Simple ingredients and texture rich with mouth-watering flavors; Moroccan Lentil Chickpea Stew comes together in about 45 minutes. With a dollop of coconut cream or yogurt, a sprinkle of cilantro and flatbread, dinner is ready! vegan or vegetarian + gluten free
Signs of spring are making a showing as evening temperatures continue to dip below freezing. It seems this time of year in years past, I’m out covering the iris and tulips pushing through the ground in an effort to prevent any damage that may occur from freezing temperatures. I’ve not done it this year…I hope they’re okay.
As much as I look forward to spring, I’m not one to rush away the coldest days of the year. There’s still much to relish in. Especially in the calm and serenity winter-time seems to bring with it.
Besides, I’m not ready to come out of hibernation just yet. And hearty meals like Moroccan stew continue to add warmth and cozy to suppertime.
Stew is a most comforting meal during the coldest days. There’s nothing quite like preparing a simple meal, then warming up to with family at the end of the day.
How to Make Moroccan Lentil Chickpea Stew:
Moroccan lentil chickpea stew is texture rich with warm, earthy flavors. It’s simple to pull together, and in one pot to help make cleanup a breeze. I usually pair this Moroccan stew with a simple salad and flatbread, but it’s hearty enough all on its own.
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, add the coconut oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and saute until softened
- Stir in the aromatic spices like cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and red pepper flakes, then add the garlic. Take a deep inhale of deliciousness.
- Pour in the broth, water, tomatoes, carrots, and lentils. Stir. Bring to a simmer, then turn to medium low and simmer for 25 minutes, then stir in the chickpeas and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and squeeze 1/2 a lemon over the stew.
The flavors are even better the next day for lunch, or leftovers and chickpea stew can just as easily be frozen if meal prep is on your agenda.
A Few Recipe Notes:
- While there seems to be a lot of cinnamon in this hearty Moroccan stew, 1 3/4 tsp, it balances out the warming spices and heat of the pepper flakes. It adds just a touch of sweet and savory and a bit interest.
- Freezer friendly? Yes please! Moroccan lentil chickpea stew is even better the next day making it suitable for meal prep. It can also be frozen for several weeks. Freeze in jars or individual containers (for lunches) and thaw overnight in the fridge.
- For a thinner stew, add a 1/2 C of additional vegetable broth after adding the chickpeas towards the end of cooking.
- Serve with a dollop of full fat coconut milk, either from an unshaken can with fat skimmed off the top or simply a few tablespoons of coconut milk, or whole milk Greek yogurt.
- Flatbread makes a sumptuous vehicle for scooping up this rich chickpea stew.
More Vegetarian (and Vegan) Stew/Soup Recipes to Love:
- Hoppin John Stew
- Smoky White Bean and Kale Wheat Berry Stew
- One Pot African Peanut Stew – by Making Thyme for Health
- Lentil Mushroom Cabbage Roll Soup
- Thai Roasted Carrot and Golden Beet Soup – by Floating Kitchen
- Lentil and Kale Soup – by Green Valley Kitchen
Moroccan Lentil Chickpea Stew
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs Coconut Oil
- 1 C Yellow Onion medium dice
- 1 3/4 tsp Cinnamon ground
- 3/4 tsp Cumin ground
- 1 1/4 tsp Coriander ground
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes bump it up to 3/4 tsp for extra heat
- 1 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 1 1/2 tsp Garlic Cloves microplaned (about 3 medium cloves)
- 2 C Vegetable Broth + more for a soupier stew
- 2 C Water
- 28 oz Can of Crushed Tomatoes
- 2 C Carrots Sliced in thin coins
- 1 C Dry, Uncooked French Lentils
- 1 1/2 C Cooked Chickpeas drained (one 15oz can)
- 1 Lemon
- Full Fat Coconut Milk (the canned variety) or Whole Milk Yogurt for Serving
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, add the coconut oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and saute for 10 minutes on medium-low. A little charring is okay.
- Stir in the cinnamon, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes and sea salt. Add the garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the broth, water, tomatoes, carrots, and lentils. Stir. Bring to a boil, then turn to medium low and simmer for 25 minutes. The stew will thicken as it cooks. Add the chickpeas and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the lentils are tender and chickpeas are cooked through. If a thinner stew is desired add more vegetable broth 1/2 C at a time. Remove from heat and squeeze 1/2 a lemon over the stew. Stir. Taste for salt adjustment.
- Ladle into soup bowls then garnish with coconut cream, or yogurt and cilantro. For the coconut cream, open and scoop out the soft layer of fat on the top to dollop on the stew. Otherwise, a few scoops of rich coconut milk can be spooned over top. Serve with lemon wedges, coconut milk or a generous scoop of yogurt, and cilantro.
This was DELICIOUS! I made this in my Instant Pot! I sautéed my onions in water then out everything in the pot and cooked on Manuel for 10 minutes and then quick released. It was perfect! I added a few slices of avocado on to as well. My entire family (16, 23 and hubby) LOVED it and said I can definitely make this again!
Hi Leesa! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a comment and sharing your Instant Pot tips! Hooray! So happy y’all are loving this flavorful stew!
error in recipe, step 3 – should be ‘bring to a boil’ I think.
Good catch Tony! Thank you for your note!
I came across this recipe a little while ago because I was looking for something that incorporated lentils and chickpeas ( I have suddenly become obsessed with chickpeas 🤷♀️) . Anyway ,I’m not great at cooking , most times I order take away and I live a not so healthy lifestyle . I tried this recipe and thought “here we go again , I’m probably going to mess it up” since I’m not very confident when it comes to cooking . Once I made it I was actually pleasantly surprised. It was delicious , I ended up eating in the whole day . This is one of those recipes that you can add little things to it as well and just eat it forever. I’ve made it four times now and I have it for dinner and lunch at work , I’m actually in love with this recipe!
Hi Sandra! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a note! Aren’t chickpeas SO good? I’m thrilled to hear you’re enjoying the recipe…. it’s SO versatile!
Delicious! Easy, cheap & quick to make. We all loved it. Thanks for the recipe.
SO happy to hear Josie! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note!
Hi Traci,
Thank you once again for a most excellent recipe! I made it yesterday, we enjoyed it last night, and now look forward to the even-better leftovers reheated this evening. Easy to follow instructions, good, helpful pictures, tastes great, and all the ingredients were on hand (using brown lentils, which were fine). I remain a huge fan.
Hi Greg! Thank you so much for your note and giving the recipe a go! So happy to hear you’re enjoying it, and thank you for your tip on the brown lentils! Hooray!
I’m with you, my friend! I’m never in a rush to move time along, however, I welcome signs of spring! This soup is just perfect for the transition from snowflakes to chirping birds!
Delicious! I’m trying to find more vegetariam recipes so that I can slowly transition away from a meat heavy diet, and this recipe definitely did not make me miss meat. It’s got everything you need:).
I personally think I could use more cumin, but I just really love cumin so that’s just a personal preference.
Hello Flor! SO happy to receive your note and that your transitioning to more vegetarian recipes! So happy to hear you enjoyed this flavorful stew. Isn’t cumin fantastic?! I’m a big fan too :D