Spiced Chickpea and Spinach Stew with Lemon
Chickpeas, tomatoes, a fistful of spinach and a squeeze of lemon at the end. Forty minutes from cupboard to table, and even better on day two.
This is the recipe I give to people who tell me they cannot cook. It forgives everything: too much cumin, not enough salt, a distracted twenty minutes on the phone. What it does not forgive is skipping the lemon at the end — that is the whole trick.
Serve it with flatbread, over rice, or straight from the pot standing at the stove, which is how it is most often eaten in this house.
Why this one is good for you
- Iron plus vitamin C: spinach and chickpeas supply plant iron, and the lemon juice at the end measurably helps you absorb it.
- Low effort, high fibre: two tins of chickpeas cover a good part of a day's fibre for two people.
- Spices that earn their place: cumin, coriander and smoked paprika add depth without any need for extra fat or salt.
Spiced Chickpea and Spinach Stew with Lemon
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 800 g cooked chickpeas, drained
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 300 ml vegetable stock
- 200 g spinach, washed
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Salt, black pepper and good olive oil to finish
Method
Soften the onion in the olive oil over medium heat with a pinch of salt, 8–10 minutes, until translucent and sweet. Do not rush this part; it is where the body of the stew comes from.
Add the garlic and all the spices and stir for 1 minute, until the kitchen smells like the stew you are about to eat.
Tip in the chickpeas, tomatoes and stock. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, mashing a ladleful of chickpeas against the side of the pan halfway through to thicken the sauce.
Add the spinach in handfuls, letting each one wilt before the next goes in.
Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, taste, and adjust the salt. Finish each bowl with a thread of good olive oil.
Tip
For a richer version, stir in 3 tbsp of coconut milk or yogurt at the very end — after the lemon, off the heat, so nothing splits.