A hearty and bright vegetarian dinner.
Vegetarian chickpea stew makes a wholesome, incredibly satisfying dinner. But a chickpea stew with tomato and kale recipe? The best 30-minute weeknight meal ever.
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All About This Chickpea Stew With Tomato + Kale Recipe
I originally came across this chickpea stew with tomato and kale recipe two years ago, when Food + Wine magazine included it in their Top 40 recipes of all time, under a different name. That qualification alone, plus the fact that the recipe comes from one of my favorite chefs, Missy Robbins, was good enough for me!
I made this easy chickpea tomato stew that night, and have made it countless times since. It’s hearty but healthy, satisfying but not heavy. The fresh tomato gets kicked up with some hot red pepper flakes, and kale adds more nutrition and a hit of color against the chickpeas and tomato.
Serve this plain, or with creamy parmesan polenta for a fantastic vegetarian dinner that tastes great year ’round.
Tomato Chickpea Stew: Recipe Notes
I love many things about this kale, tomato, chickpea stew recipe. For one, it is a one-pot, dump-and-stir wonder that cooks in about 30 minutes. Secondly, it has incredible flavor and texture.
Kale can be a tough green — tough in texture, tough in flavor. But cooking them down in a tomato sauce makes the kale soft and flavorful.
Chickpeas, in addition to being highly nutritious, provide real substance and bulk. Adding chickpeas transforms this dish from something like a sauce or tomato soup into a hearty and filling stew.
And a word about the tomato sauce. This is no boring, watery marinara. Here, crushed tomatoes take a really bold, bright turn with a generous hit of crushed red pepper flakes. The addition of fennel seed adds depth of flavor reminiscent of good Italian sausage.
What to Serve With Chickpea Stew: Creamy Parmesan Polenta
This recipe tastes delicious on its own. But I suggest serving it over a batch of creamy parmesan polenta to make it next-level delicious. Polenta is one of those creamy, purely satisfying dishes that tastes like a hug feels. Great on its own, or as a base or side to pretty much anything from roasts to sauces.
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Chickpea Stew With Tomatoes + Kale
Ingredients
- 1 28-ounce can unsalted whole peeled tomatoes, such as San Marzano
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 5 each garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Kosher salt
- 1 bunch kale, Tuscan or lacinato (flat-leaf), rinsed and drained, sliced into thin ribbons
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
- Torn basil and marjoram leaves, to garnish
- grated Pecorino-Romano cheese, to serve
Instructions
- Crush the tomatoes by hand, or by inserting kitchen scissors into the open can and chop, chop, chopping.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 or 3 minutes, until fragrant. Do not brown.
- Add the tomatoes, fennel seed, crushed red pepper and a generous pinch of salt (I'd say about 1/2 teaspoon). Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens, about 25 minutes. This is a good time to make your polenta, if you'd like.
- Add the kale and cook until it wilts, about 3 minutes. Add the drained chickpeas. Stir and simmer together with another generous pinch of salt, about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with torn basil or fresh marjoram, and Pecorino-Romano cheese.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.
4 comments
Sara
Delicious, nutritious , simple and quick to make. The perfect combo- some may prefer to cut the amount of fennel down . Thanks for sharing.
I.S.
A favorite new meatless dinner! I did make it with polenta and it was delicious.
Frank R.
Big Missy Robbins fan (Lilia is one of my favorite restaurants in Brooklyn, and actually, in general.) This tastes awesome. The heat from the red pepper flakes is great.
Sara
One of my new favorite recipes. So easy and healthy, too!