Make flavor-packed chickpea stew in minutes
As soon as my house’s heater runs for more than a day or two, I declare it stew season. Stew, soup’s heartier, less-brothy cousin, is pure comfort in a bowl. But it takes a bit of know-how to translate what is often an hourslong cooking endeavor into a quick, 30-minute recipe.
No matter if the stew is vegetarian or meat-filled, the secret to weeknight success is to use flavor-packed ingredients. A relatively large amount of harissa sauce, along with a full bag of frozen chopped onions, forms the base of this tagine-inspired dish. The harissa sauce brings chiles and aromatics, along with olive oil which balances acidity. (It’s important to choose a harissa sauce, not a paste, as it will be looser and less potent.) A couple tablespoons of salty preserved lemon adds complexity, while green olives layer in additional salinity.
Instead of adding packaged broth or water, use the chickpea canning liquid. The aquafaba brings another layer of flavor and thickens the mixture enough to qualify as a stew, rather than a soup.
Serve the stew with quick-cooking couscous or alongside crusty bread for dipping.
Shortcut Chickpea Tagine-Inspired Stew
Preserved lemon is available at most local grocery stores.
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen chopped onions
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ cup mild harissa sauce, such as Mina, plus more for serving
- 2 (14-ounce) cans chickpeas
- ½ cup halved pitted green olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon
- Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- On the side: Steamed couscous or crusty bread
- Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onions and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until all of the liquid has evaporated and the onions have begun to brown, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Add the harissa sauce and continue to cook, stirring, until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chickpeas and their canning liquid, the olives and the preserved lemon.
- Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavorful, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and season to taste with salt.
- Serve with couscous or bread, drizzled with olive oil and topped with cilantro if desired.
Serves 4.
Per serving: 549 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), 15 grams protein, 54 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams total sugars, 15 grams fiber, 32 grams total fat (10 grams saturated), 30 milligrams cholesterol, 1,080 milligrams sodium.
