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Elevate your vegetarian recipe repertoire with these Moroccan spiced stewed chickpeas. Made with canned chickpeas simmered in a fragrant tomatoey broth, this meal comes together on the stovetop in just 30 minutes. It’s the perfect cozy main dish to serve in the colder months with a loaf of fresh bread or bowl of couscous.

bowls of stewed chickpeas

These stewed chickpeas are packed with flavors & ingredients that are commonly used in Moroccan cuisine.

It’s hearty, easy to make, and completely meat & dairy free. And while there aren’t any vegetarians in my household, we certainly love any opportunity to not touch raw meat and get dinner on the table in half an hour.

It’s also easy to make on the stovetop in a dutch oven or tagine and serve alongside some fluffy couscous. Also learn how to cook dried chickpeas from scratch if interested.

Ingredients

bowls of spinach, oil, spices, and more

See recipe card for quantities and learn how to cook chickpeas from scratch here.

Step by Step Instructions

minced onions cooking in a pan
Cook the onions & garlic. Warm olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced onion and cook for a few minutes before adding the minced garlic. Continue to sauté until fragrant. 
chickpeas with crushed tomatoes in a pan
Add spices, chickpeas & tomatoes. Add the ras el hanout and mix in with the onions & garlic until fragrant before pouring in tomato puree, chickpeas, and water. 

If using dried chickpeas: soak 1 cup of dried chickpeas overnight. Drain and add to a pot full of water. Bring to a boil before lowering to a simmer and cooking until fork tender, about an hour and a half. 

spinach in a pot of stew
Stew chickpeas. Bring the broth to a simmer before adding spinach. Continue to stew for 20 minutes or until the broth as reduced and thickened. 
stewed chickpeas in a pan
Season to taste & serve. Add salt & pepper to taste before serving with a sprinkle of crumbled feta and/or fresh cilantro (optional). Enjoy with bread or fluffy couscous! 

Ras el hanout substitute: make your own ras el hanout, buy a jar online, or substitute with equal parts cumin, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and turmeric. 

bowls of stewed chickpeas

What to Serve it With

The rich, hearty broth in this tagine is perfect for serving with Moroccan bread (khobz), fluffy couscous, rice, or toasted pita bread. It’s also really tasty when topped with fresh herbs and a dollop of plain yogurt.

These stewed chickpeas also go well with these Moroccan dishes:

Cold Moroccan Beet Salad

Grilled Lamb Chops with Cumin and Salt

Spicy Potatoes: my Moroccan grandma’s version of potato salad

30-Minute Grilled Moroccan Kefta (Brochettes)
stewed chickpeas in a pan
bowls of stewed chickpeas

Using Dried Chickpeas

While I usually make this with canned chickpeas because that’s what I have on hand, you can also make it with dried chickpeas.

You will want to prepare for this the night before as the dried chickpeas take additional time to cook.

Soak 1 cup of dried chickpeas in a bowl of water overnight. Drain off the water, rinse and add the soaked chickpeas to a pot full of water. Bring the liquid to a boil before lowering to a simmer and cooking until fork tender, about an hour and a half. Make sure to drain all the liquid before using in this recipe.

1 cup of the dried chickpeas should result in about 2 ½ cups of cooked chickpeas, which is about the equivalent to two cans or 28 ounces.

bowls of stewed chickpeas

Bismillah,

Salima written in cursive
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bowls of stewed chickpeas

30 Minute Moroccan Stewed Chickpeas with Tomatoes

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  • Author: Salima Benkhalti
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Entree, Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
  • Method: Stewed
  • Cuisine: Moroccan, North African, Mediterannean, African
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Elevate your vegetarian recipe repertoire with these Moroccan spiced stewed chickpeas. Made with canned chickpeas simmered in a fragrant tomatoey broth, this meal comes together on the stovetop in just 30 minutes. It’s the perfect cozy main dish to serve in the colder months with a loaf of fresh bread or bowl of rice.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, minced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp ras el hanout (see note for substitute)
  • 1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
  • 2 (14 oz) cans chickpeas, drained
  • 2 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 3 cups spinach
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Optional: crumbled feta and/or cilantro, minced

Instructions

  1. Cook the onions & garlic. Warm olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced onion and cook for a few minutes before adding the minced garlic. Continue to sauté until fragrant. 
  2. Add spices, chickpeas & tomatoes. Add the ras el hanout and mix in with the onions & garlic until fragrant before pouring in tomato puree, chickpeas, and water. 
  3. Stew chickpeas. Bring the broth to a simmer before adding spinach. Continue to stew for 20 minutes or until the broth has reduced and thickened. 
  4. Season to taste & serve. Add salt & pepper to taste before serving with a sprinkle of crumbled feta and/or fresh cilantro (optional). Enjoy with bread or rice! 

Equipment

Notes

If using dried chickpeas: soak 1 cup of dried chickpeas overnight. Drain and add to a pot full of water. Bring to a boil before lowering to a simmer and cooking until fork tender, about an hour and a half. 

Ras el hanout substitute: make your own ras el hanout, buy a jar online, or substitute with equal parts cumin, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and turmeric. 

Enjoy this recipe?

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