Chickpea and Spinach Stew with Cumin Recipe

What Is Chickpea and Spinach Stew with Cumin?

Chickpea and Spinach Stew with Cumin is a thick, spoonable stew built on chickpeas, canned tomatoes and baby spinach in a cumin-scented broth. It is a one-pot dish with warm spice and a savory broth, and it works well as a weeknight dinner or a make-ahead lunch.

What Makes This Recipe Anti-Inflammatory?

Chickpeas bring fermentable fiber that gut bacteria convert into short-chain fatty acids, compounds linked to lower levels of inflammatory markers. Baby spinach adds folate and lutein. Lutein is a carotenoid that spinach concentrates in its leaves, and higher lutein intake is associated with lower markers of inflammation.

Extra-virgin olive oil contributes oleocanthal, a phenolic compound with anti-inflammatory activity in laboratory studies. Ground turmeric supplies curcumin, the compound studied for its role in inflammatory signaling pathways. The stew gets its body from mashed chickpeas rather than cream or flour, and it carries no added sugar.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, with their juice
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 8 ounces fresh baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring now and then, for about 8 minutes, until it turns translucent with golden edges.

Step 2

Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander and ground turmeric. Stir them in the hot oil for 1 minute, until the spices smell toasted and fragrant. Watch the pot closely at this point, because the spices can go from toasted to burnt fast.

Step 3

Pour in the canned diced tomatoes with their juice. Scrape the bottom of the pot to lift the browned bits and cook for about 3 minutes, until the tomatoes darken and thicken.

Step 4

Add the chickpeas, the vegetable broth and the fine sea salt. Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the liquid drops by roughly a third. Halfway through, press a few chickpeas against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon and mash them. This thickens the broth without flour or cream.

Step 5

Add the baby spinach a handful at a time, stirring after each addition. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the leaves wilt into the broth and turn a dark green.

Step 6

Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and the chopped cilantro. The finished stew should look glossy, thick but still spoonable, with the cilantro flecks spread through it.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

InflammaScore

1 Good! Very low inflammation potential

Q&A

Q1: Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?
A1: Yes. About 1 1/4 cups of dried chickpeas yield the 3 cups of cooked chickpeas that the two cans provide. Soak them the night before, then simmer until tender before you start the recipe. From Step 4 onward the stew works the same, because the chickpeas go in already cooked.
Q2: Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?
A2: Yes. Use about 5 ounces of frozen chopped spinach, half of a standard package, thawed and squeezed dry. Stir it into the pot at the same point as the fresh spinach and cook just long enough to heat it through. Frozen spinach releases water, so squeezing it keeps the broth from getting thin.
Q3: How do I store leftovers, and how long do they keep?
A3: Let the stew cool to room temperature, then move it to an airtight container. It keeps in the refrigerator for about 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator overnight and reheat them gently on the stove over medium-low heat.
Q4: How can I make the stew thicker or thinner?
A4: For a thicker stew, mash more chickpeas against the side of the pot during the simmer, or let it cook a few extra minutes uncovered. For a thinner one, stir in a splash of vegetable broth or water after the spinach has wilted. Add the liquid in small amounts so you can stop at the texture you want.
Q5: Can I make this stew the day before?
A5: Yes, and it works in your favor. The flavors settle and deepen as the stew sits overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat it gently on the stove, and add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of chopped cilantro at the end, since their flavor fades during storage.

This stew reheats well, so one pot covers dinner and a few lunches. Spoon the leftovers into containers while they are still warm and you have meals ready for days.