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Servings: 6 servings Calories: 437kcal |
This vegan chickpea recipe with moroccan spices is not just for vegans! The lovely aromatic dish of garbanzo beans is very filling, and perfect as a light, nutritious main dish that will please vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters alike.
Why I ❤️ it • Recipe • Ingredients • Preparation
Why I ❤️ it
There is something so comforting in this quick and easy spiced chickpea dish. Perhaps is the amazing combination of spices (what's Ras El Hanout?).
The result is a spicy, smoky dish that reaches your senses well before you have the first taste. The strong aroma calls to you, and then it takes possession of your sense of taste with the first bite. You can still taste it, and crave it long after dinner time.
Moroccan-inspired vegan chickpea recipe
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Utensils and tools
Ingredients
To make the spice blend
- 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg (freshly-grated)
- The seeds of 4 cardamon pods (optional)
- 6 cloves
- ¼ teaspoon of aniseed
- ¼ teaspoon of cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon of peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick (about 1” [2.5 cm]) roughly crushed
- ½ teaspoon of coriander seeds
- 3 allspice berries
For the chickpeas
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 large red onion, chopped
- 1 pound of potato [0.45 kg], peeled and chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
- 6 cups of boiled chickpeas, or canned
- 2 teaspoons of salt, or more to taste
Preparation
Before starting, please make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.
Step 1
To make the Moroccan spice blend, combine all the spices (cayenne pepper, turmeric, nutmeg, cardamon, cloves, aniseed, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, and allspice berries) and grind to powder in a spice grinder or food processor.
Set aside.
Step 2
To make the chickpeas, heat the olive oil in the pot over low heat.
Stir in the onions, and cook them stirring until they become translucent.
Step 3
Sprinkle in two tablespoons of the spice blend you made before, ½ teaspoon of salt and mix well.
Add potatoes, carrot, and sesame seeds. Cook and stir for a minute. Add the chickpeas, and ⅓ cup [80 milliliters] of water (best if it is the water in which the chickpeas boiled).
Step 4
Simmer covered over low heat until everything is cooked through, stir and add water as it becomes necessary to prevent it from burning.
There should be some thickened liquid in the end, so add water and heat through as it becomes necessary to keep the same level of liquid you started.
Step 5
Season with salt to taste. Taste and add more of the spice blend if you’d like it spicier.
Remove from the heat and serve.
About Moroccan spices
I usually bring my spices from my travels, but this is not a possibility for many of my readers, so I consulted my cookbooks and the internet, and found out that Ras El Hanout, the traditional Moroccan spice blend is fairly easy to make, and I had all the ingredients at home!
There is no fixed recipe for this blend. Its name translates as "top of the shop", meaning it is the best blend of spices a shop has to offer, and each shop has its own blend. In the end I mixed the quantities according to my own taste, and unlike the blends I found on the internet that are based on ground spices, I ground my own.
Top tips
You may have leftover spice. Store in an airtight container for later use. If you wish to have sufficient leftover spice for another day, double the amount of ingredients for spices.
The smaller you chop the carrot and potatoes the quicker the dish will be ready. Chop into smaller pieces for a shorter cooking time.
Serving suggestions
I served this dish with couscous (following the instructions on the package), as well as preserved lemons, olives, and as dessert we had dry fruits. This may not be an entirely traditional Moroccan meal, but the spirit is there. It's my homage to the wonderful Moroccan cuisine.
Nutritional information
Calories: 437kcal - Carbohydrates: 67g - Protein: 18g - Fat: 13g - Saturated Fat: 2g - Sodium: 807mg - Potassium: 1198mg - Fiber: 17g - Sugar: 12g - Vitamin A: 3470IU - Vitamin C: 24.7mg - Calcium: 155mg - Iron: 8.4mg
FAQs
Can you freeze chickpeas?
Yes, absolutely. Once boiled, you can freeze them in an airtight container. You can boil double the amount you need for this dish and freeze the rest to cook another dish another day.
Print card
This is just a printer-friendly summary, some useful details are found in the recipe above.
Easy, Vegan, Spicy Chickpeas with Moroccan Spices
Ingredients
To make the spice blend
For the chickpeas
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 red onion chopped
- 1 pound potato peeled and chopped
- 1 carrot (large)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 6 cups boiled chickpeas or canned
- 2 teaspoons salt or more to taste
Instructions
- To make the Moroccan spice blend, combine all the spices (cayenne pepper, turmeric, nutmeg, cardamon, cloves, aniseed, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, and allspice berries) and grind to powder in a spice grinder or food processor.Set aside.
- To make the chickpeas, heat the olive oil in the pot over low heat.Stir in the onions, and cook them stirring until they become translucent.
- Sprinkle in two tablespoons of the spice blend you made before, ½ teaspoon of salt and mix well.Add potatoes, carrot, and sesame seeds. Cook and stir for a minute. Add the chickpeas, and ⅓ cup [80 milliliters] of water (best if it is the water in which the chickpeas boiled).
- Simmer covered over low heat until everything is cooked through, stir and add water as it becomes necessary to prevent it from burning.There should be some thickened liquid in the end, so add water and heat through as it becomes necessary to keep the same level of liquid you started.
- Season with salt to taste. Taste and add more of the spice blend if you’d like it spicier.Remove from the heat and serve.
Notes
Originally published on Nov 9, 2013
Mareena
Amazing pictures and dish. Morocco is so beautiful, and the food is to die for.
BGomez226
So excited to try this tomorrow! 🙂