Spanish Chickpea Stew (Espinacas con Garbanzos)

Some Spanish main dishes make you want to travel just by tasting them or smelling their aroma. Just one spoonful of Spanish chickpea stew can take you to the south of Spain in an instant.

This recipe is extremely popular due to its simplicity and the fact that the result is a delicious and heartwarming stew. 

However, it is not a dish that has reached many countries in other parts of the world, and that is why we want to share it here with you.

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In this article, we will show you how you can make this stew in the comfort of your home and different tricks that will ensure success while preparing the recipe. 

Without further ado, grab your best pot and get ready to whip up the iconic chickpea stew.

Pssst…!!?? You can’t get enough of Spanish soup recipes? Have a look at my other posts: 

• Cocido Madrileno
• Spanish lentil soup with chorizo
• Spanish ham and bean soup

Background of the Dish

The Spanish stew is a recipe that has existed for centuries, and that in its beginnings was transmitted from generation to generation among the people of Andalusia. 

For this reason, even today most people learn how to make this recipe from their grandmothers or mothers.

Something that makes it stand out from other traditional dishes from Spain with chickpeas is that it has other ingredients that go great with it. 

For example, this Spanish chickpea stew calls for chard or spinach, and other types of classic Andalusian cuisine ingredients such as chorizo ​​or bacon.

This dish is usually eaten throughout the year, but it is also frequently served during Easter. At that time, pork or beef is changed to some type of white fish such as cod or hake. 

Here is the recipe for the authentic Potaje de Vigilia recipe, which is usually served around Easter in Spain.

However, remember that you can make this stew whenever and however you want.

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Things You’ll Need for Spanish Chickpea Stew

Like other chickpea dishes, this Spanish stew is one of the easiest to make and you only need a few key ingredients. 

Also, a pot and a cutting board are enough equipment, so don’t have an excuse not to do it.

Ingredients

• 600g of Castilian chickpeas
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 large onions
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large tomatoes
• 2 sausages and a black pudding
• 150g cured pancetta
• Water (to cover your pot)
• 450 g spinach, cleaned (they can be frozen)

How to Make Spanish Chickpea Stew – Step by Step Guide

1. The first step in this Spanish chickpea stew recipe is to fill a pot with cold water up to half more or less, just remember that you will have to add more ingredients. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat, add the chickpeas, and a little more hot water until they are completely covered.

2. You should get tender chickpeas without falling apart, and a creamy and smooth texture on the inside.

3. After 30 minutes of cooking them, add salt and pepper to taste. If you see that the stew is short of water, add a little more until it is covered again.

4. Then add 2 chorizos, a black pudding, and a piece of bacon. Let them cook slowly over medium heat for the next 20 minutes. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Once they are ready, remove the chorizos, blood sausage, and bacon so that the stew does not have that much fat.

5. Grab another saucepan, and blanch the spinach to remove the bitterness. To blanch them, add boiling salted water and add and remove the vegetable in a quick movement.

6. On a wooden or silicon board, chop the blanched spinach and add them in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking the stew. It should be on low heat, and you have to check it from time to time.

7. Serve hot with the chorizo, black pudding, and bacon sliced ​​and placed on top.

Substitution of Ingredients

One of the highlights of all soup or stew recipes is that they allow you to make hundreds of changes. 

If you think about it, there are different chickpea stew recipes, so you can inspire yourself from them and do whatever you want with the ingredients.

For example, you can turn this recipe into a vegan chickpea stew by removing the bacon, black pudding, and sausage. 

To give it something extra, you can cut vegan cheese cubes or add bread croutons on top of the Spanish chickpea stew.

As for the sausage, it is always recommended to use chorizo ​​for the typical chickpea and spinach stew, but since in this case it already has bacon, the chorizo ​​can make everything very greasy.

So you can use any type of sausage you want.

Related recipes: 

• Easy Spanish Pork Stew – Olla Gitana Recipe
• Appetizing Spanish Seafood Stew
• Spanish chicken stew
• Best Spanish Oxtail Stew Recipe
• Nourishing Spanish Lentils Recipe
• Best Spanish Summer Stew – Pisto Manchego
• Best Spanish Vegetable Stew
• Rich Spanish chickpea soup

Tips on Serving Spanish Chickpea Stew

For serving this spinach stew one of my favorite things to do is to shred some parmesan cheese on top and let it melt with the heat of the stew. 

You can also add some mozzarella cheese pieces inside the stew and a boiled egg on top.

If you want to innovate in the world of stews, you can take inspiration from other garbanzo recipes, and add a drizzle of olive oil on top, as you would do with the classic hummus. 

How to Store Spanish Chickpea Stew

If you are familiar with another recipe for chickpeas, you might know that it is not always recommended to freeze them. 

However, for these stewed chickpeas, you can store them in your freezer for up to 1 month and everything will be alright.

Just store them in a covered container and let them thaw overnight before consuming them. 

The spinach and chickpeas will taste just fine, and all you will have to do is to heat them in the microwave or the stove. 

Recipe Card: Spanish Chickpea Stew

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