Vegan In a pot Pot Stews

One-Pot Chickpea Tomato Stew

Name: One-Pot Chickpea Tomato Stew
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 cans chickpeas, drained; 400 g crushed tomatoes; 1 onion, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 150 g spinach; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp cumin

A cozy pantry stew with chickpeas, tomatoes, spinach and warm spices, ready in one pot in about 25 minutes.

Prep time

25 min

Servings

Calories

330 kcal

One-pot chickpea tomato stew with spinach in a bowl

Ingredients

2 cans chickpeas, drained 400 g crushed tomatoes 1 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 150 g spinach 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp cumin

↔ Ingredient Swap

Spinach Kale (slice thin and cook 3 minutes longer)

Chickpeas White beans (same amount, softer texture)

Instructions

Soften the base

Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook 4-5 minutes, until glossy and soft.

Bloom the spices

Add garlic, smoked paprika and cumin. Stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

Simmer the stew

Add chickpeas and crushed tomatoes. Simmer uncovered for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.

Finish with greens

Fold in spinach and cook 1-2 minutes, just until wilted. Taste and adjust salt before serving.

Quick read

Start by softening onion in oil; this gives the canned tomatoes a sweeter base.
Simmer chickpeas with crushed tomatoes until the sauce looks thicker and glossier.
Add spinach at the end so it stays green instead of turning dull.
Taste after simmering: canned chickpeas and tomatoes vary a lot in salt.

Why it works

This stew uses a simple pot method: aromatics first, tomatoes next, chickpeas in the middle, greens at the end. The onion and garlic give the sauce a savory base, while paprika and cumin make the chickpeas taste rounder without needing a long cook time. Simmering uncovered for a few minutes reduces extra liquid from the canned tomatoes and helps the sauce cling to each chickpea.

For beginners

Use a medium pot with enough room to stir without splashing. Dice the onion small so it softens quickly. When the onion looks glossy and translucent, add the garlic and spices; they only need about 30 seconds before the tomatoes go in. If the bottom of the pot starts to look dry, add one or two tablespoons of water and scrape gently. The stew is ready when the tomato sauce no longer looks watery and the chickpeas are hot all the way through.

Common mistakes and fixes

If the stew tastes sharp, simmer 3-5 minutes longer and add a small pinch of sugar or a drizzle of olive oil.
If it is too thick, loosen it with a splash of water or stock.
If it is too thin, simmer uncovered and stir often so the bottom does not catch.
If spinach releases water, cook one extra minute before serving.

Serving and storage

Serve with toasted bread, rice, couscous or a spoon of yogurt. Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in a sealed container. Reheat gently with a splash of water because chickpeas absorb sauce as they sit.