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A reader named Paula sent me this recipe for Moroccan Chickpea Stew and it’s a meatless dish with chickpeas, red lentils, and spices. I don’t know if Paula’s recipe is authentically Moroccan, but it’s definitely delicious! 

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Square image for Moroccan Chickpea Stew shown in serving bowl with napkin.

Two of my favorite ingredients for meatless recipes are lentils and chickpeas, so when I got this recipe for Moroccan Chickpea Stew by e-mail from a reader named Paula B., the minute I read the recipe, there was never any doubt I was going to make it. Not only did it sound like a perfect combination of flavors, but I’d just gotten a big bag of red lentils from Whole Foods, so it seemed like an omen when the recipe arrived.

Paula called the dish a Moroccan stew although I’m not sure if it’s really an authentic Moroccan recipe, but it’s aromatic and spicy with a blend of interesting ingredients that come together perfectly.

Paula said she eats the Moroccan Chickpea Stew with a dollop of sour cream (again, probably not Moroccan, but highly recommend it!) I ate mine over brown rice, and this was one of the best easy dinners I’d had for a long time.

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

Are red lentils a must for the Moroccan Chickpea Stew?

If you’re thinking of using brown lentils for this, please try to find the red lentils. Not only are they beautiful, but they’re much softer than other lentils and dissolve more easily to make a perfectly thickened stew.

Is this Chickpea Stew really a Moroccan Recipe?

I’ve actually been to Morocco which was a fascinating place, but I still can’t say for sure if Paula is correct in calling this a Moroccan recipe. When I googled it I did find similar recipes called Moroccan all over the web, but I’m not claiming it’s an authentically Moroccan dish.

Is Moroccan Chickpea Stew a healthy dish?

Lentils and chickpeas both have some carbs, but they also have fiber so this tasty stew with Moroccan flavors has about 23 net carb (and about 10 grams of protein) per serving.

Want more Moroccan Flavors?

Spicy Red Lentil and Chickpea Stew (Paula's Moroccan Lentil Stew) found on KalynsKitchen.com

How to Make Moroccan Chickpea Stew:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot, then gently saute the onions, garlic, ginger, and ground turmeric for about 7 minutes.
  2. Then add chopped celery, garam masala, ground cardamom, cayenne pepper, and ground cumin and cook 3-4 minutes more, or until spices become very aromatic and celery is just starting to soften.
  3. The beautiful red lentils that dissolve into the stock become the base of this stew. They turn more of a yellowish color when they’re cooked.
  4. Add chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can chickpeas, and the red lentils, and let the stew start to simmer.
  5. Once it starts to bubble, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover pan, and cook 45-60 minutes (or even a bit longer, depending on how fully dissolved you’d like the lentils to be.) I wanted to keep some texture, but cooked mine for about 60 minutes so the lentils were about half-dissolved.
  6. Serve Moroccan Chickpea Stew over rice or brown rice if desired. I love this with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt as well.

Spicy Red Lentil and Chickpea Stew (Paula's Moroccan Lentil Stew) found on KalynsKitchen.com

More Tasty Chickpeas or Red Lentils:

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe for Moroccan Chickpea Stew has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep  where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

Spicy Red Lentil and Chickpea Stew (Paula's Moroccan Lentil Stew) found on KalynsKitchen.com
Yield: Makes 8 servings

Moroccan Chickpea Stew

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 11 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 36 minutes

A reader named Paula sent me this recipe for Moroccan Chickpea Stew that's a wonderful dish to serve when you want a plant-based meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 T olive oil (or perhaps a little more, depending on your pan)
  • 2 tsp. minced ginger (or grated fresh ginger)
  • 1 T finely minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 3/4 cup celery, finely diced
  • 1 tsp. Garam Masala
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 6 cups vegetable stock or canned vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 cups red lentils
  • one 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed until no more foam appears
  • one 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • cooked brown rice for serving (optional)
  • sour cream or plain yogurt for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid.
  2. Add onions, ginger, garlic, and turmeric and gently saute, stirring often, for about 7 minutes, or until onions are quite soft but not browned.
  3. Add diced celery, Garam Masala, ground cardamom, cayenne pepper, and ground cumin and saute 3-4 minutes more, until celery barely starts to soften.
  4. Add the stock, red lentils, canned tomatoes, and rinsed chickpeas and bring mixture to a gentle boil.
  5. When it starts to bubble, reduce heat to the barest simmer and cover pan with lid.
  6. Let mixture simmer, stirring a few times, until lentils are dissolved enough that mixture has thickened into a chunky stew.
  7. The shorter time you cook it, the more chunky it will be. I cooked mine at the barest simmer for about 60 minutes.
  8. Serve hot, over brown rice and topped with sour cream or plain yogurt if desired.
  9. Paula said this is even better after it’s been in the fridge, and I’d have to agree that like many stews, the flavors were even better the next day.
  10. This freezes very well, so I’d recommend making the whole batch, even if you’re only cooking for a small number of people. However, it’s so good it might not make it into the freezer.

Notes

This recipe adapted very slightly from one sent to me by a reader named Paula B; Paula doesn’t remember where she got it but everyone she has shared the recipe with has loved it!

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 196Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 2mgSodium 812mgCarbohydrates 31gFiber 8gSugar 8gProtein 10g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

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© Kalyn Denny
Category: Soups & Stews
Spicy Red Lentil and Chickpea Stew (Paula's Moroccan Lentil Stew) found on KalynsKitchen.com

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
If you eat Moroccan Chickpea Stew plain (without rice) this dish would be approved for any phase of the original South Beach Diet. I ate mine over brown rice, which would make it phase 2 or 3 for South Beach.  This is probably too high in carbs for a stricter low-carb eating plan, although chickpeas and lentils both have quite a bit of fiber.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Stews for more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
A reader named Paula sent me this recipe for a chickpea stew with Moroccan flavors, and it was posted on the blog in 2009! It was last updated with more information in 2024.

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