Smart Recipe Kitchen

2026-04-08

# Recipe: Chickpea & Spinach Stew with Lemon

- topic: cooking_with_recipe - meal: Dinner - cuisine: Mediterranean - difficulty: Easy - date: 2026-04-08 ## Serves / Time / Why it works Serves 4 | ~30 minutes | Pantry chickpeas turn silky in a tomato-olive oil base; lemon and herbs keep it bright. ## Ingredients - 2 tbsp olive oil - 1 small onion, diced - 3 cloves garlic, minced - 1 tsp ground cumin - 1 tsp smoked paprika - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes - 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth - 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained/rinsed - 4 cups fresh spinach - Zest and juice of 1 lemon - 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper - 2 tbsp chopped parsley ## Method 1) In a pot, heat olive oil over medium. Sauté onion 4 minutes until translucent. 2) Add garlic, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute. 3) Stir in diced tomatoes and broth; bring to a simmer. 4) Add chickpeas, salt, pepper; simmer 10 minutes to meld. 5) Fold in spinach until wilted; finish with lemon zest/juice and parsley. 6) Serve with whole-grain bread or over brown rice. ## Tips - For extra body, mash a few chickpeas against the pot sides. - Add a swirl of yogurt when serving for creaminess. - Swap spinach for kale; simmer kale 5 minutes longer to tenderize.