Simple Chickpea Stew (Algerian Style)
This vegetarian chickpea stew offers a delightful introduction to North African cuisine. Its harmonious blend of mildly spicy aromatic spices will fill your home with inviting scents and warmth.
This Algerian dish features tender chickpeas simmered slowly with onions, garlic, tomato purée, harissa and a fragrant blend of North African spices. Known locally as “Houmous Bel Kemoun,” this flavorful stew is enjoyed throughout the day and is a popular street food in Algeria. Despite being meatless, it offers robust flavours and is customarily served with crusty bread to soak up the savoury broth. This mildly spicy stew will please the whole family.
North African Spices
This dish is a simple and easy way to explore the aromas from Northern Africa.
- The first is the beloved Harissa, a spicy chilli paste integral to North African cuisines. Its primary ingredients include red chilli peppers, garlic, coriander seeds, caraway seeds, and olive oil, creating a rich and aromatic condiment.
- Ras el hanout is a traditional North African spice blend in powder form. The name translates to “head of the shop,” signifying the finest spices a merchant can offer. The blend can change from place to place, but generally, it includes cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, turmeric, ginger, and cardamom.
- Cumin is a cornerstone of North African cuisine, imparting its distinctive earthy and aromatic flavour to many dishes. Its warm, slightly nutty taste enhances the complexity of traditional recipes, making it indispensable in the region’s culinary repertoire.
Preparing the Chickpeas
The star of this stew is the chickpea, best when prepared fresh for a nutty, firm texture. Begin by placing dried chickpeas in a large bowl, covering them generously with water and adding a tablespoon of baking soda to aid in softening. Cover the bowl and let it sit in the fridge overnight. When ready to use, rinse the chickpeas thoroughly before cooking to ensure a delectable stew.
Toppings
For those who enjoy extra heat, consider adding a spoonful of harissa paste; while the stew includes some, its spice level is mild. To introduce a fresh element, garnish with parsley or cilantro, both traditional herbs in North African cuisine. For added crunch, sprinkle with chopped scallions, though this is optional. Finally, finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil for a rich, flavorful touch.
Other Stew Recipes
*Special thanks to Atlal, who shared her homeland chickpea stew recipe with me!
Chickpea Stew (Algerian Style)
Ingredients
- 600 g rehydrated chickpeas (equiv. 280g dry chickpeas)
- 1 onion minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tomato purée (technique in video below) or 1 tsp of concentrated tomato paste
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tsp Harissa
- 1 tsp ras el hanout
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of sodium
- salt and pepper
Toppings
- extra-virgin olive oil
- flat-leaf parlsey or cilantro
- Harissa
- scallions *optional
- lime
Instructions
Soaking of the Chickpeas
- Let the chickpea soak overnight in a lot of water and add the bicarbonate de sodium; it will expand and soak a lot of water, so better use more water than not enough. Cover and let it sit in the refrigerator.
- Rinse the presoaked chickpeas.
Main Instructions
- Soften for a minute or two the onion, and garlic in a big pot, on medium-high heat, in the olive oil.
- Add the tomato purée and let it cook until the liquid is almost gone, about 5 minutes.
- Add the spices, harissa, salt and pepper and mix well.
- Add the chickpea and cold water, cover it with 1 inch (3cm) of water over the chickpeas, bring to a simmer and cover. Let cook at low heat for about 35 to 40 minutes making sure to mix and check the water levels.l the chickpeas are ready when they fall apart and soft on the inside when squeezed.
- Before serving, add a drizzle of olive oil and the toppings of your choice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying a full recipe to any social media is prohibited.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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This stew looks so good & nourishing! Excited to try this one this weekend!
Yes, that spice blend is fantastic, plus it’s a healthy dish!
This stew is absolutely delicious. I love how easy it is to make and all that flavor. Bonus points for how healthy it is, too!
We like a healthy protein in my family! Not vegetarian but trying to cut on the meat.
I made this vegan Algerian stew, and it was absolutely delicious! The chickpeas turned out so tender, and the blend of spices with the harissa added just the right amount of warmth and depth. Such a comforting and flavorful dish—I’ll definitely be making it again!
Great way to discover North African flavours this stew! Glad you liked it!
Such a hearty delicious stew! It was the perfect dinner on a cold, rainy evening!
The flavors in this really come together so well. Love how hearty and comforting it is, especially with some warm bread.
Yes, the bread is mandatory here! Enjoy!
Simple chickpea stew Algerian style is delicious, thanks for sharing this I learned a new recipe to use my chickpeas.
Simple but so delicious!
This Simple Chickpea Stew is so comforting and full of warmth! The spices and tender chickpeas make it feel like a hug in a bowl – it’s become a new favorite in my kitchen.
Yes! A true comfort dish for a cold night!