Try a new way to have chickpeas with this traditional recipe!
Looking for things to cook with what I have available led me to look around and this is what I have found: a healthy, hearty, vegan recipe from Spain. This Spanish Chickpea Stew easily made it’s way to become a week-day staple of our family.
Ingredients and Substitutes
This stew is low cost and requires only easily accessible ingredients. Here is the list:
- Chickpeas. You can use either dry or canned chickpeas. I would go for the dry version as they will end up with a bit of crunchiness.
- Fresh spinach. If not available you can go for frozen spinach leaves too.
- Stale bread
- Almonds
- Tomato paste
- Garlic cloves
- Vinegar
Major Steps
- If you are using dry chickpeas soak them the night before with covering water and a teaspoon of salt. Next day rinse before starting to cook. Skim away any unwanted white bubbles. Boil until edible and set aside.
- In a large pot add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat slightly. Add the rinsed spinach and sauté until the spinach changes color and set aside.
- Peel the almonds by submerging them into boiling water for a couple of minutes first.
- Cut the stale bread into cubes. Add these into a saucepan with two tablespoons of olive oil and sauté until bread turns crispy.
- Also add chopped garlic, cumin, black and cayenne peppers to the breads. Sauté for another minute. Close the heat and add a tablespoon of vinegar. Then run the hand blender to make well chopped mixture.
- Finally mix the chickpeas and the bread mixture. Add also a tablespoon of tomato paste. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pot bring to boil. Remove from heat garnish with smoked paprika and serve!
What to serve with Spanish Chickpea Stew
Traditionally it is served with roasted bread as tapas in Spain, but I served it as a main dish with Rice with Orzo.
The recipe is different from how I normally would cook chickpeas but the family enjoyed it, I liked the mixing of spinach and chickpeas, they blend well together and the dish becomes very tasty.
I confess that I have not peeled the almonds and did not feel any difference in the taste. If you choose to do it the correct way and peel the almonds do take a look at this page about how to peel them easily.
Hope you will enjoy it too.
Spanish Chickpea Stew
Ingredients
- 250 grams dry chickpeas or 500 gram canned chickpeas
- 500 grams fresh spinach
- 1-2 slices stale bread
- 30 grams peeled almonds
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
- 250 millilitres water
Instructions
- The night before put the chickpeas in a bowl/pot and cover with water exceeding the top about 15 centimeters. The next day, drain and add fresh water and boil and let simmer until chickpeas are done. Skim the foams if any. Taste a few to understand. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pot add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat slightly. Add the spinach and sauté until changes color and set aside.
- Cut the bread into cubes. Peel the almonds if necessary. Add these into a saucepan with two tablespoons of olive oil and sauté until bread is crispy.
- Also add chopped garlic, cumin, black and cayenne peppers. Sauté for another minute. Close the heat and add a tablespoon of vinegar.
- Use a hand blender to chop the bread mixture. Should look like crumbles.
- Add the chickpeas to the bread mixture. Add also a tablespoon of tomato paste. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pot.
- Add also the spinach and gently mix.
- Heat over medium heat. Taste and adjust spices if necessary.
- Sprinkle smoked paprika on top and serve.
Notes
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Here are the tools I have used for the recipe: