A vibrant Instant Pot Moroccan Chickpea stew with no oil and all the flavor. This recipe comes together in mere minutes, and there’s minimal hands-on time. A vegan, soy-free and gluten-free recipe.
If you like peppering your holiday excesses with periods of healthy eating, this Instant Pot Moroccan Chickpea Stew with no oil oughta be on your menu.
Why?
For one, if you’re looking for a great weight loss recipe — and who isn’t — you can’t do any better than this stew. There is nothing here that is not packed with goodness for you and your body. There are chickpeas, of course, and an armload of colorful veggies. And tying it all together are gorgeous spices and an oil-free harissa paste that is to die for.
And here’s another really good reason why you should be making this stew: it’s a breeze to cook in your Instant Pot.
I have a stovetop version of this stew on the blog, and it also is made without any added oils and is pretty easy. But this Instant Pot version is even quicker, and you can just throw all the ingredients in.
You do need to make the harissa paste beforehand, but if you already have some in your freezer, good for you. It doesn’t take too long to make anyway, but it’s one of those seasonings I make when I have some time on my hands and store for days when cooking needs to happen fast.
Here’s what you need to make this Instant Pot Chickpea Stew and the harissa with no oil:
- Chickpeas, canned or cooked
- Onions
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Veggies of your choice, like green peppers, carrots and potatoes.
- Tomatoes
- Thyme, dry of fresh
- Vegetable stock or water
- Dry red chili peppers
- Coriander seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Parsley, optional
I recommend using a good vegetable stock like this one to add tons of flavor to your recipe. Start out by sauteeing your onions, garlic and ginger in a quarter cup of the stock, and then throw everything into the Instant Pot. Put the lid on and set it to pressure cook for 10 minutes.
At the end, stir in the fragrant harissa paste and you’re done.
It really is that simple.
Here is how you can make the easiest and most flavorful Instant Pot Moroccan Chickpea Stew with no added oil:
- Make sure you use a good, preferably homemade or low-sodium vegetable stock.
- Mix up the veggies by using your favorites — cauliflower, sweet potatoes, broccoli, zucchini, winter squashes and eggplant will all work well. I used carrots, green peppers and potatoes.
- Make sure you use a moderately hot or hot chili pepper to make the harissa because you want the flavor the peppers add. You can use more or less of the harissa depending on your tolerance for heat.
- You can use either cherry tomatoes or regular tomatoes. I like the pretty look the cherry tomatoes add.
- Don’t skip on the spices. If you don’t have coriander and cumin seeds, get them. They add a wonderful smokiness to the stew, along with the harissa, that you won’t get otherwise. And when you’re skipping the oil, you need to be sure you get all the flavor you can from other healthful alternatives.
- Serve the chickpea stew over rice or with crusty bread, along with wedges of lemon to squeeze on, sliced spring onions and halved cherry tomatoes. Shallots work too. Not only does it make this already gorgeous dish look even more vibrant, the spring onions, tomatoes and lemon add a bigger nutritional boost.
If you make this Instant Pot Moroccan Chickpea Stew, be sure to come back and tell me. Or post a photo on Instagram with the tag @holycowvegan.
- 2 1/2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained
- 1 large onion (finely chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1-inch piece ginger
- 2 medium carrots (diced)
- 4 potatoes (diced)
- 1 green pepper (diced)
- 25 cherry tomatoes, or 2 large tomatoes (cut cherry tomatoes in half and cut large tomatoes in a dice)
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp dry thyme (can sub with 2 tbsp fresh thyme)
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp parsley (chopped)
- Lemon, green onions and cherry tomatoes for serving
- 4 dry red chili peppers, like arbol for more heat and Kashmiri chilies or guajillo peppers for moderate heat)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/4 cup vegetable stock
Soak the red chilies in water for about two hours. Drain and then toast on a hot, dry skillet until they start to darken. Add the garlic, cumin and coriander and toast until the seeds turn a couple of shades darker. Remove everything to a blender or food processor along with the vegetable stock and process into a fairly smooth paste. Set aside.
Put the liner in the Instant Pot and set to saute. Add 1/4 cup of vegetable stock and when it is hot, add the onions, garlic and ginger with some salt. Saute until the onions soften. Add a quarter cup more of water if they start to stick.
Add the chickpeas, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, coriander and cumin powders, thyme and turmeric into the Instant Pot. Stir to mix and add 2 cups of vegetable stock. Add salt to taste and mix it in.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set to pressure cook at high for 10 minutes. After cooking is done, wait 10 minutes and release the pressure manually.
Put the IP back on saute and stir in 2 tbsp of harissa. Bring to a boil, and turn it off. (Store remaining harissa in the freezer in an airtight container for future use).
Serve the chickpea stew hot over rice with wedges of lemon, spring onions and cherry tomatoes for a healthy, vibrant meal.
For a stovetop version of my no oil Moroccan Chickpea Stew, click here.
I do not have an instant pot, but a slow cooker.
Should this be cooked on high for about 2 hours?
Hi Linda, that would work!
This was perfect timing! I had all ingredients on hand and it turned out delicious. Only difference is I subbed kidney beans instead of chickpeas and it was wonderful.
Awesome, so happy to hear!
Yum. This tastes amazing. Thanks.
Thank you! It sounds delicious. I’m going to try your recipe very soon. Ciao from Italy ☺
Excellent! We love spicy food, so I added all the harissa, and some minced preserved lemons I had made from lemons on my potted lemon tree. It filled the house with a tantalizing fragrance, and delighted the taste buds. Thank you Vaishali. I wish you and your family very happy holidays, and a wonderful new year.