On my insta page I’ve named this recipe ‘Magic Chickpea Stew’, because guys, that’s exactly what it is! Pure plant based, gluten free, foodie MAGIC.
Invite your best pals over, get those flatbreads in the oven, and get dunking! This recipe is just designed to be social. Its warm, bright, PACKED with flavour, and lighter than other similarly creamy stews. This Chickpea Stew will be the conversation piece of your night (and week), and will have all your friends and fam begging for the recipe.
But the true magic of this recipe doesn’t just lie in the warm aromatic spices, or the creamy texture, or even those magnificent queen chickpeas. This recipe is for my guys and gals out there who want all of the flavour magic, for half of the effort and clean up. Guys this recipe is just SO EASY! Faff-Free-Flavour might just be my new trademark, because the only thing better than a totally delicious meal, is an easy delicious meal. Enough natter now though, lets get into it…
30 Minute Meal
Yes, you read that right. 30 minutes is all it takes to whip up this dreamy Chickpea Stew. Packed with an array of warm, summery, aromatic flavours and brimming with plant based goodness, all in half an hour. You just can’t go wrong!
My top tip for making sure your cooking experience is stress free and easy is all in the prep. The total cook time for this recipe does include the preparation, but you want to make sure you have everything sorted before you start applying the heat so you don’t run over. Make sure you spend that 10 minutes of prep time chopping, measuring and setting aside your ingredients. Just little things like having your spices all measured out and your chickpeas drained (don’t forget to save that umami flavoured water!) makes the world of difference to how stress-free you feel in the kitchen.
Light and creamy
I know what you’re thinking. Light and creamy? Isn’t that a total contradiction?
Well not when it comes to this Chickpea Stew. I’m about to talk you through how to get that gorgeously creamy texture, without any heavy cream, coconut milk or cashews. Cue the Miley Cyrus songs because this really is the best of both worlds.
Once your stew has been simmering away and is close to being ready, this final little trick will get you that perfectly thick and velvety texture, without the need for any additional ingredients. Make sure to remove the bay leaves and remove just under a cup of the stew. Pop your stolen stew into a jug and blitz with a stick blender until super thick and creamy. Add back to the pan, stir and voila! Deliciously creamy stew without any heavy ingredients.
Ingredients and Flavours
I always like to think of good food in terms of a super basic equation. Quality ingredients + the perfect blend of spices = unbeatable flavour. It’s really that simple.
When you look into it, the ingredients in this stew are actually super simple. Some sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and tomato puree for that rich base, matched with sweet white miso and nooch for a nutty umami hit. Combine those flavours with some smoked paprika, fresh herbs and dijon and you’ve got yourself a dish you’ll want on rotation all week.
And don’t forget those queen chickpeas. Total game changer when it comes to plant based cooking. I’m slowly converting everyone into bold bean fanatics, one recipe at a time.
Top this chickpea stew with a few good glugs of chilli oil, fresh herbs, and some coconut yogurt if you fancy it. Tear up some warm flatbreads and enjoy this stew with your favourite people. Happy munching!
Chickpea Stew
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 ribs / sticks celery
- 1 large carrot
- 3 garlic cloves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp white miso
- 1 tbsp sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp dijon mustard or hot mustard
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 roasted red peppers, chopped (fresh or jarred)
- 1 700g jar queen chickpeas
- 2.5 cups broth
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
TO SERVE
- Drizzle chilli oil
- 2 tbsp parsley or coriander, finely chopped
Method
- Heat the olive oil or avocado oil in a non stick pan. add the onion, celery, carrot and sauce on a medium heat for 3 - 4 mins until soft. Add the garlic for 1 min.
- Add the thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, salt, pepper, paprika, miso, sundried tomatoes, dijon, tomato puree, nutritional yeast, peppers, chickpeas (with about 2/3 of the juice) and broth. Stir well. Cook for 20 - 25 mins on med / low heat until nice and thick. Using the chickpea water makes it super tasty, thick and means you need much less salt)
- Remove the bay leaves and then place 3/4 cup of the mix in a jug and blitz with a stick blender till smooth. Add back to the pan and stir to combine. This will make it super creamy and tasty without having to add lots of cashews or vegan cream cheese alternatives!
- Stir through lemon juice and adjust spices and seasoning to taste.
- Serve with a good drizzle of chilli oil and fresh parsley or coriander. Option to add some coconut yoghurt too.
