This vibrant and simple Lebanese chickpea stew recipe has a delicious combination of chickpeas, roasted red peppers and za'atar spice. It is so quick and easy to make. Serve it for dinner with pita bread or steamed rice.
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Hearty, flavorful chickpea stew
I'm so excited to share with you one of my favorite chickpea recipes: this vibrant, absolutely gorgeous Lebanese Chickpea Stew.
I adore Lebanese food because it is extremely tasty and very healthy, with lots of beans and grains. Many Lebanese dishes are both flavorful and easy to make, needing a bare minimum of spices and herbs that work skillfully together to impart loads of flavor and oomph. This chickpea stew is a perfect illustration of Lebanese cuisine, its simplicity and its deliciousness.
The star ingredient in this stew are chickpeas, of course, which are so great in stews like Indian chana masala and Moroccan chickpea stew. They pair nicely with the Mediterranean flavors in this chickpea stew. The za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice mix, and roasted red peppers add a wonderful smokiness. Red pepper flakes and paprika add a hint of spice.
This is an easy weeknight recipe, and it's soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free. There is very little chopping to be done, most of the ingredients come from a jar or a can, and all of the steps go by very quickly. If you eat with your eyes first you will love how this chickpea stew looks: it has a rich, deep-red, appetizing sauce punctuated by the plump, beige chickpeas.
It's impossible to describe the incredible fragrance that wafts through the house when this stew is bubbling on the stove. Desi walked in the door sniffing the air and wolfed down a bowl of rice topped with the chickpea stew. "It's very good," he declared.
This was one of the best stews I have tasted! The flavour combination is absolutely amazing! - Debbie
Recipe card
Lebanese chickpea stew recipe
Ingredients
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas (canned is fine too. If starting with dried chickpeas use 1 cup of chickpeas and cook until tender, Drain out any liquid).
- 2-3 heaping teaspoons za'atar (add 2 teaspoons first and add more as needed)
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 roasted bell pepper (chopped in small, bite-size pieces)
- 2 cups water
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Place garlic cloves and cumin seeds in mortar or in a food processor. Crush into a coarse paste.
- Place olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven along with the crushed garlic and cumin. Turn heat to medium low and saute until the garlic and cumin are very aromatic, about a minute.
- Add the tomato paste, paprika and red pepper flakes to the pot and stir to mix. Continue to saute for a couple of minutes.
- Add the chickpeas to the pot along with the za'atar, roasted red peppers and bay leaves. Stir to mix.
- Add 2 cups water to the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover the pot and cook 10 minutes for the flavors to merge and for the stew to thicken. Remove the lid in the last two minutes of cooking. I like crushing some of the chickpeas with the ladle to help thicken the stew.
- Add salt to taste, stir in the parsley and turn off heat. Serve the chickpea stew hot or warm.
Notes
- If you cooked the chickpeas from scratch, you can add the cooking stock back to the stew instead of the 2 cups of water in the recipe. You can also use vegetable stock or vegetable broth instead of water.
- Add more water or stock as needed to thin out the recipe. I like this stew quite thick, and it will thicken further as it stands.
- If you like the stew with plenty of heat, use cayenne pepper instead of paprika.
Nutrition Information
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Recipe FAQs
Fava beans or lima beans would be a good substitute. You can even try this sauce with green beans.
Readers have reported adding grilled eggplant, spinach and cauliflower. Squash or potatoes would work too.
Substitute with two to three teaspoons of a mix of dried oregano, marjoram and thyme. At a pinch, thyme alone will do. Squeeze in some lemon juice for a bit of tang that the sumac would have added. I do highly recommend buying or making za'atar - it's a really simple recipe and you will find all sorts of uses for it, like this eggplant hummus and manakish, a Lebanese flatbread.
Serve the chickpea stew with wholegrain pita bread or basmati rice, or with a yummy mujadara, a Middle Eastern rice and lentils dish. It also pairs well with quinoa or couscous. Serve with any vegetable side - this chickpea stew is particularly delicious with this simple side of Lebanese green beans, loubieh bi zeit.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Reheat on stove or in microwave, thinning out with some water if needed.
Tiffany says
Yum!! We absolutely loved it! Didn’t have bay leaves — looking forward to making again with the bay leaves
Holly says
Great stew, my family aren’t vegans like me but they loved it too. I added spinach since we all love spinach.
Bugs says
OMG this stew is so amazing and super easy to make! So tasty that I over-indulged having seconds I did not nee! House smelled great too. This recipe is a keeper.
Vaishali says
So happy you loved this! It's one of my favorite stews for sure. 🙂
Darren says
Double the recipe folks. It is that good.
Ekin says
I like how easy this recipe is, but for some reason it never thickens like in the photos shown here, what might be going wrong, the amount of chickpeas? I am using 1 cup dried chickpea soaked overnight.
Vaishali says
So happy you’ve enjoyed the stew! Crush some of the chickpeas with a ladle to thicken the stew.
Debbie says
This was one of the best stews I have tasted! The flavour combination is absolutely amazing! Next time I will add spinach to bulk this up a little more, but still...so good and healthy!
Joanne says
This Lebanese chickpea stew is delicious!
Maria Peterson says
I added spinach leaves to this sumptuous stew. Served with Naan. Very good!
Vaishali says
Yum, sounds delicious!
Marianne says
It was very tasty! I didn’t have any red peppers, so I roasted 3 carrots instead and used chicken broth in place of water. I can definitely see myself making this again but I might play around with adding different roasted veggies like sweet potatoes. ??
Vaishali says
Yes, sweet potatoes would be great in this!
KLB says
I tried this dish but didn’t have any za’atar. So I used lemon pepper. It was so very delicious! So happy I stumbled across your site. I have since ordered some za’atar and will try it again, however, I already know this will be a staple dish that I have for a quick week night meal. Looking forward to trying out more of your dishes. Thank you for making my new vegan adventure so tasty.
Kind regards,
Vaishali says
So happy to hear! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know.
Zoe says
This stew tasted incredible!!! One of the best recipes I've Ever eaten! Highly recommended! Thank you for such an amazing, healthy, & insanely delicious recipe Vaishali!
The only things I did different, was using vegetable stock instead of water, and I used smoked paprika instead of plain paprika. Either way, this was a warm, spicy, soothing bowl of heaven! You will Not regret making this wonderful recipe! This will be a regular from now on in my home! ?
Vaishali says
Hi Zoe, so happy to hear you loved it! Thanks for the feedback.
Jenny says
Just made this -- awesome!! I love the spice and smokiness of the za'atar. A wonderful recipe and going into our weekly rotation.
Vaishali says
So happy to hear, Jenny!
chessiepique says
I ended up buying za'atar online, and this is my second time making this stew. It's soooo easy and good! Will enjoy it with cornbread this time. Thanks, Vaishali.
Vaishali says
So happy to hear!
Windy says
Just discovered your blog! Love your recipes.
Justin Boushay says
Your recipes are outstanding. I have made 5 different dishes from your blog and have to say they have all been delicious. You make starting a vegetarian diet so much more easier. I appreciate you and your exquisite contribution to taste buds everywhere
Vaishali says
Aww, thanks for the kind words Justin. So happy you loved the stew!
Gita Jaishankar says
Hi Vaishali, I have been wanting to try Zatar spices and now I am planning to try this stew, looks so good and vibrant!
Vaishali says
Hope you try it, Gita--one of our faves!!
Sadhbh says
What a fantastic recipe. I made this over the weekend and it was a big hit. I am quite new to cooking but this was fairly easy and delicious. Thanks again and keep up the great work.
Vaishali says
Yay, so happy you loved the stew!
Diane Holmes says
Since my husband's heart surgery we have completely changed our diet. Can't tell you how many times I have relied on yours. Thank you so much.
Pavani says
What a flavorful stew you got there Vaishali. Looks so comforting and hearty in this extremely chilly spring weather (???).
Adrienne says
This recipe looks amazing! Love trying out different recipes and you have some awesome recipes. I still remember a mushroom biryani recipe of yours from a few years ago!
Sarah | Well and Full says
This stew looks so warming and comforting!! And I love trying anything from other cultures 🙂
Abbhirami Rajagopal says
Hi Vaishali, I love your blog and follow it religiously 🙂 This looks so yummy 🙂
Paula Lepler says
I never met a chickpea that I didn't like, so I guess I would try this Lebanese Chickpea Stew...it looks fabulous!
rusthawk says
Your recipe sounds delicious, and looks pretty too!
jane says
I can't wait to make this.
mirrandy says
This recipe sounds delish!
Heidi G Thomas says
Thank you for all the great recipes!
lani says
I am going to make it this weekend.
Bridget C says
Looks delicious! Thanks!
Dana says
I love your blog and have yet to try one of your recipes and not love it.