September 9, 2016
(last updated January 16, 2025) 
This spiced, Moroccan-inspired chickpea tomato stew is fragrant, hearty, and perfect for scooping over couscous, quinoa or bulgur!
This Moroccan-inspired chickpea tomato stew has been one of my “back pocket” recipes for years now.
What I mean by this is that I can make the recipe even if it’s been a long day, even if I’m tired, even if it’s the end of the week and I’m short on groceries.
In the winter, I prepare it with canned tomatoes. In the summer, I use fresh tomatoes. Both versions anre delightful. And needless to say, I always have a can of chickpeas sitting in my pantry.
I interpret “stew” pretty loosely: in my home, this could mean a thick soup, a chili, or curried vegetables.
Essentially, I’m talking about a saucy, soupy mixture that nevertheless has some texture, which I can serve over a grain or scoop up with bread or flatbread.
These meals are usually pretty easy to make. More importantly, they give me plenty of leftovers. And they’re a great vehicle for spices and seasonings, as well as wholesome vegetables and legumes. You’ll find that this chickpea tomato stew is a perfect example.
Fresh vs canned tomatoes
In the summer months, I can’t get enough fresh tomatoes. I turn pints and pints of grape and cherry tomatoes into cherry tomato jam, or I roast them simply in the oven and scoop them onto toast.
So, when farm fresh tomatoes are available, I use them in this recipe. The tomatoes give it sweetness and the taste of summer
However, this stew can be made with canned tomatoes as well, which is a good option for the colder months.
I use whole, peeled tomatoes, and I crush them right in the pot. I think they’re more flavorful than diced tomatoes, but either will work in a pinch. In fact, in spite of their differences, most types of canned tomatoes can work here. This includes crushed or pureed.
When I use fresh tomatoes, I’ll usually add about a teaspoon of sugar to the recipe. This small amount of sweetness helps to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
If I use the canned tomatoes, which are a little more acidic, I’ll opt for two teaspoons. The sugar is optional; I like it, but the recipe will taste fine without it.
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Tips for making Moroccan chickpea tomato stew
This Moroccan chickpea tomato stew is thankfully very easy to make. Even so, there are a few tips to keep in mind:
Give your tomatoes time to reduce
If you do use fresh tomatoes in the stew, they might be very juicy once you add them to the pot. Give them time to cook down and reduce. This will not only keep the stew from being watery, but also help to concentrate the flavors of the tomatoes.
Don’t skip the tahini! (But substitute it if you need to)
Usually I add cashew cream to recipes when I need creamy texture, but it’s not the only option for non-dairy recipes.
Tahini gives the chickpea tomato stew a hint of creamy texture, which is subtle. It doesn’t overpower the tomatoes, but you’ll know that it’s there.
If you don’t have tahini, you can use cashew butter or a few tablespoons of vegan yogurt (choose something unsweetened) instead.
Modify the texture to your liking
Before you add chickpeas to the stew, you can make the texture closer to a rich sauce or leave it chunky. It’s totally up to you, and it also depends on how you’d like to serve the chickpeas.
If you want to pile this stew over a grain, then a puréed texture works well. If you’d like to stuff it into a pita or scoop them up with some other flatbread, more texture may be nice.
I like to use my immersion blender to puree the tomatoes partially before I add the chickpeas. For me, this is the best of both worlds: textured, yet still a bit soupy.
Accompaniments for your chickpea tomato stew
Generally, I like to serve the chickpea tomato stew over a bed of cooked whole grains or pasta, such as:
For topping, you have plenty of options. Toasted pine nuts and chopped, roasted and shelled pistachios are great.
I also like to garnish my stew with fresh, chopped herbs, an extra drizzle of tahini (or olive oil), or some of my quick pickled red onions.
Spice it up
Don’t be afraid to add some variety to the spices that you use in the recipe.
The spice mixture that I use in the stew is inspired by some of the spices that are frequently part of dishes in Moroccan cuisine. They include cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and the tiniest pinch of cloves.
This medley could be replaced with ras el hanout, which is a spice mix along similar lines. You could also add a pinch of turmeric.
Meal prep & storage
One of the many things that I love about this recipe is that it has great potential for vegan meal prep lunches and meal prep dinners. The leftovers keep well, and it freezes beautifully.
You can store the chickpea tomato stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. You can also freeze it for up to eight weeks. Defrost for 24-48 hours in the fridge before reheating and enjoying!
Moroccan Chickpea Tomato Stew
Author –Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white or yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 pounds chopped plum tomatoes, or 1 28-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes*
- 1-4 teaspoons cane sugar (optional and to taste; will vary based on level of acidity and whether you use fresh or canned tomatoes)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth or water (480ml)
- 1 tablespoon tahini (substitute cashew butter or a few tablespoons plain non-dairy yogurt)
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas (480g, or two 15-ounce / 425g cans, drained and rinsed)
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- cooked couscous, bulgur wheat, quinoa, brown rice, pita or other flatbread, or toast, for serving
- fresh chopped parsley leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion. Cook onion for five minutes, stirring now and then, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently and adding a tablespoon or two of water if the garlic starts to stick.
- Add the tomatoes to the pot. If using canned whole peeled tomatoes, use a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to crush them well. Add 1 teaspoon sugar (more as needed), salt, coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, cloves, and cinnamon. Cook the tomatoes, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until they're thickening up and very bubbly. Add the broth or water, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, for another 10 minutes.
- Stir in the tahini and use an immersion blender to blend the stew partially, so that some pieces of tomato are still visible but the mixture is thick and resembles a chunky soup (you can also transfer half of the mixture to a standing blender and blend till smooth, then return it to the pot).
- Stir in the chickpeas and vinegar. Cook for another 5 minutes. Taste the stew and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve the stew over a grain of choice and garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Enjoy.
Notes
A 28-ounce / 800g can of tomatoes is 3 cups.
Leftover stew will keep for up to five days in an airtight container in the fridge, and it can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Video
Sometimes there’s not too much to say about a recipe that’s flavorful, nutritious, versatile, and easy.
Except maybe: try it!
I hope you enjoy this the chickpea tomato stew as much as I have, and I hope you find ways to make it your own over time.
xo
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Categories: Recipes,
Stews
Method: One Pot, One Skillet, Stovetop
Ingredients: Chickpeas, Tomatoes
Dietary Preferences: Gluten Free, Soy Free, Tree Nut Free, Vegan
Recipe Features: Meal Prep
Method: One Pot, One Skillet, Stovetop
Ingredients: Chickpeas, Tomatoes
Dietary Preferences: Gluten Free, Soy Free, Tree Nut Free, Vegan
Recipe Features: Meal Prep
Leave a Comment
Hi – did you recently update the recipe? Came back to this and it wasn’t exactly what I remembered, I believe there were more spices in the original recipe. I made this version and preferred the older version (more complex flavor profile). Does anyone have the original recipe?
Hi Conner,
I’m glad that you’re a fan of this recipe! I did recently update the post, adding a video and gram measurements and more helpful text. However, it’s good to know that you miss the coriander and higher proportion of cloves in the original. I always take reader feedback into account and have updated the recipe card to reflect the original spice mixture. The optional sugar now has a different range, which I’ve found in recent retests is fine for counterbalancing the tomatoes’ acidity. Thanks for the comment.
Gena
I’ve been doing this recipy for years. It is a classic now at my home. Love it ๐
Just tried the soup love the flavor thx
I enjoyed making this, using a the variety of spices. I felt like it needed something at the end and added extra garlic powder and curry powder. I would make this recipe again with those ingredients. Thanks!
I’m glad that you enjoyed it, Catey, and it’s good to hear about your modifications!
What are the nutrition facts for this recipe
Very tasty!
I made this tonight. I kind of messed up a little bit but it still turned out really good.
Glad to hear that, Danielle!
Super recipe! We were looking for an alternative to fish for a Lenten Friday – and this fit the bill beautifully. I made it just as itโs printed, but served it with a crusty bread instead of on grains, and we loved it. There are just two of us, so weโll have leftovers for later in the weekend. Next time, I might add a little harissa, but we really thought the spice level was just about perfect (but Iโm sure weโll enjoy the additional flavor from the harissa)!
Very glad you had a good meal, Rich!
Whoa! It looked so good, but that’s nothing compared to the taste! SO good. I used harissa in place of the red pepper flakes, and added chopped crookneck squash, because I needed to use some of the bumper crop from my garden. Thanks so much for this recipe – absolutely yummy!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the stew, Pam!
I made this for my family tonight. I followed the recipe exactly except for the addition of spinach (6 oz.) a few minutes after adding the chick peas near the end to increase the nutritional content. I served it on farro couscous and topped it with minced parsley as suggested but also with golden raisins as fruit is typically included in Moroccan dishes. This was very good, simple and I will make it again. I will again add the spinach and maybe sautรฉ some carrots with the onions as well. Thanks!
I’m very glad to hear that, Ann!
thanks for the recipe! need to get some chickpeas now to make this!
Enjoy it! ๐
An amazingly versatile recipe! I didn’t have tahini but noticed one of your commenters added a bit of sesame oil to theirs so I did the same – it was great!
I also used a mixture of cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes, a 796mL can of organic crushed tomatoes and only 1 cup of vegetable stock.
SO GOOD! Ate it with couscous and some homemade sourdough garlic focaccia for dipping, a beautifully comforting meal that comes together in less than an hour! I love it!
I’m also pregnant and cooking meat has been a no-go the last few days so its nice to have something filling and nutritious without my meat gags haha.
Thanks so much for the recipe – will definitely be using it again!
Delicious, only thing I would change is reducing the amount of broth if using fresh tomatoes. The moisture from the tomatoes was just about enough, only used ~1/2 c stock.
Thanks for the recipe, I made it tonight. As my side I made whole grain couscous with vegetable stock and then mixed in fresh parsley and mint and a drizzle of olive oil. It was Devine! Iโll certainly be exploring your other recipes over the next week!
So glad you enjoyed. The couscous sounds like a perfect accompaniment!
It was delicious. I used a little sesame oil because I didn’t have tahini and I ate it with warm pita bread. I also added chopped cilantro stems to the stew and cilantro leaves for garnish. Would definitely make this again
Yum, your serving ideas sound delicious!
Chickpea Stew
I made this recipe today and it absolutely delicious. I will be making it again and often. Not only is it delicious but healthy and easy to make.
I made this for our Veggie Lunch Club. I added a little salt, black pepper and smoked paprika. Served with Israeli couscous. It was a great way to us up my garden tomatoes. Yum!
I just made this for dinner and it was delicious! The flavors work really nicely together and make for an excellent vegetarian meal. I really enjoyed it and plenty for leftovers! Pretty simple to make too. Will keep this one around ๐ Thanks!
This was delicious! I didn’t feel like shopping and I wanted to use up my pantry items. This fit the bill perfectly to use up my canned chickpeas, canned tomatoes, boxed chicken stock, boxed couscous, and to bulk it up I threw in a can of diced potatoes! My son is allergic to tahini. I haven’t found a company that does not process their product without tree nuts being used on the equipment or in a tree nut free facility. So, I used peanut butter and it was very, very good!
Thank you so much for a recipe I will be sure to make again and again.
I’ve been cooking since my childhood and this has surprisingly made it into my all-time top ten. The subtle nuttiness of the chickpeas and the tahini really elevate this otherwise fairly standard tomato stew onto a new level. Many thanks for sharing this experience!
This looks so amazingly hearty and delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I’ve made this twice now and it is beyond delicious. Thank you for posting this recipe – will be scouring the site for more delicious ideas ๐
I’m so glad you enjoy it!
This is the BEST stew ever. I usually HATE leftovers and require meat, but I happily eat this five days a week for lunch, over and over. THANK YOU!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Just made this using my new instant pot. Iโm a somewhat serious soup & stew maker, and have to say this recipe just may become one of my favorite vegan dishes – Thank you !
This looks seriously delicious! I’ve been looking for a new way to combine tomatoes and chickpeas so am definitely going to be giving this a go. Great work!
I just made this stew last night. The spices in it were so delicious and worked together perfectly. I also loved the tahini added to the tomato sauce because it gave it a little creaminess. I served this over millet because I was out of couscous. I even fooled the BF who thought it was couscous, haha. Thank you so much for the delicious recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Looks so good. Pinned for later!
Amazing, dish seems to be delicious. For sure i am going to try it . Thanks for great share.
Such a palatable stew recipe, Gena! Can’t wait to prepare this dish! Is it a lunch or dinner recipe?
It could be either, depending on how you choose to serve it. Enjoy!
really mouth watering recipe.. love to try this one
Had this recipe bookmarked on my phone for a few months. Tried it tonight and it was delicious. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed!
I can’t blame you! Tomato is SO good and there are a lot of recipes that you can make with it! Like this gorgeous bowl of stew for example! It looks really yummy and I’d love to give it a try. I also like chickpea because of the texture, not sure why but it’s good!
Thank you for your great inspiration. Great pictures, great recipes. Greetings from Berlin
Haha, I love the tomato jokes ๐ I definitely share your love for stews AND tomatoes so this recipe just made it to my must-make list! And I absolutely love the cinnamon in there, that’s such a great touch! I’ve been so close-minded only putting it in my sweet recipes
Jackpot! I have every single ingredient already at home. I am soooo making this tonight. Thank you for sharing such a tasty( and not too complicated for those of us who are “kitchen” challenged!!)meal.
Hi Gena,
This looks great! I can see that you are the same tomato addict as I am. Have you tried Tomimaro Mucho tomatoes?