Sauteed Chickpeas with Spinach - Spanish Recipe

If you're looking for a fantastic, incredibly easy, and delicious Andalusian dish, this Spanish recipe for sauteed chickpeas with spinach, also known as "garbanzos con espinacas," is the one. This popular spinach and chickpea loose stew is a traditional dish here in Málaga and Seville, Spain, and can be found in most local tapas bars.

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Jump to:

• 💚 Why you will love it
• 🧾 Key ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• 💡 Top tip
• 🥢 How to serve
• 🥡 Storage
• ❓ FAQ
• 📚 More chickpea recipes
• 🎥 Video
• 📋 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews and Comments

💚 Why you will love it

• Nutrient-Packed: Ideal for vegetarians and vegans.
• Quick to Make: Only 30 minutes from start to finish.
• Highly Customizable: Experiment with different spices and herbs.
• Potluck Perfect: A hit at gatherings.
• Pantry-Friendly: Uses common ingredients.

Although here in Spain, this traditional dish is served as a tapa (the Spanish word for an appetizer or small dishes like garlic tomato and pickled roasted red peppers, served with a caña (beer), this dish can be served as a side dish or as a complete meal or main course to your weekly rotation of healthy meals.

The dish is a well-balanced treat, as it features high-protein chickpeas with super nutritional spinach, minimal oil, and flavored with non-caloric spices, boosting a flavorful yet simple meal.

🧾 Key ingredients

• Chickpeas - (garbanzo beans) add tons of protein and a creamy texture.
• Spinach - adds a delicious, earthy flavor to any dish.
• Garlic - adds a flavor kick to bring up all the flavors of the chickpeas.
• Ground cumin - adds a delicious flavor and aroma to the dish.
• Extra virgin olive oil - adds a delicious flavor to this chickpea stew. Try using a good quality, aromatic one.
• Tomato - adds acidity and flavor while helping to blend nicely with the rest of the spices.
• Smoked paprika - adds a distinctive Spanish cuisine flavor.
• Hot paprika - brings a spicy note to this awesome recipe.

Optional ingredients

Sherry vinegar - adds a mild acidity to the dish.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

• Cooked chickpeas - we love chickpeas and use them a lot. So we always prefer making our Instant Pot Chickpeas with our own dried beans and keeping batches to use to make Lebanese hummus or chickpea curry, but you can also use garbanzo beans jars. Aim for brands that sell chickpeas in water and without preservatives.
• Tomato sauce - you can use tomato paste for a more intense flavor or even canned diced tomatoes.
• Hot paprika - you may use cayenne pepper instead.
• Sherry vinegar - use red wine vinegar instead.
• No oil - to make this dressing compliant with a WFPB diet, you can substitute oil with aquafaba, or chickpeas water or simply leave the oil out.

🔪 Instructions

Hint: to make this recipe oil-free, skip the olive oil and stir-fry the garlic with a tablespoon of cold water. Don't let it burn.

Hint: You may need to stir in the spinach separated in 2 or 3 batches, depending on how large the saucepan you are using is. Simply put a lid on, wait 1-2 minutes until slightly wilted, and continue adding the spinach.

💡 If you feel like the water from the spinach isn't enough to prevent them from sticking, add 1-2 tablespoons of water at a time.

🥢 How to serve

Serve with optional extra olive oil when ready to plate, and sprinkle sweet or spicy smoked paprika on top.

Optionally, serve with a wedge of lemon juice to be added on top.

Serve next with other Spanish tapas like Andalusian Gazpacho, Watermelon Rind Soup, and the Catalonian Escalivada, made with eggplants and red bell peppers.

We like serving this naturally vegan chickpea recipe with crusty bread (like artisan bread) and next to other tapas and small dishes like broken olives (aceitunas partidas), spiced onions, and white asparagus.

Pairing with Rice Varieties

This dish pairs wonderfully with either Basmati Rice or Cauliflower Rice, offering versatility to suit different tastes and dietary needs.

• Basmati Rice: Its aromatic and fluffy texture makes Basmati rice an excellent companion to this dish. For detailed cooking instructions, check out our "How to Cook Basmati Rice" guide.
• Cauliflower Rice: A fantastic low-carb alternative, cauliflower rice adds a delightful texture and lightness to the meal. For preparation tips, see our "How to Make Cauliflower Rice" recipe.

Both options provide a delightful base, enhancing the flavors and making your meal both nutritious and satisfying. Choose your favorite or alternate between the two for variety in your culinary adventures!

🥡 Storage

Store this spinach and chickpeas recipe in a BPA-free (affiliate link), tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I don't recommend freezing this stew, as the spinach texture will change, but if you don't have an option, you can totally do it. Store for up to three months, then let it thaw in the fridge overnight.

❓ FAQ

📚 More chickpea recipes

Another Spanish-inspired and highly proteic dish is our saffron garbanzo beans stew; it is super easy to make and can make an easy lunch.

For something fresher, go for a chickpea salad with avocado, an ideal vegan Summertime dish, or make a fantastic crispy oven-roasted chickpea snack in less than 30 minutes.

Make a fantastic healthy vegan burger with chickpeas and celery.

We all know chickpeas because they make great falafels and Lebanese hummus, but you can also play around and make roasted peppers hummus, pumpkin hummus, or avocado hummus.

⭐ If you try this Spinach and Chickpeas Spanish recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

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