Smoky Potato Chickpea Stew
Anytime I can throw together some pantry staples, veggies, and seasonings and make something delicious, I know it’ll be a good day! This plant-based, super hearty, and budget-friendly Smoky Potato Chickpea Stew is nourishing AND satisfying. I just can’t get enough. This chickpea stew is perfect for those cool fall and winter days! And it tastes even better as leftovers the next day.
“This was incredible! It was inexpensive but tasted expensive! So easy to make and so flavorful! We didn’t need any salt and it had such a nice warm spice flavor without being spicy. 10/10!”
Britt
The seasoning for this stew is very simple, just a ton of smoked paprika and curry powder, plus a little pinch of red pepper flakes for kick. I simmered the soup for a good long time which made the potatoes break down and thicken the broth into a wonderfully thick stew. I was really bummed that I didn’t have a really good loaf of bread or homemade croutons to soak up this stew, but I found some saltine crackers in my pantry, which worked in a pinch. Just know that this stew is just begging for a nice piece of crusty bread to go along with it!
Smoky Potato Chickpea Stew
Cost $7.05 recipe / $1.18 serving
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.44)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.08)
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger ($0.16)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.70)
- 1 Tbsp curry powder ($0.30)
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika ($0.30)
- pinch crushed red pepper ($0.02)
- 1 15oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes ($1.30)
- 2 russet potatoes (1.75-2 lbs total) ($1.42)
- 1 15oz. can chickpeas ($0.94)
- 4 cups vegetable broth* ($0.52)
- 1/4 lb. fresh kale, chopped ($0.87)
Video
Instructions
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Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to a large soup pot with the olive oil and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent.
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Add the curry powder, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes to the pot and continue to stir and cook for 1-2 minutes more to toast the spices.
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While the onion, garlic, and ginger are sautéing, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Drain the chickpeas.
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Once the spices are toasted, add the potatoes, fire roasted diced tomatoes (with juices), and chickpeas to the pot. Pour the vegetable broth over top, then stir until everything is combined.
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Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow it to come to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and allow the soup to simmer with the lid in place for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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After 45 minutes, stir the stew well and smash the potatoes against the side of the pot to help them break down and thicken the stew. Add the chopped kale and stir it into the stew until it has wilted. Taste the soup and adjust the salt or other spices if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread or crackers.
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Notes
- I use Better Than Bouillon to make my broth.
- I’ve enjoyed both 365 brand curry powder and Sharwood’s curry powder. You can use either hot or mild in this recipe, but I think I actually prefer mild curry powder here so that it doesn’t overpower the other flavors. You can also try making your own curry powder with this recipe for homemade curry powder from Spiceitupp.com.
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Smoky Chickpea Stew Step-by-Step Photos
Finely dice one onion, mince two cloves of garlic, and grate about a teaspoon of fresh ginger. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to a large soup pot along with 2 Tbsp olive oil and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent, then add 1 Tbsp curry powder, 1 Tbsp smoked paprika, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes more to toast the spices.
While the onions, garlic, and ginger are sautéing, peel and dice two russet potatoes and drain one 15oz. can of chickpeas. Once the spices have toasted, add the potatoes, chickpeas, and a 15oz. can of fire roasted diced tomatoes (with juices) to the pot.
Pour 4 cups vegetable broth over the contents of the pot, stir everything really well, then place a lid on top an turn the heat on to medium-high. Allow the stew to come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 45 minutes, stirring only occasionally. After 45 minutes, stir well and smash the potatoes against the side wall of the pot to help thicken the stew (the photo is after smashing).
Pre-bagged chopped kale is the best thing that ever happened to me (okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration). I used about 1/3 of this 12oz. bag. You can use however much you want. Just add a few handfuls to the stew and stir it in until the kale is wilted.
If you like your kale extra tender, you can simmer it a bit longer to soften it up, but I like mine to have some tooth and to be bright green. It’s important to taste the stew at this point and adjust the salt and seasonings to your liking. Depending on what type of broth you used, you may want to add a touch more salt to really make the flavors pop. Or maybe you want just a little more heat, so you add another pinch of red pepper flakes.
While the saltines were good in the stew, I really wish I had a nice crusty, chewy loaf of ciabatta! 😀
Substitutions
Want to make this recipe but missing some of the ingredients? Don’t worry; I promise this stew is super versatile. Here are some ideas for substitutions:
- Kale: Spinach is a great substitute for kale. But since spinach is much softer and more delicate than kale, add the spinach at the very end and just stir it into the stew until wilted.
- Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: These add a subtle smokiness, but you can use regular diced tomatoes instead.
- Fresh Ginger: I highly recommend using fresh ginger for the best flavor. However, I know not everyone has fresh ginger on hand! In a pinch, ground ginger can be used as a substitute. Start with 1/8 of a teaspoon and add more to taste.
- Potatoes: Not only do potatoes bulk out the stew, but I also smash them (after cooking) to help thicken the stew. But you can definitely use a different veggie in its place. Some of our readers have used sweet potatoes, chunks of cauliflower, zucchini, pumpkin, and other root vegetables with great success! Butternut squash (see our butternut squash and black bean soup recipe) could also work well.
- Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas make this recipe so easy, but if you prefer dried chickpeas, feel free to use them! Be sure to cook them separately before adding them to the stew.
Storage and Freezing
This recipe freezes beautifully. Just divide the soup into single portions after cooking, cool the portions completely in the refrigerator first, then transfer to the freezer for long term storage. You can keep the stew frozen for about three months. I like to use the reusable Ziploc containers because they can go straight from the freezer to the microwave for fast reheating when I need a quick meal.
