Description
A vibrant and flavorful Moroccan chickpea stew featuring a rich blend of spices, tender sweet potatoes, tomatoes, olives, and dried barberries. This easy, vegan, and gluten-free dish is perfect for a wholesome weekday dinner or a nutritious post-exercise meal, served best over couscous or quinoa and topped with toasted almonds and fresh parsley.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tbsp / 30 ml olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 shallots, finely chopped
- 5 cups peeled and diced tomatoes OR 2 x 400 g / 14 oz tins of tomatoes
- 3 tsp baharat spice
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ¼-½ tsp cayenne pepper or hot chilli powder, adjust to taste
- ¾ tsp salt, adjust to taste
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 medium sweet potato (300 g / 0.65 lb), cubed
- 2 tbsp dried barberries or blackcurrants
- 10 black Kalamata olives, pitted
- A handful of almonds, sliced
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- Cooked couscous or quinoa, to serve with
Instructions
- Toast Almonds: Chop almonds diagonally. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat and dry roast the almonds until lightly browned and fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Fry Shallots: Heat olive oil in a large frying pan with a lid over low heat. Add chopped shallots and cook until almost translucent, stirring occasionally.
- Add Garlic: Incorporate chopped garlic and continue stirring frequently until the shallots become completely translucent and the garlic softens, releasing its aroma.
- Add Spices: Sprinkle in baharat, sweet paprika, cayenne or chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir continuously, frying gently for 1-2 minutes to toast the spices without burning.
- Tomato Paste: Stir in tomato paste to combine with the shallot, garlic, and spice mixture evenly.
- Add Tomatoes and Sweet Potatoes: Add diced tomatoes, cubed sweet potatoes, half of the brown sugar, and salt. Cover with the lid and simmer for about 12 minutes to cook the sweet potatoes thoroughly.
- Thicken Sauce: Remove the lid and continue simmering to reduce and thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning with additional sugar and black pepper to taste.
- Finish with Chickpeas and Fruit: Stir in cooked chickpeas, Kalamata olives, and dried barberries or blackcurrants. Warm through gently.
- Serve: Serve the stew hot over cooked couscous or quinoa, garnished with toasted almonds and chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- This Moroccan chickpea stew is vegan, gluten-free, and packed with nutrients, making it ideal for a healthy weekday dinner or recovery meal.
- Adjust the cayenne or chili powder to your preferred heat level.
- Barberries can be substituted with blackcurrants if unavailable.
- For a nuttier flavor, you can toast almonds in advance and store separately before serving.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat beautifully.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 418
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 582 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
