Hearty Mediterranean Chickpea Stew (Printable)

A wholesome Mediterranean stew with tender chickpeas and vibrant vegetables in aromatic spices, ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 zucchini, diced
08 - 1 cup fresh spinach leaves

→ Base and Liquids

09 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
10 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Spices and Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
16 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
17 - 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
18 - 1 bay leaf

→ Optional Garnishes

19 - Fresh parsley, chopped
20 - Lemon wedges

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 3 minutes until translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, sliced carrots, celery, and diced red bell pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Add ground cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, coriander, black pepper, and salt. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add drained chickpeas, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
05 - Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing flavors to meld.
06 - Add diced zucchini and cook for another 7 minutes until just tender.
07 - Stir in spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted. Remove bay leaf from pot.
08 - Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
09 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot, garnishing with fresh chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can have something genuinely wholesome on the table without spending your whole evening in the kitchen.
  • Your digestive system will thank you—the fiber and probiotics work together in ways that actually feel restorative, not restrictive.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, making this one of those recipes that rewards you twice.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining and rinsing canned chickpeas properly—the liquid they're packed in is starchy and will make your stew cloudy rather than clear and appetizing.
  • Adding the zucchini late is non-negotiable if you want it to stay tender; throw it in at the beginning and you'll have something that tastes more like paste.
  • Bay leaves are essential for depth, but leaving one in a bowl by accident is a genuinely unpleasant surprise, so make a mental note to retrieve it before serving.
03 -
  • If you cook dried chickpeas from scratch instead of using canned, cook them until they're tender but still hold their shape—overcooked chickpeas will fall apart and make your stew mushy rather than chunky and satisfying.
  • The secret to a stew that doesn't taste one-dimensional is balancing earthy spices with bright acidity; this is why the lemon wedge at the end matters so much—it wakes everything up.
Return