Beef and Chickpea Stew – Fragrant spices highlight the hearty beef, chickpeas, and carrots in our savory Beef and Chickpea Stew.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Spices: I use sweet paprika, turmeric, cumin, green cardamom, and cinnamon to season the beef.
- Chuck Roast: Chuck roast or stew meat tenderizes well and adds rich flavor. Other options are boneless short ribs, lamb, or goat, which are incredible variations.
- Garlic: We go all-in on this one and use an entire garlic head to flavor the stew.
- Onion: I use yellow onions in this recipe.
- Tomato Paste: Adds flavor and thickens the stew.
- Marmite: Marmite has a distinct flavor profile, think soy sauce, but as a paste (kind of), and I absolutely love adding it to soups and stews like this one.
- Beef Better Than Bouillon: I use Better Than Bouillon and water in place of stock for this recipe. It’s flavorful, easy, and something I always keep in my pantry.
- Carrots: Carrots complement the beef and chickpeas, and provide bulk for the stew.
- Chickpeas: The chickpeas complement the beef well in this stew.
- Kale: Fresh kale added at the very end brightens the stew.
- Lemon Juice and Zest: Beef and Chickpea Stew is complete with warm spices and a flavor bomb of garlic; lemon juice and zest provide the right amount of acidity to create balance.
VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
I enjoy the creaminess of plain yogurt as a garnish, but if you feel like changing things up, here are a few suggestions for how to garnish Beef and Chickpea Stew
- Cilantro
- Golden Raisins
- Fresh Mint
HOW TO MAKE BEEF AND CHICKPEA STEW
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Combine paprika, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper in a small bowl. Reserve half of the spice mixture and massage the beef with the remaining spices. Set aside.
Cut off and discard the top third of the garlic head, leaving the head intact. Set aside.
In a dutch oven, over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook until they become translucent and soften for about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add tomato paste, Marmite, Better than Bouillon, and the reserved spice mixture. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the water and bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then add the beef, and garlic head, cut side down.
Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 1 hour, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle bubble. Add the carrots and continue simmering, partially covered, for another 30 minutes.
Using tongs, remove the garlic head and squeeze over the stew to release the cloves. Whisk to blend.
Stir in the chickpeas and spinach. Cook until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes.
Add lemon juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper to finish.
Garnish with yogurt, and serve with a steaming side of couscous or marinated kalamata olives, and enjoy!
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SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Couscous
- Mashed Cauliflower
- Marinated Kalamata Olives
- Air Fryer Acorn Squash
- Basmati Rice
- Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Butternut Squash
WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container; the stew will keep for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Allow the dish to cool completely, then add the stew to a freezer-safe container or bag. Beef and Chickpea Stew freezes for up to 3 months.
- Thaw – When you’re ready to eat, defrost it in the fridge overnight.
- Rehear – Warm leftovers on the stovetop, and enjoy!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I make a vegetarian version of this stew? Could I make it Vegan?
I know, I know, beef is in the title. But, with a few modifications, you can easily create a delicious vegetarian or vegan stew using a similar flavor profile as this one. Use potatoes instead of beef or double the chickpeas, use Vegetable Better Than Bouillon as a substitute and replace the butter with a vegan butter of your choice.
Can I make this stew in the Instant Pot?
1. Combine paprika, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Reserve half of the spice mixture and massage the beef with the remaining spices. Set aside.
2. Cut off and discard the top third of the garlic head, leaving the head intact. Set aside.
3. In an Instant Pot, melt butter on saute mode. Add onion and cook until they become translucent and soften for about 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Add tomato paste, Marmite, and the reserved spice mixture. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. 5. Add the water and bring to a boil on saute mode, then add the beef, and garlic head, cut side down.
6. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual low pressure for 50 minutes with a quick release.
7. Add the carrots, secure the lid, and set the Instant Pot to manual low pressure for 3 minutes with a quick release.
8. Using tongs, remove the garlic head and squeeze over the stew to release the cloves. Whisk to blend.
9. Stir in the chickpeas and spinach. Cook until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes.
10. Add the lemon juice and zest, season the stew with salt and pepper, and garnish with yogurt.
11. Serve with a steaming side of couscous, marinated kalamata olives, and enjoy!
Can I make the stew in a slow cooker?
1. Combine the paprika, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Reserve half of the spice mixture and massage the beef with the remaining spices. Set aside.
2. Cut off and discard the top third of the garlic head, leaving the head intact. Set aside.
3. In a Crockpot, warm butter until melted. Then, add onion and cook until they begin to soften.
4. Add tomato paste, Marmite, Better than Bouillon, and the reserved spice mixture. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the water, beef, and garlic head, cut side down.
5. Cover the crockpot and set it to the low setting; cook for 7 1/2 hours.
6. Add the carrots and continue cooking on low for another 30 minutes.
7. Using tongs, remove the garlic head and squeeze over the stew to release the cloves. Whisk to blend.
8. Stir in the chickpeas and spinach. Cook until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes.
9. Add the lemon juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with yogurt.
10 Serve with a steaming side of couscous, marinated kalamata olives, and enjoy!
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Beef and Chickpea Stew
Equipment
- Small Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons cumin, ground
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom, greens removed and seeds ground
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 pound short rib, boneless, trimmed of fat, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 garlic head
- 2 tablespoons butter, salted
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Marmite
- 6 cups water
- 1 tbsp Beef Better Than Bouillon
- 1 cup baby carrots
- 1, 15 ounce chickpeas canned, drained, and rinsed
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice and zest, about 2 lemons
- plain yogurt, to garnish
Instructions
- Combine the paprika, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Reserve half of the spice mixture and massage the beef with the remaining spices. Set aside.
- Cut off and discard the top third of the garlic head, leaving the head intact. Set aside.
- In a dutch oven, over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook until they become translucent and soften for about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, Marmite, Better than Bouillon, and the reserved spice mixture. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the water and bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then add the beef, and garlic head, cut side down.
- Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 1 hour, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle bubble. Add the carrots and continue simmering, partially covered, for another 30 minutes.
- Using tongs, remove the garlic head and squeeze over the stew to release the cloves. Whisk to blend.
- Stir in the chickpeas and spinach. Cook until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes.
- Add lemon juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper to finish.
- Garnish with yogurt, and serve with a steaming side of couscous or marinated kalamata olives, and enjoy!
Notes
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Paul Thompson
Friday 26th of May 2023
I can't get enough of this stew! Paul Thompson here, and I've made it twice this week. The combination of beef, chickpeas, and carrots is so satisfying, and the fragrant spices take it to another level. It's comforting, flavorful, and simply irresistible. Highly recommend trying it out!
Ali
Friday 26th of May 2023
Wow, this stew is a flavor explosion! The fragrant spices perfectly complement the tender beef and hearty chickpeas. It's become a family favorite in no time. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
Djamila
Friday 18th of March 2022
This was a fantastic recipe! I did the instant pot version, so everything cooked a little faster. I didn't have the marmite, but it still turned out really flavorful. My two kids gobbled it up and my spouse said it was better than any stew he's ever made (not that we're competing ;) ) I spent two weeks in morocco and this is on par with many of the tagine recipes I enjoyed there. Definitely making again!
Tressa - Jamil Ghar Team
Saturday 19th of March 2022
Wow, what a review. Thank you for taking the time to comment and for your kind words!