Cozy up with a bowl of this hearty, veggie-packed Mediterranean Chickpea Stew to warm up while still eating well! After sauteing a few vegetables, the stew simmers away in the slow cooker until you’re ready for dinner. It’s ideal for those busy weeknights!
This chickpea stew is one of my favorites because it’s a bit tangy, full of flavor, and packed with deliciousness. The potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables make it very filling yet it’s completely vegetarian and even vegan! Serve it with a hunk of crusty bread or a nice dinner roll and dinner is served.
Why you’ll love this Mediterranean Chickpea Stew
- Simmered to perfection - Thanks to the slow cooker, you can let this soup cook on low heat all day for a flavorful, filling meal whenever you’re ready. It’s so convenient!
- Tons of flavor - Every ingredient in this recipe is full of flavor. The flavors build because of sauteeing the vegetables before we add them to the slow cooker.
- Hearty & filling - With the carrots, potatoes, and chickpeas, this simple slow cooker stew really sticks to your ribs. It’s ideal for a cool fall or winter night!
Ingredients
- Olive oil - Use a little oil to sautee the vegetables and develop flavor.
- Shallots - add a mild onion flavor that pairs perfectly with the white wine.
- Carrots - Slice your carrots into half moons.
- Garlic - Mince fresh garlic or use prepackaged minced garlic from the store.
- Fennel - Discard the stalks and dice the bulb.
- Red potatoes - Choose small red potatoes and cut them into quarters.
- Red bell pepper - Remove the stem, seeds, and veins, then dice the pepper into small pieces.
- Artichoke hearts - It’s easiest to find these canned. Look for artichoke hearts canned in water.
- Diced tomatoes - For extra flavor, feel free to use fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Chickpeas - Drain and rinse one can of chickpeas.
- Use a dry white wine to keep the soup from becoming too sweet.
- Vegetable stock - Use your favorite vegetable stock or make your own.
- Fresh herbs - Add fresh thyme and oregano for a real Mediterranean flavor. You can also use dried herbs (see conversions in the recipe card).
- Bay leaf - This adds an herbal note that pairs well with the fresh herbs.
- Salt and pepper
Variations
- Make it meaty - Use shredded chicken and chicken stock for a chicken version of this Mediterranean stew.
- Try a different bean - Although this is called a chickpea stew, you could easily substitute cannellini beans or kidney beans instead.
- Change up the veggies - You can quickly adapt this recipe to use the produce you have on hand. It’d be great with zucchini, roasted eggplant, kale or spinach, and more.
How to Make Mediterranean Chickpea Stew
The original recipe comes from Robin Robertson's Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker.
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet.
- Add the shallots, carrots, and fennel and cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes.
- Toss in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, stirring to prevent burning.
- Transfer the cooked vegetables to a 6-quart slow cooker (Crockpot).
- Add the remaining ingredients except the fresh herbs. If you are using dried herbs, add them now.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- A few minutes before serving, add the fresh herbs (if using).
- Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Expert Tips
- Don’t rush - Although throwing all of the ingredients straight into the slow cooker is tempting, there's a good reason people saute the vegetables first. As you gently saute your shallots, garlic, fennel, and other vegetables, they’ll add much extra flavor to every bite. It’s worth the extra step.
- Prep ahead - If you know you will make this soup later in the week, cut all your vegetables on the weekend to have them ready.
- Top with cheese - This stew tastes heavenly with a little grated Parmesan or crumbled feta on top! It’s also a great way to get a little extra protein.
Recipe FAQs
If you’re out of canned chickpeas, adding dried chickpeas to this stew might be tempting, but that’s not a great idea. The dried beans will need to soak and be cooked first. Otherwise, they will soften partially but not all the way.
This simple stew can handle a wide variety of vegetables, including shallots, garlic, carrots, fennel, potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, and more. It’s a wonderful way to eat more vegetables while enjoying a delicious meal.
You can easily make this stew in a pot on the stove. Instead of moving the sauteed ingredients to the slow cooker, keep them in the pot and continue following all the other instructions. Once the ingredients are in the pot, let it simmer over medium-low for at least an hour or until all the flavors mingle.
More Vegetarian Recipes
- Vegetable Dill Stew
- Moosewood's Tilghman Island Stew
- Vegan Brunswick Stew
- Slow Cooker African Vegetable Stew
- French Vegetable Stew
Mediterranean Chickpea Stew Recipe
Author: Recipe Idea Shop
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 shallots minced
- 3 large carrots cut into half moons
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large fennel bulb stalks discarded, diced
- 1 pound small red potatoes quartered
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 15.5- ounce can artichoke hearts drained, rinsed and quartered
- 1 14.5- ounce can of diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 15.5- ounce can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- 1-½ cups vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves or ¼ teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano leaves or ¼ teaspoon dried
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Sauté
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet.
- Add the shallots, carrots and fennel and cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes.
- Toss in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, stirring to prevent burning.
Slow Cooker
- Transfer the cooked vegetables to a 6-quart slow cooker (Crockpot).
- Add the remaining ingredients, except the fresh herbs. If you are using dried herbs, add them now.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Before Serving
- A few minutes before serving, add the fresh herbs (if using).
- Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Nutrition (may vary depending on ingredients and amounts used)
