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This 15 Minute Chickpea Stew is a one pot dinner of chickpeas, carrots, celery and tinned tomatoes in a lightly spiced sauce. It is ready in 15 minutes, serves 4 and uses store cupboard ingredients you probably already have at home. If you want another quick dinner, try my Broccoli Stir Fry.
15 Minute Chickpea Stew at a Glance
James's tipChop the vegetables to a similar size so they all soften in the same 3 minutes. Taste before serving: a pinch of salt or a little more lime juice lifts the stew.
Key ingredients
- Chickpeas
- Tinned tomatoes
- Carrots
- Spices
Why you'll love it
- About 259 kcal and 12g fibre a portion
- Ready in 15 minutes
- One pot
Quick summary
This chickpea stew softens onion, garlic, carrot and celery in olive oil for 3 minutes, then adds spices, chickpeas, tinned tomatoes, stock, tamari and lime and boils for about 7 minutes until thick. It serves 4 and is about 259 kcal a portion.
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Why this recipe works
Ready in 15 minutes, this chickpea stew is made with store cupboard ingredients you probably already have at home, so it is easy to put together on a busy evening. The vegetables, spices and tinned tomatoes do all the work, and you will be eating in a quarter of an hour.
As the nights get colder and darker, I love a good stew. They are incredibly comforting, wholesome and filling. My Hearty Potato Stew was so popular, as was my Sweet Potato & Black Bean Stew, so I wanted to create another one for those who are short on time and want to rustle something up quickly.
If you like a quick curry too, my Vegetable Curry is another speedy one, and my Vegetable Tagine is a spiced stew for when you have more time.
Ingredients to make Chickpea stew
- Olive Oil: 1 tbsp, to soften the vegetables.
- Carrot: Frying carrot, onion and celery together makes a soffritto, which is the base of the stew. It sweetens and deepens the flavours.
- Celery: Part of the soffritto, adding flavour and depth to the Chickpea Stew.
- Garlic: It offers a gentle spice and adds flavour.
- Onion: I use a red onion, but a white onion works too.
- Chickpeas: Add protein and texture. Tinned chickpeas make this stew quick. For another speedy chickpea dinner, try my 10 Minute Chickpea And Spinach Curry.
- Tamari: Tamari is a soy sauce like product that comes from making miso. I use it because it is gluten free.
- Ground Coriander: This spice has a sweet, aromatic taste with a touch of citrus.
- Turmeric: This spice has an earthy flavour, so really adds to the body of the Chickpea Stew.
- Chilli Flakes: these add a gentle and subtle heat.
- Paprika: This adds more flavour and gives the 15 Minute Chickpea Stew a subtle smokey flavour.
- Tinned Tomatoes: These add the perfect amount of liquid and acidity.
- Vegetable Stock: adds saltiness and depth of flavour.
- Lime: this really takes the chickpea stew to the next level in terms of flavour!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Chickpeas: These could be swapped for another white bean such as cannellini or butter beans. For a butter bean dinner, try my Creamy Butterbeans.
- Tamari: Regular soy sauce works in its place, but it contains wheat, so check the label if you need it gluten free.
- Tinned Tomatoes: If you do not have a tin, use fresh plum tomatoes, but add a little more stock.
- Lime: If you do not have a lime, swap it for lemon.
- Red Onion: A white onion works too.
- Spices: the combination of the spices I have used in this 15 Minute Chickpea Stew work really well together! If you don’t have one of the spices, don’t worry too much, it should still taste delicious!
Variations
- Kid friendly: I created this stew for all the family to enjoy, but I know children can be fussy with beans and pulses. If that is the case, try my Cod Curry. It is packed full of flavour and easy to adapt.
- Spice: I made this stew mild so everyone could enjoy it. To turn up the heat, add more chilli flakes or some freshly chopped chilli on top. If spice is your thing, try my Spicy Butterbeans, ready in 10 minutes in one pot.
- Deluxe: This stew is great as it is, but if you have dinner guests, serve it with brown rice or quinoa, freshly chopped coriander and fresh lime wedges.
- More flavour: Taste before you serve. A pinch of salt, an extra squeeze of lime juice or a pinch of cayenne pepper all lift the stew. The stock and tamari are salty already, so add any salt last.
How to make chickpea stew
Step 1: Firstly, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot and lightly fry the chopped onion, garlic, carrots and celery for 3 minutes, until softened.
Step 2: Add the coriander, paprika, turmeric and chilli flakes, then the drained chickpeas, tinned tomatoes, vegetable stock, tamari and the juice of half a lime. Stir, then boil on a medium to high heat for about 7 minutes, until the stew thickens.
Step 3: Serve with rice or quinoa. My How to Cook Quinoa shows how to cook it.
Hint: Chop the vegetables to a similar size so they cook evenly.
Leftovers
Cool the stew quickly, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge and eat it within 2 days. The flavours are even better the next day. To reheat, simmer it in a pot with the lid on until piping hot, or microwave it for a couple of minutes, stirring halfway. Reheat it only once. It also freezes well for up to 2 months, so it is a good one to batch cook. If you are filling the freezer, my Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry is another good one.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this recipe is really adaptable. You could swap the chickpeas for any other type of bean, such as cannellini or butter beans. You can also swap just one tin and keep the other as chickpeas.
Tamari is a soy sauce like product that comes from making miso. I use it because it is gluten free. Regular soy sauce is an almost identical substitute, but it contains wheat.
Yes, for up to 2 months. Cool it quickly, freeze it in airtight containers in batches, thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat it over a low heat until piping hot. It is a good recipe for batch cooking.
Simmer it in a pot with the lid on until piping hot, or microwave it for a couple of minutes, stirring halfway. Reheat it only once.
Taste it before you serve. A pinch of salt, an extra squeeze of lime juice or a pinch of cayenne pepper all lift it. The stock and tamari are salty already, so add any salt last. Good quality chickpeas make a difference too.
Brown rice or quinoa, or a warm flatbread to mop up the sauce. My Gluten Free Flatbread takes minutes to make.
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15 Minute Chickpea Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 celery stalks , sliced
- 2 carrots , sliced
- 1 heaped tsp ground coriander
- 1 heaped tsp paprika
- 1 heaped tsp turmeric
- pinch chilli flakes
- 2 400g tinned chickpeas, drained
- 1 400g tinned tomatoes
- 300 ml veg stock
- 1 tbsp tamari , (optional)
- ½ juice lime
Instructions
- Firstly roughly dice your red onion, crushed garlic, 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot, add the ingredients you just prepared and cook for 3 minutes, until softened.
- Now to the pot simply add 1 heaped tsp of ground coriander, paprika, turmeric, pinch of chilli flakes along with 2 cans drained chickpeas, tinned tomatoes, 300ml veg stock, 1 tbsp tamari and juice of half a lime and stir
- Boil on a medium to high heat until it thickens (roughly 7 minutes).
- Serve with rice or quinoa.
Notes
Nutrition
I have gluten intolerance and just discovered James recipes and they are excellent. I made this chickpea stew for the first time three weeks ago and I love it, in fact the whole family loves it. It’s now become a weekly staple. It’s my birthday in a couple of weeks and the kids are buying my James’s cookbook. Winner
Thanks so much Philip 🙂 glad you’re enjoying them!
I have had radiotherapy to my mouth and I am wary of chilli, but added some flakes all the same. My partner and I thought this dish was quite bland. I have added a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar this morning, but do you have any other ideas to increase the meal’s oomph please?
Absolutely delicious, will definitely make this again. I have only just discovered these recipes and can’t wait to try more. Have ordered the book too.
Thank you Annette 🙂
As easy and tasty as promised!
Going to make this tonight but swap 1 tin.of chick peas for butter beans might add some turkey meatballs as not totally vegetarian and can tolerate them.well
Great dish so quick and easy
Thank you Ferelyth 🙂 glad you enjoyed it!
Great dish, got us two meals out of it. But then there is only 2 of us!!
I added a pinch of salt to bring out the flavours. Fab, cheers!!
I made this dish tonight, and was stoked about the flavor and slight crunch to the veggies. I added in some cayenne pepper for an extra kick, some salt and more lime juice. I look forward to having leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
My only feedback would be that my prep time was more like 20 minutes, not five. I guess I just need to learn to chop faster.
Thanks James!
Thanks Melissa, really pleased you enjoyed it! Speed up on that chopping 🙂 next time you make it you’ll be much faster always easier 2nd or 3rd time making a recipe.
I made this the other day and I must say, it’s sooo good and easy and cheap. Will definitely become something I’ll make more often. Luckily the boyfriend doesn’t like curry type dishes too much, so this means more for me. You won’t see me complaining.
Love to hear that Raisa 🙂 thank you!
A super, quick and inexpensive meal to make. These ingredients are usually on hand anyway and the end flavour is delicious!
Baby potatoes instead of chickpeas are also yummy as they soak up the great zingy flavour.
Thank you Margie 🙂 pleased you enjoyed it!
How to reheat it for next day leftover?
Either simmer in a pot with the lid on until warm or microwave for a couple minutes!