Alison Roman's "The Stew" - Spiced Chickpea Stew Recipe (2024)

Cookbook author and New York Times columnist Alison Roman first published the Alison Roman Chickpea Stew in The New York Times in 2018. The recipe quickly took the internet by storm, gaining popularity among home chefs and food lovers on social media through its own hashtag #TheStew.

The NYT chickpea stew recipe has many renditions today, so you may also see it referred to online as “Chickpea Turmeric Stew,” “Chickpea Curry Stew,” or “Coconut Curry Chickpea Stew.” Because of its original publication in The New York Times, you may also see it appear as “The New York Times Chickpea Stew” or the “NY Times Chickpea Stew.” Whatever you’d like to call it, Alison Roman’s viral recipe is truly delicious and worth a try!

Ingredients

The beauty of this vegetarian chickpea stew is that, because of its short ingredient list of pantry staples, it’s budget-friendly and requires little to no grocery shopping if you have a well-stocked kitchen. Here’s what you’ll need to make the Alison Roman stew recipe:

• Olive oil: Garbanzo beans love to bathe in oil, so you’ll need about a ¼ cup.
• Aromatics: Onion, fresh ginger, and garlic deepen the stew’s flavors and add a nice aroma.
• Spices and seasonings: You’ll need ground turmeric, red pepper flakes (optional), kosher salt, and black pepper.
• Canned garbanzo beans: Spiced chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are the star of the show in this recipe. The canned version is easy, inexpensive, and convenient, but you can also cook your own dried chickpeas if you’d prefer. Just ensure that the ones you use in this recipe are cooked.
• Full-fat coconut milk: According to Roman, full-fat coconut milk yields the best results for this chickpea coconut stew. You’ll want to avoid lite coconut milk, low-fat coconut milk, cream of coconut, or coconut milk that’s meant for drinking, as these variations will alter the consistency of the stew.
• Vegetable stock: You can also use chicken stock (I make mine following Barefoot Contessa’s Chicken Stock recipe) if preferred.
• Hearty leafy greens: Use your favorite hearty leafy green, such as kale, collard greens, swiss chard, baby spinach, or mustard greens. However, remember that swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.
• Fresh herbs: Fresh herbs, such as mint, parsley, or cilantro, add the perfect finishing touch and hint of flavor to this recipe.
• Garnishes and accompaniments: Finish off your stew with a dollop of greek yogurt (or sour cream), a good drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lime juice, and a handful of fresh mint. You can also finish it off with extra chili flakes for a spicy chickpea soup. Serve with bread on the side, if preferred.

How to Make Alison Roman’s Chickpea Stew?

With just a few minutes of prep time and a little over a half hour of cook time, this creamy, flavorful, and spicy chickpea stew with garlicky coconut milk is ready to enjoy. Plus, it all comes together in one pot! Here’s how to make it:

1. Cook the onion: Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot or dutch oven. Add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the onion is translucent, making sure to stir occasionally.
2. Add additional aromatics and spices: Add the ginger, minced garlic cloves, ground turmeric, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to the pot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
3. Fry the garbanzo beans: Pour in the cans of chickpeas (drained and rinsed) and let the chickpeas sizzle and break down, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes.
4. Crush the garbanzo beans: Remove a cup of chickpeas to use for garnish. Using the back of a wooden spoon or a spatula, gently crush the remaining chickpeas against the side of the pot to help them release their starchy insides. Doing so will help make the stew a bit thicker, so do not skip this step.

5. Add the liquids: Pour in the cans of coconut milk and vegetable broth and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir, making sure to scrape the pot to remove any bits that are stuck to the bottom.
6. Simmer: Place the lid on the pot, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Let simmer for 25-30 minutes.
7. Add the greens: Use your hands to chop the kale or leafy greens of your choosing into bite-size pieces and add them to the pot. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the greens are soft. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
8. Serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved garbanzo beans and other toppings of your choosing. Serve with bread on the side, if preferred.

How to Make Ahead, Store, Reheat, & Freeze?

This coconut chickpea stew is quick enough to whip up for an easy weeknight meal, but it’s also make-ahead friendly and stores well as part of your weekly meal prep. Here are some tips:

• Make ahead: To make this recipe ahead of time, follow the above instructions through step 6. You’ll want to add in your greens right before serving, as they tend to become wilted and soggy as the stew sits.
• Store: To store, bring the leftover kale and chickpea stew to room temperature before ladling it into an airtight container (you can also portion it out into several containers). It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Bring the stew to room temperature and store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
• Thaw: Thaw your frozen stew overnight in the fridge. Reheat per the instructions below.
• Reheat: You can reheat your leftover stew on the stovetop or, in a pinch, microwave it in 30 seconds intervals until warmed through, making sure to give it a stir after each interval.

See Also

Easy Cacio e Pepe Recipe | Julie Blanner45 Recipes Grandma Stole from Her Church FriendsEasy Cornbread Stuffing – Best Ever Dressing Recipe For Thanksgiving or Christmas!Leafy Herb Salad Recipe

Expert Tips

Since this stew recipe is adapted from the original version created by Alison Roman, I learned a few tips and tricks from her while researching the recipe. I’ve included these tips below to help you achieve expert-level results on your first try:

• Season as you go: Roman adds salt various times throughout the original recipe, which helps her ensure that each ingredient is properly seasoned. However, this is a bit too much salt for my preference, so I cut down on the salt a bit for my version of her recipe. However, I suggest that you taste as you go and adjust the salt to your liking.
• Simmer to your preferred thickness: This coconut ginger chickpea soup begins with a soup-like consistency and must simmer for about a half hour to take on a thicker, stew-like consistency. You can simmer it for less time if you’d prefer a coconut chickpea soup, or a bit longer if you’re after that perfect stew thickness. It’s up to you!
• Break those chickpeas! Do not skip the part where you break the garbanzo beans with the back of the spoon, as it will help thicken the stew.

FAQs

Other Curry Recipes You Might Also Like

There’s nothing like an aromatic, warming, perfectly spiced bowl of curry to enjoy on a cool day (or even a warm one!), especially if you are a fan of the anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric spice. If you love Middle Eastern, Indian, and Asian-inspired dishes with bold flavors like this curried chickpea stew, you’ll love these recipes below:

• Butternut Squash Green Curry Soup
• Chicken Curry
• Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Curry

If you try Alison Roman’s Chickpea Stew Recipe, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.