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Chickpea Stew with Tomatoes and Spinach

Home-cooked chickpeas simmer in a tomato and pepper-flake sauce, then wilted spinach and lemon brighten the pot at the end.

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Chickpea and tomato stew with wilted spinach in a shallow bowl, topped with chopped flat-leaf parsley and olive oil, AI-generated imageAI-generated image
At a glance
  • 400 gtomatoes
  • 400 greserved chickpea cooking liquid
  • 300 gonions
  • 250 gdried chickpeas
  • 200 gbaby spinach
Serves 4

Chickpea stew with tomatoes is an everyday pot in Turkish and wider Mediterranean home cooking. Onions are softened in olive oil, tomato and spices go in, and chickpeas simmer until the sauce is thick and clings to them. Spinach is a common green addition, stirred in at the end so it stays tender and bright.

This version starts with dried chickpeas, soaked in the refrigerator and then simmered until creamy, because their cooking liquid becomes the base of the stew and gives it body. Tomato paste and a little sugar round out the canned tomatoes, while pepper flakes, cumin and dried mint give warmth and a fresh, savory finish.

Plan on about 2 hours of preparation and cooking, plus 8 to 12 hours of refrigerator soaking beforehand. Older chickpeas can take longer to soften. Lemon juice and parsley go in off the heat so the flavors stay lively. Serve with crusty bread or rice, with extra olive oil on top if you like.

Chickpea Stew with Tomatoes and Spinach

Formula & Method
Servings
4
Units
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Ingredients

Chickpeas

Stew

To finish

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Preparation

  1. Step 01

    Put the dried chickpeas in a large bowl or container and cover with the 1000 g cold water. Cover and refrigerate at 4 C / 40 F for 8 to 12 hours. Do not soak at room temperature. This soaking time is not included in the 125 minute total.

  2. Step 022 min

    Drain the soaked chickpeas in a colander and rinse well under cold running water. Discard the soaking water.

  3. Step 0310 min

    Put the chickpeas in a large pot with the 1500 g fresh water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then skim off any foam from the surface.

  4. Step 0460 min

    Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and partly cover. Cook for 45 to 75 minutes, or longer if the chickpeas are old. Check the pot every 20 minutes and add hot water whenever the chickpeas are no longer covered by about 2 cm / 1 inch of liquid. Stir in 1 g of the salt after the first 30 minutes. The chickpeas are ready when one crushes easily between your fingers or against the side of the pot with no chalky center.

  5. Step 052 min

    Set a heatproof measuring jug or bowl under the colander and drain the chickpeas, saving the cooking liquid. Weigh out 400 g of the liquid for the stew. If it measures less than 400 g, top it up with hot water to 400 g. Set the chickpeas aside.

  6. Step 0610 min

    Wipe out the pot or use a wide heavy-bottomed pot. Heat the olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute, then add the onions and 1 g of the salt. Cook, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes until the onions are soft, translucent and just turning golden at the edges.

  7. Step 072 min

    Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, pepper flakes, cumin, paprika and dried mint and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens slightly and smells toasted.

  8. Step 084 min

    Add the canned tomatoes with their juices, the 400 g reserved cooking liquid, the sugar, the black pepper and the remaining 2 g salt. Scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

  9. Step 0925 min

    Add the cooked chickpeas. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partly cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and the chickpeas are very tender. If it becomes too thick, add a splash of hot water.

  10. Step 103 min

    Add the spinach in large handfuls, stirring each batch into the stew until it begins to wilt before adding the next. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes in total, until all the spinach is dark green and collapsed and the stew is steaming hot.

  11. Step 111 min

    Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and most of the parsley. Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice if needed.

  12. Step 12

    Serve hot in shallow bowls, scattered with the remaining parsley and a drizzle of olive oil if you like. Refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.

Kitchen notes

  • Timing: about 2 hours of preparation and cooking, plus 8 to 12 hours of refrigerator soaking. Older dried chickpeas can need extra simmering time, so allow for this.
  • Storage: cool leftovers and refrigerate in a covered container within 2 hours of cooking. Keep for up to 4 days at 4 C / 40 F or below. Reheat until steaming hot throughout, adding a splash of water as the stew thickens on standing.
  • Freezing: freeze portions for up to 3 months. The spinach will be softer after thawing, but the flavor holds well. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating until steaming hot throughout.
  • Make ahead: the chickpeas can be soaked and cooked up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate them in their cooking liquid within 2 hours of cooking. The stew also tastes even better the next day, so add the spinach and lemon when you reheat it.
  • Seasoning: the stew is lightly salted so you can adjust it to your own taste at the end. Salt levels in canned tomatoes and tomato paste vary by product.
  • Using canned chickpeas: replace the dried chickpeas with about 600 g of drained, rinsed canned chickpeas (roughly two 400 g cans, check the can label for the drained weight). Skip the soaking and simmering steps, and use 400 g of water in place of the cooking liquid. Simmer the stew for about 20 minutes. Check the can label for any added ingredients.
  • Variations: add one chopped red or green pepper with the onions, a diced carrot for sweetness, or serve with a spoonful of plain yogurt if you eat dairy. Serve with rice, bulgur or crusty bread for scooping.

Diet and allergens

Suitable for: Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.

Contains: none of the allergens we track (sesame, tree nuts, peanuts, milk, egg, gluten, soy, celery, mustard, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, lupin).

Labels come from the ingredient list by fixed rules. If you cook for someone with an allergy, check the labels of packaged ingredients such as stock, spice blends, tahini and bread, since brands differ. How labels work.

Frequently asked questions

Why soak the chickpeas in the refrigerator?

Soaking in the refrigerator at 4 C / 40 F keeps the chickpeas cold and safe while they hydrate for 8 to 12 hours. Always drain and rinse them before cooking.

Why are my chickpeas still firm after simmering in tomatoes?

Acidic ingredients such as tomatoes and lemon slow softening, so the chickpeas should be fully tender before they go into the stew. Old dried chickpeas can also take longer, so simmer them in plain water until they crush easily.

Can I use frozen spinach?

Yes. Use about 200 g of frozen chopped spinach, thawed in the refrigerator, with the excess water squeezed out. Stir it in and cook it following the package directions, until it is fully cooked and steaming hot throughout.

How do I make the stew thicker?

Simmer it uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, or crush a few chickpeas against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon and stir them back in.

References and sources

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