One Pot Chickpea Stew

One Pot Chickpea Stew

One Pot Chickpea Stew is wonderful! Full of flavour and packed with protein!

Like many of you, I scroll through my Instagram and Facebook feeds, looking for inspiration for making yummy vegan food. As it so happens, I came across a dish from the Instagram feed of @thingstoeat of this awesome looking stew type dish with chickpeas and tomatoes. The colour was perfect. Right there and then I thought I am going to make something like that, and so i did.

I’m sharing this with you because I know how busy people are and how many hats people are wearing. Sometimes, just being able to throw things in one pot and have something emerge that is delicious and good for you too….well that’s a win for everyone. As always, I make big the first time so that I can freeze some for another day when I am not in the mood for cooking.

As a matter of fact I don’t feel like cooking tonight, and you know what? I have a jar of this in my freezer right now. Hang on a minute while I get it out to thaw.

All right, enough chatter let’s get to it…..

One Pot Chickpea Stew

Stay calm, this is a big list, it might look overwhelming. Its more than five ingredients for sure!

Please feel free to add on to the ingredients or to take away anything you don’t like, be creative, have fun. I just kept adding stuff until I got a flavour that I liked. I wrote most of it down and am sharing with you.

This is real life cooking, its always a bit different. We have different ingredients at home, we like this a bit more than that. Even if you follow exactly what I suggest, your finished dish will be slightly if not significantly different. That’s ok. Cooking is an art, its not perfect, its messy and it is a form of creation. Sweet, salt, bitter, sour and umami – what to include, what combination of tastes are you looking for? What’s your style?

Let’s get creating!

What you will need for your One Pot Chickpea Stew:

• 1-4 T olive oil (optional) You can add a bit of veggie broth if things start to stick to the pot
• 3 large onions sliced
• 4 celery stalks, 2 c chopped

  

• 2 c chopped carrot
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 knob ginger, minced
• 2 t turmeric
• 4 t cumin
• 1 t garum Masala
• 2 pints home canned tomatoes

  

• 6-8 cups frozen tomatoes
• 2 bay leaf, remember to take them out when you serve the stew
• 4 cups chick peas (homemade or canned – drained) Recipe for chickpeas on my blog
• 1 T sugar

  

• 1T soya sauce
• 3 T miso
• 3-4 T agave
• 2 T veggie broth, I love my own homemade or Better than Bouillon
• 4 T ketchup
• 2T vegan Worcestershire sauce
• Spinach,  2-3 huge handfuls
• 1 can coconut milk
• Lemon juice, cilantro or parsley

How to make your One Pot Chickpea Stew:

This whole thing comes together pretty easily. You will start by sauteing your base flavours, onions, celery, carrots, garlic and ginger. Then you will add spices, tomatoes and more flavours. Bring it to a boil, turn it down and let it simmer so the flavours can mix. After 20 minutes add in your chickpeas and coconut milk, it should taste pretty awesome by now. The final is to throw your spinach in about 5-10 minutes before serving and add final flavours just before serving. Really personalize it to what works best for you.

1. Get a good soup pot hot and add in the oil (optional, can you veggie broth as needed)
2. Add onions and turn down to medium. Saute the diced onions, till transparent – about 5 minutes

   

   

   

3. Add in the ginger and garlic and stir for a couple minutes, do not burn the garlic, this can ruin your whole dish
4. Add in carrots and stir for another five minutes
5. Add in the turmeric, cumin, garum masala and stir till the smell hits your nose
6. Add in your tomatoes and bay leaf, any combination of fresh, canned, frozen that works for you. Use the best quality you have access to, organic if possible.
7. Taste. Add a bit of salt and pepper to suit your taste. (always optional)
8. Let it all simmer for a few minutes
9. Add in your chickpeas and remaining spices, stir well, taste and adjust flavours as required.

   

   

   

   Does it have a balance of spiciness, saltiness, sourness and sweetness for you?

10. Add in the spinach and coconut milk, stir and cook spinach till it starts to wilt.
11. Finish with fresh lemon, cilantro or parsley, optional, always.
12. Serve with a good bread and yummy fresh salad, a perfect meal.