Several years ago I was lucky enough to try ‘Espinacas con Garbanzos’ sitting on a sunny terrace of a bar in Sevilla, South of Spain during Semana Santa – Holy Week. I remember fighting over the last spoonful with my family. Healthy comfort food at its very best! This stew is often served during Easter along with ‘bacalao’ salted cod. The version I have prepared for you here is vegetarian. It is an all around crowd-pleaser. The spinach is wilted down perfectly and contrasts beautifully against the bite of the chickpeas. The sauce is aromatic with cumin and smoked paprika but fresh and bright too with garlic and parsley that are added at the end. Like most stews this dish tastes better over time. Make it a day (or two) in advance and then you’re in for a real treat once heated up the next day. I like to serve this the traditional way with quartered boiled eggs on top but this is completely optional. Do serve with plenty of bread to mop up that sauce! 

Spinach and Chickpea Stew

Spinach and Chickpea Stew

  • Cook Time: 45 min
  • Persons: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy

  • Ingredients
  • 1 lb of fresh, washed and chopped spinach (or fresh and bagged spinach)
  • 4 cups of good quality tinned chickpeas
  • 1.5 cups of vegetable stock
  • 1 small onion peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp of smoked paprika
  • 1 tpsp of ground cumin
  • 1 tpsp salt
  • 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • To Serve:
  • 2 eggs hard boiled, peeled and quartered
  • For the ‘Picada’:
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup of day old bread
  • 1/4 cup of fresh parsley
  • 1 clove of peeled garlic
  • 15 or so unsalted whole almonds
  1. Instructions
  2. Heat oil in large and deep pan and sweat sliced onions on a medium heat for 10 minutes.
  3. Add sliced garlic and sweat for a further 2 minutes.
  4. Add paprika, cumin and salt and cook for further 2 minutes.
  5. Add chickpeas and combine with vegetables and onions. Cook for 2 minutes.
  6. Add washed and chopped spinach. Combine with other ingredients for 2 minutes. Add stock and simmer for 20 minutes or until chickpeas are tender and spinach is fully wilted.
  7. Whilst the stew is simmering make the ‘picada’. 
  8. Cube the day old bread. Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan and fry the bread and whole almonds until both are golden brown.
  9. Remove for heat and drain off oil.
  10. In a mortar and pestle grind together the raw garlic clove with a pinch of salt and add the fried bread, almonds and parsley. Crush and combine to make a coarse paste.
  11. Add the ‘picada’ or paste into the stew once the stew is cooked. So when still hot but with heat off. 
  12. Leave to sit for 10 minutes off heat before serving.

Top Tips

  • This is traditionally made with dried chickpeas. You certainly can make this with dried garbanzos or chickpeas if you like. The garbanzos will need to soak over night and then be rinsed and drained before you start the cooking process. 
  • The dish does taste even better the next day. Make it a day in advance and heat up the following day. All the flavor will have intensified. It will be well worth the wait!

Spinach and Chickpea Stew – Espinacas con Garbanzos

One the tastiest and most comforting vegetarian dishes I know and so nutritious too – ‘Espinacas con Garbanzos’ Spinach and Chickpea Stew. No special occasions necessary here! It’s delicious any day of the week.