Spinach stew with chickpeas is an easy, healthy, and satisfying dish you can enjoy with rice or bread as a weeknight dinner or hearty lunch.

Ours is a comforting vegetarian and vegan-friendly recipe inspired by Eastern Mediterranean cooking and made with simple ingredients and spices such as olive oil, onion, garlic, and cumin.

Chickpea Spinach stew with lemon

If you want something healthy, quick, easy, nourishing, and tasty for your weeknight dinners, look no further than this spinach and chickpea stew.

This dish is popular in many countries, especially in Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking.

For the recipe, we drew inspiration from Palestinian “Sabanekh bil hummus”, a wonderful combination of fresh spinach, tender chickpeas, and fragrant spices.

This spinach stew is excellent with rice or warm pita bread for a meat-free lunch or dinner.

It’s also a great recipe for meal prep as its flavor gets better the next day as the ingredients have time to meld.

We were so impressed by this recipe because it’s really easy to make, and it tastes incredible! Let’s see how to make it.

Chickpea Spinach Stew on rice with spoon

Spinach stew video

Ingredients for spinach stew

spinach stew ingredients

Olive oil

You can use extra virgin olive oil, olive oil, or any other vegetable oil suitable for cooking.

We use the oil to make the flavor base with onion, garlic, and spices and infuse the recipe with a beautiful round, fragrant, and warm flavor.

Onion

Use white or yellow onion; chopped coarsely. When gently fried with oil, onion adds a wonderful flavor to the stew.

Garlic

Fresh garlic is a must here. Press it, grate it, or mince it with a knife, then gently fry it with the onion without burning it.

Cumin and coriander

Ground cumin and coriander are lovely with chickpeas and spinach; we recommend adding both.

Vegetable broth

Pick your favorite vegetable broth. You can use a regular one or a reduced sodium one. You can even make vegetable stock yourself if you have the time.

Chickpeas

Canned chickpeas are excellent if you are short on time. Just drain them and rinse them under cold water.

Alternatively, go for dry chickpeas that you first boil in plenty of lightly salted water for one to two hours or until tender.

Spinach

You can use fresh spinach or frozen spinach.

Substitute spinach with kale or Swiss chard.

Salt and pepper

Lemon

Serve the spinach stew with lemon wedges to squeeze on top right before eating. The acidity of the lemon juice will freshen up and boost the flavors of this dish.

Pine nuts

Pine nuts are optional but are used often in Eastern Mediterranean cooking, so we like to add them on top of the stew to add a delicious nutty flavor.

Toast the pine nuts for a few minutes on a nonstick pan until they turn golden brown.

Rice

We usually serve the stew with boiled rice. You can use white or brown basmati rice.

Substitute warm pita bread (or any other bread) for rice.

Yogurt

Optionally, you can top the stew with plain, Greek, or non-dairy yogurt. Even better, top it with a creamy and tasty yogurt tahini sauce.

Chickpea Spinach Stew with yogurt dressing

Instructions

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven, then add coarsely chopped onion and fry it for 3 minutes on medium heat, stirring often.

Add pressed or grated garlic, ground cumin, and ground coriander, and fry for one more minute or until you smell the spices’ fragrant aroma.

roasted spices and onion in a pot

Add the rinsed and drained chickpeas, salt, and black pepper, give it a quick stir, then add vegetable broth and spinach.

You might not be able to add all the spinach at the same time. Let them wilt for a minute if that’s the case, then add the rest.

Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, lower the heat, crack the top open, and let simmer for about 20 minutes.

chickpeas, broth and spinach

Taste and adjust for salt, then serve on boiled rice topped with toasted pine nuts and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Tip: you can toast the pine nuts on a non-stick pan on medium-low heat for 1 minute or until golden brown.

Chickpea Spinach Stew on rice with lemon

Optionally, top it with plain yogurt, Greek yogurt, or non-dairy yogurt, or try a dollop of our yogurt tahini sauce.

Chickpea Spinach Stew with tahini yogurt

Serving suggestions

If you don’t feel like rice, you can serve this spinach stew with warm pita bread or Naan bread next to a refreshing side salad like:

  • Fattoush (pita bread, cucumber, tomato, romaine lettuce, radish, bell pepper, etc.)
  • Tabbouleh (parsley, tomato, bulgur, scallion, mint leaves, lemon juice, etc.)
  • Shirazi (cucumber, tomato, white onion, dried mint, lime juice, etc.)
  • Tomato cucumber salad (tomato, cucumber, red onion, olive oil, basil leaves, etc.)

Storage

Make ahead: spinach stew is an excellent recipe to make several hours ahead because its flavor improves after a few hours it’s made as the flavors have time to meld. It’s also perfect for meal prep as it keeps well for several days.

Refrigerator: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer: let the stew cool down completely, then transfer it to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw slowly in the fridge or the microwave.

Reheat: warm up the spinach stew in the microwave or stovetop.

More stews and soups

Get more wholesome and comforting stew inspiration with these vegetablepacked favorites:

More chickpea ideas

These easy and healthy chickpea recipes are great for weeknight dinners:

For many more dinner ideas, check out our mains category page.

Chickpea Spinach Stew with pine nuts

Spinach Stew

By: Nico Pallotta
5 from 8 votes
Spinach stew with chickpeas is an easy, healthy, and satisfying dish you can enjoy with rice or bread as a weeknight dinner or hearty lunch.
Ours is a comforting vegetarian and vegan-friendly recipe inspired by Eastern Mediterranean cooking and made with simple ingredients and spices such as olive oil, onion, garlic, and cumin.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 – 6 people
Course: Main
Cuisine: Eastern Mediterranean

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic pressed or grated
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 cans (15-ounce each) chickpeas or 3 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 pound spinach
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 lemon in wedges
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts toasted

Serve with

Instructions 

  • Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot, then add 1 large onion (chopped) and fry it for 3 minutes stirring often.
    Add 4 cloves garlic (pressed or grated), 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, and fry for 1 more minute.
    roasted spices and onion in a pot
  • Add 2 cans (15-ounce each) chickpeas (drained), 2 cups vegetable stock, 1 pound spinach, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
    Stir and let simmer partly covered for 20 minutes.
    chickpeas, broth and spinach
  • Taste and adjust for salt, then serve on boiled rice or next to warm pita bread topped with 2 tablespoons pine nuts lightly toasted on a pan 1 lemon cut into wedges.
    Chickpea Spinach Stew on rice with lemon
  • Optionally, you can top with yogurt tahini sauce, or plain, Greek, or non-dairy yogurt.
    Chickpea Spinach Stew with tahini yogurt

Video

Chickpea Spinach Stew in 30 mins

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 serving of spinach stew out of 4, without rice or bread.
STORAGE
Make ahead: spinach stew is an excellent recipe to make several hours ahead because its flavor improves after a few hours it’s made as the flavors have time to meld. It’s also perfect for meal prep as it keeps well for several days.
Refrigerator: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer: let the stew cool down completely, then transfer it to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw slowly in the fridge or the microwave.
Reheat: warm up the spinach stew in the microwave or stovetop.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Potassium: 972mg, Dietary Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 10918IU, Vitamin B6: 1mg, Vitamin C: 50mg, Vitamin E: 4mg, Vitamin K: 556µg, Calcium: 186mg, Folate: 263µg, Iron: 6mg, Manganese: 3mg, Magnesium: 151mg, Zinc: 2mg
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below or mention @theplantbasedschool on Instagram. We are also on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok.

If you liked this spinach stew, you might also enjoy the following:


Nico and Louise in the kitchen

Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.

Easy right?

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




4 Comments

  1. Hello! made this chickpea stew for dinner and my husband and I loved it! Also loved how simple this recipe is, yet so flavorful.
    I have a very busy schedule and because of your recipe i could prepare something wonderful with no hassle:)

    1. Hi Christina,
      I’m so happy you enjoyed the stew – and you were able to share it as a family 🙂
      Thank you for the kind words. All the best,
      Louise

  2. 5 stars
    Love all your recipes!! Since I cook vegetarian dishes every day, it’s such big help to select from your recipes. Have not had one I didn’t like, so thank you so much!!

    1. Hi Madelon,
      Thanks so much for your feedback, I am so delighted you like the stew AND our recipes.
      We are happy you are cooking along with us 🙂 Kindest,
      Louise