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About this recipe

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Why you’ll love it

Build flavor with onions, garlic and spices, simmer chickpeas and tomatoes until rich and saucy, then fold in fresh spinach and lemon for a Middle Eastern inspired stew that is perfect for fasting days or meatless nights.

Ingredients

• Base
• 🧅 Olive oil: 30 ml (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🧅 Yellow onion, finely diced: 120 g (1 medium / ¾ cup / 4.2 oz)
• 🧄 Garlic cloves, minced: 12 g (3 cloves / 1½ tbsp / 0.4 oz)
• 🌶️ Red chili flakes (optional): 1–2 g (¼–½ tsp / 0.04–0.07 oz)
• Tomato and chickpeas
• 🥫 Crushed tomatoes (canned): 400 g (1¾ cups / 14 oz)
• 💧 Water or vegetable broth: 360 ml (1½ cups / 12 fl oz)
• 🥫 Cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed: 480 g (3 cups / 17 oz)
• 🍅 Tomato paste: 30 g (2 tbsp / 1 oz)
• Spices
• 🥄 Ground cumin: 4 g (2 tsp / 0.14 oz)
• 🥄 Ground coriander: 3 g (1½ tsp / 0.1 oz)
• 🥄 Smoked or sweet paprika: 3 g (1½ tsp / 0.1 oz)
• 🧂 Fine salt: 5 g (¾ tsp / 0.18 oz), or to taste
• ⚫ Freshly ground black pepper: 1–2 g (¼–½ tsp / 0.04–0.07 oz)
• Finish
• 🌿 Fresh spinach, roughly chopped: 150 g (5 packed cups / 5.3 oz)
• 🍋 Fresh lemon juice: 20 ml (1½ tbsp / 0.7 fl oz)
• 🌿 Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped: 10 g (¼ cup / 0.35 oz)
• 🧴 Extra olive oil for drizzling (optional): 5–10 ml (1–2 tsp / 0.17–0.34 fl oz)
• To serve (optional)
• 🍋 Extra lemon wedges
• 🥖 Warm flatbread or rice

Preparation

• 1 Start the base Heat olive oil in a wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 6–8 min, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden around the edges. Stir in garlic and chili flakes and cook 1 min more until fragrant.
• 2 Bloom the spices Add cumin, coriander and paprika to the pot. Stir constantly for 30–45 s so the spices toast in the oil and coat the onions, forming a fragrant spice base.
• 3 Build the stew Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 min to darken slightly. Pour in crushed tomatoes and water or broth, then add the chickpeas, salt and black pepper. Mix well, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits.
• 4 Simmer Bring the stew to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low so it barely bubbles. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer 18–20 min, stirring once or twice, until the liquid thickens and the chickpeas taste well seasoned.
• 5 Finish with greens and lemon Stir in the spinach by handfuls, letting it wilt into the hot stew. Cook uncovered 3–4 min until all the leaves are tender but still bright green. Turn off the heat and stir in lemon juice and fresh parsley or cilantro. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and lemon as needed, then drizzle a little extra olive oil on top if you like.
• 6 Serve Let the stew rest 5 min to settle. Ladle into warm bowls, garnish with more herbs and serve with lemon wedges and flatbread or rice on the side.

Timing details

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Estimated values per serving.

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