Description
A flavorful and hearty dish of spicy chickpeas simmered with fresh tomatoes, aromatic spices, and tender spinach. Perfect for a nutritious and satisfying vegetarian meal that comes together quickly on the stovetop.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced or 15 oz. can
- 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas, preferably organic and/or low sodium, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 cups fresh spinach, packed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil and spices: Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and add crushed red pepper. Allow the oil to infuse with the pepper for about a minute.
- Sauté onion and garlic: Add diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add tomatoes and chickpeas: Stir in diced tomatoes (or canned tomatoes), drained chickpeas, cumin, oregano, turmeric, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer the mixture: Cover the skillet and let the mixture simmer on low to medium heat for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the chickpeas to absorb the spices.
- Add spinach and wilt: Stir in the fresh spinach, cover the skillet again, and cook until the spinach is just wilted, about 3 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the dish and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if desired. Remove from heat and serve hot. This dish also makes excellent leftovers for a few days.
Notes
- Use fresh or canned tomatoes based on availability; canned tomatoes add convenience without sacrificing much flavor.
- For extra heat, increase the crushed red pepper or add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- This recipe pairs well with rice, quinoa, or crusty bread for a more complete meal.
- You can substitute spinach with kale or swiss chard if preferred, just adjust cooking time for tougher greens.
- Rinsing canned chickpeas reduces sodium and removes some of the canning liquid taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
