Warm up with a comforting bowl of savory beef and chickpea stew – a hearty, flavorful dish packed with fragrant spices, hearty beef, chickpeas, and carrots.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
- Spices: Season the beef and chickpea stew with a warm combination of sweet paprika, turmeric, cumin, green cardamom, and cinnamon to season the beef.
- Chuck Roast: The success of a stew heavily depends on the beef. I love boneless chuck roast because it’s readily available and affordable. Chuck is naturally tough, so it benefits from being slow or pressure-cooked, making it perfect for stew. There are a few things to consider when buying a chuck roast. Look for beef with a good amount of marbling. I recommend purchasing a whole chuck roast and cutting it yourself rather than buying pre-cut stew meat.
- Garlic: We go all-in on this recipe and use an entire garlic head to flavor the stew.
- Onion: Use yellow or white onions.
- Tomato Paste: Adding a spoonful of tomato paste intensifies the flavor and deepens the color of the broth.
- Marmite: Marmite has a distinct flavor profile, similar to soy sauce, but in paste form. Whisk marmite into the beef and chickpea stew for a salty boost to highlight the savoriness of the beef.
- Beef Better Than Bouillon: I use Better Than Bouillon and water instead of stock for this recipe. It’s flavorful, easy, and an ingredient I always keep in my pantry.
- Carrots: Carrots complement the hearty beef and chickpeas perfectly.
- Chickpeas: Chickpeas are filling and an excellent addition to beef stew recipes.
- Kale: Fresh kale added at the very end brightens the stew.
- Lemon Juice and Zest: Freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest provides the right amount of acidity to create balance for the dish.
Additions and Substitutions
Enjoy the creaminess of plain yogurt as a topping for beef and chickpea stew, but if you’re in the mood for something different, try freshly chopped cilantro or mint. Oh, and don’t forget the sweet addition of golden raisins.
How to Make Beef and Chickpea
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: 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 them aside.
Step 2: Cut off and discard the top third of the garlic head, leaving the head intact.
Step 3: Then, melt butter in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until they become translucent and soften for about 10 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the tomato paste, Marmite, Better than Bouillon, and the reserved spice mixture. Cook for 1 minute.
Step 5: Add the water and bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then nestle the beef and garlic into the pot, cut-side down.
Cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 1 hour, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle bubble.
Step 6: Add the carrots and continue simmering, partially covered, for another 30 minutes.
Step 7: Use tongs to remove the garlic head and squeeze it over the stew to release the cloves; whisk to combine. Then, stir in the chickpeas and fresh spinach. Cook until spinach wilts, for about 5 minutes.
Step 8: Finish the stew with fresh lemon juice and zest, and taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish the stew with plain yogurt, and serve with couscous or marinated kalamata olives.
How to Make Instant Pot Beef and Chickpea Stew
- 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 it aside.
- Cut off and discard the top third of the garlic head, leaving the head intact. Then, warm butter in an Instant Pot in saute mode. Add onion and cook until they become translucent and soften for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste, Marmite, and the reserved spice mixture. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add water and bring the mixture to a boil, then nestle the beef and garlic head into the pot, cut side down.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual low pressure for 50 minutes with a 10-minute quick release.
- Add the carrots, secure the lid, and set the Instant Pot to manual low pressure for 3 minutes.
- Use tongs to remove the garlic head and squeeze it over the stew to release the cloves; whisk to combine.
- Stir in the chickpeas and fresh spinach. Cook until spinach wilts, for about 5 minutes.
- Finish the stew with fresh lemon juice and zest. Taste and season with salt and pepper, and garnish with yogurt.
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Serving Suggestions
- Grains: Couscous, White Rice, Saffron Rice, Brown Rice, Bulgar, Basmati Rice
- Vegetables: Mashed Cauliflower, Sweet Potatoes, Air Fryer Butternut Squash, Air Fryer Acorn Squash
- Fruit: Marinated Kalamata Olives, Dates
- Bread: Pita, Air Fryer Pita Chips, Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread, Soda Bread without Buttermilk
What to do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Let the dish cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Beef and chickpea stew freezes for up to 3 months.
- Thaw – Defrost the stew in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – Warm the leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make a vegetarian version of this stew? Can 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 similar ingredients. Try potatoes instead of beef or double the chickpeas, use Vegetable Better Than Bouillon as a substitute, and replace butter with vegan butter or coconut oil.
Can I make the stew in a slow cooker?
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 it aside.
2. Cut off and discard the top third of the garlic head, leaving the head intact. Then, add it to a crock powder with butter, onions, tomato paste, Marmite, Better than Bouillon, and the reserved spice mixture.
3. Nestle the beef into the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 7 1/2 hours.
4. Add the carrots and continue cooking on low for 30 minutes.
5. Use tongs to remove the garlic head and squeeze it over the stew to release the cloves; whisk to combine.
6. Stir in the chickpeas and spinach. Cover and cook until spinach wilts, for about 5 minutes.
7. Finish with fresh lemon juice and zest. Taste and season with salt and pepper, and garnish with plain yogurt to serve.
Can you put chickpeas in a stew?
Chickpeas are a fantastic addition to a stew. They add texture and flavor, and they provide extra protein and fiber.
Whether you’re making hearty beef and chickpea stew or a flavorful curry like our authentic chana masala recipe, tossing in some chickpeas is something you won’t regret.
When to add chickpeas to stew?
For our recipe, I stir the canned chickpeas into the stew toward the end of the cooking time. However, if you’re using fresh chickpeas, I recommend adding them at the beginning to ensure they become soft and tender.
More Hearty Beef Recipes:
Beef and Chickpea Stew
- Small Bowl
- 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
- 2 pounds chuck roast, boneless, trimmed of fat, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 head garlic
- 2 tablespoons butter, salted
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Marmite
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Beef Better Than Bouillon
- 1½ cups baby carrots
- 2 cans chickpeas 15-ounce, canned, drained, and rinsed
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice and zest, about 2 lemons
- plain yogurt, for garnish
- 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 them aside.
- Cut off and discard the top third of the garlic head, leaving the head intact. Then, melt butter in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until they become translucent and soften for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste, Marmite, Better than Bouillon, and the reserved spice mixture. Cook for 1 minute. Add the water and bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then nestle the beef and garlic into the pot, cut-side down.
- Cover the pot, 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.
- Use tongs to remove the garlic head and squeeze it over the stew to release the cloves; whisk to combine. Then, stir in the chickpeas and fresh spinach. Cook until spinach wilts, for about 5 minutes.
- Finish the stew with fresh lemon juice and zest, and taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish the stew with plain yogurt, and serve with couscous or marinated kalamata olives.
- 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 month. The combination of beef, chickpeas, and carrots is something I wouldn't have thought about. Highly recommend trying it out!
Tressa Jamil
Monday 17th of July 2023
Twice in one month? Wow! Sounds like you've found a keeper.
Ali
Friday 26th of May 2023
This became a quick family favorite. 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!