) and reheats easily - making it great for leftovers or meal prep.

This is such a great dish for a chilly day. If you like chickpeas and veggies, you’ll want to make this a go-to dish.

It does take a little bit to prep - I highly suggest having all your spices measured and ready to go before you start cooking.

This hearty chickpea stew is really well-spiced. It’s full of flavor and is great on its own or served over rice. It's naturally vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.

Chickpea Stew Ingredients

This vegan stew recipe calls for lots of spices and herbs - many of which are staple ingredients. They’re well worth it though as they build layers of flavor.

Canned Chickpeas - 2 (14.5 ounces) cans of chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans)

Canned Tomatoes - 1 (14.5 ounces) can of diced tomatoes

Stock - 1 cup of vegetable broth or stock

Vegetables - 1 medium yellow onion, 6 fresh garlic cloves, 1 large bunch of swiss chard (I used rainbow chard for a bit of color), and 1 red bell pepper.

Spices - 2 teaspoons of salt, 2 teaspoons of paprika, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon of dried thyme, ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper.

Fresh Herbs - ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Oil - 1 tablespoon olive oil

Optional - If you'd like to add a little more heat to this recipe, add in ½ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper.

See the recipe card below for instructions on how to prepare it.

How to Make the Best Chickpea Stew Recipe

Heat oil in a large skillet or large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. 

Add the diced red pepper and diced chard stems (save the leaves for later) to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add the garlic, salt, paprika, cumin, turmeric, red pepper flakes, thyme, and black pepper. Sauté for 30 seconds. 

Pour in the vegetable stock, can of diced tomatoes, and cans of chickpeas. Bring to a low bowl and reduce to low or medium heat to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. 

Add the chard leaves, chopped cilantro, and chopped parsley. Stir till they are wilted, then remove the pot from the heat. 

Stir in the lemon juice and serve immediately. 

More Hearty, Vegetarian Recipes 

If you love a veggie-heavy dish you’ll love these delicious recipes. These vegetarian dishes are all best in the fall and winter when the chilly nights call for a warm dinner.

• Ribollita, a Rustic Italian Soup - a hearty soup perfect for a chilly day.
• Sicilian Pasta Alla Norma - a classic Italian pasta recipe.
• The Best Vegan Lentil Soup - a great lentil soup that's perfect for a crowd.
• Leek & Pea Fried Rice - the best fried rice recipe, bursting with vegetables.
• Chickpea Spinach Curry - a cozy, comforting curry with tomatoes and coconut milk.

Tips for Making this Recipe

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Substitutions - I used rainbow chard in this recipe (which is just Swiss chard in pretty colors), but this recipe would work with any substantial green - kale, spinach, mustard greens, or collard greens.

Recommended Tools - You can either make this recipe in a large, deep skillet, stockpot, or dutch oven.

Storing Tips - This recipe will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container.

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