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Moroccan chickpea stew is made with simple ingredients, like canned chickpeas and canned tomatoes, and flavored with warm spices. It’s quick, easy and comforting!
We make a lot of stews in our kitchen. We use canned foods in many of our recipes like minestrone soup, Italian beef stew and homemade lamb stew. They offer convenient, shelf-stable ways to add nutrition, texture and taste to so many dishes. Today I’m going to show you how to make a vegetarian chickpea stew recipe that’s anything but bland. The ingredients might seem basic, but, when mixed with the right spices, you get a feast of flavors. Read on for step by step instructions, notes and tips.
This post is sponsored by Cans Get You Cooking. All opinions are mine.
Why this Moroccan chickpea stew recipe works
If you like stews and comfort food like Turkish chicken stew, fasolakia and eggplant chickpea stew, you’re going to love this spicy chickpea stew. It’s both delicious and easy, thanks to the canned vegetables. And it’s packed with even more flavor from the spice mix and harissa, a spicy pepper paste with cumin and garlic.
The ingredients
Olive oil: I love using quality extra virgin olive oil to cook my dishes. Aside from health benefits, extra virgin olive oil also adds a bit of flavor depth to the dish.
Onion and garlic: The more the merrier! Onion and garlic are the base of many stews. We’re going to saute them with other veggies to make this dish.
Carrots: Carrots add a touch of sweetness to the dish which pairs perfectly with the rest of the ingredients.
Potatoes: Starchy potatoes make this stew hearty and filling.
Spices: The spice combination is what makes this stew a winner. We are going to use cinnamon, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric and salt. To this spice combo we are adding some harissa for maximum flavor and some needed heat. Alternatively, you can use ras el hanout which is a Moroccan spice mix.
Canned tomatoes and chickpeas: Using canned tomatoes and chickpeas adds great flavor and texture while cutting the cooking time. You can prepare this stew in less than an hour.
Lemon and cilantro: For a final touch of brightness, I like to add some freshly squeezed lemon juice and chopped cilantro. You can also use chopped preserved lemons to add more flavor.
About harissa
Harissa is a hot chili paste which originated in North Africa. This chili paste is flavored with garlic, caraway seeds, cumin and olive oil. When added to a dish, harissa makes it spicy and gives it a deep flavor. We previously used harissa paste in this spicy hummus and harissa chicken with saffron couscous. It’s very versatile.
How to make Moroccan chickpea stew
- Saute onion and garlic: In a large pot heat the olive oil until shimmery. Saute onion for a few minutes until golden and translucent. Add in chopped garlic and saute for just a minute until it becomes fragrant.
- Add the vegetables and spices: Add chopped carrots and give the stew a nice stir. Add in chopped potatoes and stir for a minute. Now, add in all the spices and harissa to the vegetables and combine. Saute and stir for a few minutes.
- Cook the stew: Add about 6 cups of vegetable stock to the stew and bring it to simmer. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes.
- Finishing touches: Once the stew is cooked, squeeze some lemon juice and stir in chopped cilantro. Serve warm.
Other additions
This stew is so versatile that you can add other vegetables to suit your tastes. I’ve found greens such as canned spinach work well in this stew. Also, red or orange bell peppers, cauliflower and canned green beans could add interesting flavor profiles – use your imagination!
Serving suggestions
This dish is so hearty on its own that it really doesn’t need much of an accompaniment. However, you can serve it with some crusty bread or brown rice. As for lighter sides, you can serve this dish with Mediterranean salad or my favorite tomato salad.
Can I freeze this stew?
Yes! This Moroccan chickpea stew freezes so well. To reheat, either thaw it in the fridge overnight or place the frozen stew in a pot with ½ cup water and cook over medium low heat for about 30 minutes or until warm.
You’ll Love: More Moroccan Recipes
Main Dish
Moroccan Chicken Tagine
Mediterranean recipes
Ras El Hanout Recipe
Soups and Stews
Moroccan Style Red Lentil Soup Recipe
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Easy Moroccan Chickpea Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 russet potato, chopped into 1" pieces
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp harissa
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 15 oz chopped tomatoes, canned
- 15 oz chickpeas, canned
- 6 cups canned vegetable stock
- 1 lemon, juice of
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Saute onion until translucent and starts turning golden. Add in garlic and cook for a minute.
- Add in carrot and potatoes. Stir well to combine.
- To the carrots and potatoes, add the tomato paste, harissa, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric and salt.
- Add the canned tomatoes and chickpeas and give the stew a nice stir.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and bring the stew to a simmer.
- Cover and cook for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are fully cooked.
- Take the lid off, add the lemon juice and cilantro. Stir and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Instead of the spices mentioned in the recipe, you can use 1 1/2 teaspoon ras el hanout.
- You can use preserved lemons for more flavor. To do so, rinse the preserved lemon with cold water, discard the pulp, finely chop the peel and add it to the soup with the spices.
- If cilantro is not available, use chopped parsley instead.
- This chickpea stew is quite spicy so if you’re not a fan of spicy food you can start by 1 teaspoon harissa and add more if needed.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- You can add other vegetables such as cauliflower or green beans to this stew.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this. Will make often. Had Just one carrier zo adres shredder punt cabbage. usède ras- el-hanout, Cinnamon An Aleppo pepper. Finished wit preserved lemon. YUM!
Any substitute for harissa?
You can use spicy pepper paste if available. If not, you can leave it out and just add some chili pepper flakes for some heat.
Thank you for this recipe. I think I made it 5 times already. It’s especially great once it gets chilly outside, the spices warm you up. Also, very easy to have all the items in the pantry and make this soup at any time.
Hi Kate! Thank you for your comment! We’re glad you enjoyed this recipe!
This stew looks amazing and right up my street. I do love Moroccan flavours. Would be so good with rice and a dollop of sour cream.