Espinacas con Garbanzos: Spanish Chickpea Stew
In Seville, Espinacas con Garbanzos, which literally means chickpeas and spinach, is a popular dish served both at fine restaurants and tapas joints. It’s typically served at room temperature with crusty bread to carry all the goodness!
I’ve had an obsessive fixation for all things chickpeas (no secret to anyone who’s checked out the recipe archives), so I was excited to try my own take on this Spanish dish.
The Gist
A hearty chickpea and spinach stew, cooked in a little bit of tomato sauce (a twist on the traditional), with a crumbly mixture of toasted almonds and bread that’s been spiked with garlic, vinegar, and warm notes of cumin and smoked paprika. Loads of texture and flavor! Intrigued? Take a look at how I make it!
How to Make this Chickpea Stew
1.First, cook the spinach in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. Set it aside in a colander to drain.
2.Make the tasty almond and bread mixture. Sautee almonds and bread cubes in skillet with garlic and spices, then transfer to a food processor, add a splash of wine and pulse (sorry, i don’t have a photo for that, but you’re looking for a crumbly, chunky paste).
Cook onions and bell peppers, then add chickpeas, tomato sauce and water. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Simmer baby, simmer!
Stir in the wilted spinach and almond-bread mixture (all the flavor in this mixture by the way!) Let simmer another 5 minutes or so.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with cilantro, toasted bread, and toasted blanched almonds if you like.
How to Serve It?
– Espinacas con Garbanzos (or chickpea stew) are traditionally served as tapas. In fact, just last night, I had this very dish just yesterday at Barcelona, a local Atlanta wine bar and tapas kinda place. On their menu, they called it Spinach-Chickpea Cazuela (or stew-pot). It was among the many small dishes our large group shared, served next to things like Spanish tortilla, small charcuterie boards, and assorted olives. We ate the chickpea stew at room temperature with super fresh crusty bread. – As dinner? I say, absolutely! For my family of four, this vegan spinach and chickpea stew made a perfectly satisfying dinner. I served it warm garnished with a fistful of fresh cilantro and a generous extra drizzle of my favorite Early Harvest extra virgin olive oil…Oh, and good crusty bread, of course. To start, I served a large bowl of this simple Mediterranean Avocado Salad.
Leftovers?
This chickpea stew will keep well for 3 to 4 nights, refrigerated in tight-lid glass containers. Serve it at room temperature, or you can heat it stove-top over medium heat with a little bit of water added.
Related recipes to try
Mediterranean Spinach Stew Briam: Traditional Greek Roasted Vegetables Mediterranean Baked Lamb with Root Vegetables Mediterranean Kidney Bean Salad
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Handful fresh cilantro leaves Cubed bread, toasted in olive oil Toasted blanched almonds
