Tomato Chickpea Stew
This stew requires minimal active cooking time and makes for a comforting weeknight meal. It also reheats beautifully, so you can make a bigger batch, freeze some of it, and have easy lunches ready to go. It’s a very clean tasting dish and, just like most tomato-based dishes, tastes even better the next day.
Ingredients:
(makes 4 servings)
1 x 400g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 x 400g cans of whole, peeled tomatoes
1 large courgette/zucchini, cut into cubes
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
1 pinch of chili flakes
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Heat a medium-sized pot on medium-high heat and add around 2 tablespoons of olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pot).
Add the cubed courgette along with the minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Fry for around 5 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently.
Add your tomatoes and bring them to a simmer.
Use a wooden spoon or spatula to crush the tomatoes against the side of the pot. The tomatoes will continue to break up by themselves as the stew simmers, so you don’t need to be super thorough here.
Now, add the chickpeas, chili flakes to your liking, as well as salt & pepper. Stir to combine.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and let everything simmer in the open pot for 20-30 minutes. The tomatoes will break apart further and the stew will thicken.
Just before serving, mix in some chopped parsley and adjust your seasoning if necessary.
(Note: Tomato-based recipes often call for sugar. Tomatoes are naturally sweet and reduce in acidity when simmering long enough. Sugar is a valid shortcut, but certainly not necessary.)Serve over steamed white rice and garnish with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.
Enjoy!
