Packed with chickpeas, sweet potatoes, preserved lemons, a rich tomato sauce, and warming spices, this Moroccan Chickpea stew recipe is a cozy one-pot meal with big flavor and easy cooking.
It’s oil-free, naturally vegan, and meal-prep friendly. Pair it with couscous, quinoa, or your favorite grain, and dinner is ready.
I tested several versions of this recipe before I found the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, tangy, and satisfying. Adding preserved lemons clinches the flavor profile, and a simple technique of mashing a few sweet potato cubes gives this dish thickness and comfort.
If you're into one-pot vegan chickpea stew recipes, be sure to check out: Marry Me chickpeas and spinach, harissa chickpeas and kale, and creamy mushrooms and chickpeas.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy one-pot cooking. No complicated steps or fancy gear needed.
- Oil-free and vegan. True to all my cooking, this recipe is oil-free with plenty of wholesome plant-based ingredients.
- Sweet, spicy, and tangy. A flavor trifecta with a combination of spices and ingredients that grabs your interest.
- Meal-prep favorite. The flavors build, so you can serve this stew the next day or freeze it.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) - Use canned chickpeas or 3 cups of cooked chickpeas.
- Sweet potato - I used a medium sweet potato, about 2 cups of cubes (depending on size).
- Preserved lemons - Add a distinctive salty-sweet flavor and are a staple in Moroccan cooking. They are fermented and less acidic than fresh lemons. The best substitute is 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice plus 2 teaspoons of lemon zest.
- Currants - Small, dried Black Corinth grapes that are slightly. Substitute with raisins.
- Coconut Sugar - Just a touch of sweetness. Use date sugar, maple sugar, or another vegan sweetener.
- Spices - Smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and a pinch of cayenne bring Moroccan flair. Adjust the cayenne to your heat tolerance (or skip it entirely).
- Almonds and parsley - Finish this stew with a few chopped almonds and parsley. Use raw almonds, not the smoked or salted kind.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Recipe Variations
- Seasonings: Use 1-2 teaspoons of ras el hanout or shawarma seasoning mix.
- Protein: Replace the chickpeas wth white beans or mix and match with green lentils.
- Veggies: Swap sweet potato cubes with butternut squash.
- Greens: Stir in spinach or kale at the end for extra color and nutrients.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: After cooking the onions and garlic, add tomato paste, coconut sugar, and spices.
Step 2: Add the chopped tomatoes and water. Use a wooden spoon to clear the bottom of the pot and mix all the ingredients.
Step 3: Bring the ingredients to a simmer, then add the sweet potatoes. Cover the pot and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
Step 4: Stir in the chickpeas, preserved lemons, and currants. Simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in parsley and chopped almonds (save some for a garnish if desired).
Expert Tips
- I prefer using a Dutch oven or heavy-bottom soup pot for this recipe. I find it easier to monitor the heat.
- Oil-free cooking tip: Heat the pot to medium-high heat before adding the onions. Once they start cooking, stir them frequently. Lower the heat if needed and add a little water if they start to stick.
- Once you add the tomatoes and water, take a few seconds to clear the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon.
- Taste and balance the flavors. Add more sugar if it's too tangy or a little lemon juice if it's too sweet.
- For a thicker stew, uncover and let it simmer for a few minutes. Or mash a few more sweet potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
- Grain or rice: Couscous is a classic. Try the lemon mint couscous I use for Moroccan chickpea salad. Brown rice is another healthy option, but you can also choose bulgur or gluten-free quinoa as a side.
- Side salad: pomegranate bell pepper salad, beet and cucumber salad, or Middle Eastern fattoush salad are great options.
- Bread: Scoop up your stew with homemade pita bread, mashed potato tortillas, or sweet potato flatbread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! For a slow cooker, cook on low 6–7 hours or high 3–4 hours. For the Instant Pot, pressure cook 5 minutes with natural release. Stir in the parsley and almonds after cooking.
Mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice with 2 teaspoons of zest. It’s not quite the same flavor, but it works.
Refrigerate stew up to 4 days in an airtight container. Store any quinoa or rice separately. You can also freeze for up to 3 months.
Add a splash of water or broth and warm the stew on the stove on low heat. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Moroccan Chickpea Stew (Vegan Recipe)
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Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion - chopped
- 3 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar - (see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper - (see note 2)
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes - 15-ounce/400-gram cans
- ½ cup water
- 1 medium sweet potato - peeled and diced into cubes
- 3 cups chickpeas - 2 15-ounce/400-gram cans
- 2 tablespoons preserved lemons - chopped (2-3 lemons) (see note 3)
- 2 tablespoons currants - or raisins
- ¼ cup parsley - chopped
- ¼ cup almonds - chopped
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stew pot over medium heat, then add the onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the onions start to soften. Stir constantly. If the onions start to stick, lower the heat and add a tablespoon of water.
- Stir in the garlic, then add the tomato paste, plus the coconut sugar, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using).
- Combine all the ingredients, then add the chopped tomatoes and ½ cup of water. Use a wooden spoon to clear the bottom of the pot.
- Add the sweet potato cubes. Bring the ingredients to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook the sweet potatoes for 20-25 minutes until they are tender. Pierce a few sweet potatoes with a fork to test for doneness.
- Mash a few of the sweet potato pieces to help thicken the stew. Then add the chickpeas, currants, and preserved lemons.
- Taste the stew and adjust the spices if needed. Continue simmering for 10 minutes until the stew is hot.
- Stir in the parsley and almonds. Reserve some as a garnish if desired.
- Serve the stew with couscous, quinoa, bulgur, or rice if desired.
Notes
- Substitute coconut sugar with another vegan sugar, like date sugar, or use maple syrup.
- I added ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper because we love spicy food. Adjust to taste or skip it entirely. Use red pepper flakes as a substitute.
- Preserved lemons have an intense salty-tangy flavor. Look for them at larger grocery stores or specialty stores. A combination of fresh lemon juice (2 tablespoons) plus 2 teaspoons of lemon zest works as a substitute.
- The smaller the sweet potato cubes, the quicker they cook.
- Store leftover stew in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze it for 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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Nan says
I don't see the preserved lemons in the list of ingredients. Was this intentional?
Denise Perrault says
Oh wow! Thanks for catching that - I left if off the ingredient list. It's fixed now - many thanks for catching this!