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Enjoy the flavors of the Mediterranean with a warm bowl of this vegan stew. It’s made thick and creamy with steamed chickpeas and seasoned to perfection with a few classic Mediterranean spices. Enjoy in a bread bowl or add to your favorite crusty bread for a filling, comforting meal.
This vegan stew is inspired by a Tunisian chickpea stew, also known as Lablabi. In case you didn’t know, Tunisia is a small North African country that sits alongside Algeria, Libya, and the Mediterranean coast. Believed to have originated in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, this chickpea stew was commonly enjoyed by locals as a comforting street food. Lablabi has grown in popularity over time and is now enjoyed throughout the Mediterranean as a simple, tasty culinary dish.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Stew
- It consists of easy-to-find ingredients. This chickpea stew recipe requires just 7 inexpensive ingredients. If you don’t already have these ingredients in your pantry, you can easily find them at any grocery store!
- Easy to customize. This vegan stew is traditionally made with harissa paste, but I made this recipe without it and it’s still flavorful and delicious. If you prefer a spicier stew, add your favorite harissa paste to taste.
- Freezer safe. Stocking your freezer with pre-made soups and stews is one of the best ways to ensure you always have a nutritious meal on busy weeknights. This recipe is perfect for both meal prep and the freezer.
- Healthy feel-good food. During the cold winter months, nothing beats a hearty vegetable stew full of nutritious ingredients. This plant-based stew is not only vegan, but also gluten-free, refined sugar-free, low-fat and easy to prepare without oil.
The ingredients
- Chickpeas: You will need 12 ounces of drained and rinsed chickpeas (about 1 can). If cooking chickpeas from scratch, cook until tender before adding to the soup, using about 1 ¾ cup.
- Onion and Garlic: Add flavor to the bottom of the stew. It is recommended to use fresh rather than dried or powdered product.
- carrots: Fresh carrots give the stew a subtle sweetness and enhance the taste.
- Spices: I seasoned my stew to taste with a simple combination of cumin, paprika, and salt. Add up to 1 tablespoon of harissa paste for extra flavor.
- lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best. Pre-bottled bottles don’t impart the same brightness or acidity.
- Bread: Traditional Lablabi is served with stale or toasted bread that is torn into small pieces and added to the soup before serving. Instead, I opted for serving in a sourdough bread bowl. If you like, go the more traditional route and add torn pieces of bread to soak up the Lablabi.
How to make vegan chickpea stew
- 1) In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil until warm. Add the garlic, carrots, and onions and cook for 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. When the onions soften, add the cumin, paprika, and salt.
- 2) Next, soften the chickpeas. Place the chickpeas in a separate saucepan and cover with fresh water to a depth of about 1.5 inches. Bring the chickpeas to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add more water as needed to keep the chickpeas well-coated.
- 3) Once the chickpeas are tender, add the sautéed garlic, carrots, and onion to the saucepan with the chickpeas and water (don’t drain the chickpea water!).
- 4) Optional: Scoop out 1/3 of the chickpea stew mixture and place in a food processor or blender. Blend until a puree forms and add the mixture back to the soup mixture.
- 5) Add additional water to the vegan stew as desired or until your Lablabi is the consistency you like.
- 6) Season with salt and freshly squeezed lemon juice and then serve Lablabi warm in bread bowls. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Lablabi derives from the Turkish word leblebi and loosely translated means “roasted chickpea”.
Take your time cooking garlic, carrots and onions. Searing the flavors for a full 10 minutes gives them the best opportunity to caramelize and develop a deep flavor base. If this process is sped up, the stew won’t have the same depth and complexity.
As is, this vegan chickpea stew recipe is gluten-free and thickened without all-purpose flour. If you’re gluten-free, omit the bread bowl or swap it out with your favorite gluten-free bread.
Yes. Sauté the onion, garlic, and carrot in a dash of vegetable stock or water instead of the olive oil.
​Make tips for the future
Like most hearty stew recipes, this vegan chickpea stew makes a great meal prep. Follow the recipe directions, then divide the stew into several meal prep containers (as directed, this stew makes about 4 servings).
Set crusty bread aside and top with desired side dishes just before serving.
serving suggestions
Garnish your stew with your favorite soup ingredients and serve with simple side dishes of your choice. For inspiration, here are a few of our favorite sides to this hearty chickpea stew:
Storage Instructions
To store: Leftover stew can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Over time, the rich flavor will evolve to become even more filling and delicious.
Freeze: ​Allow the chickpea stew to cool completely to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the stew overnight in the refrigerator or in a saucepan over low heat and heat until warmed through again.
More vegan soups and stews to try
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté olive oil, garlic, carrots, and onions. Cover for 10 minutes or until onions become translucent. When the onions soften, add the cumin, paprika, and salt.
In a separate pot, add chickpeas. Add enough water to stand about 1.5 feet above the chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Be careful not to lose any water.
When the chickpeas are cooked and soft, add the garlic, carrots, and onions to the pot.
Optional but recommended: Remove â…“ of the soup mixture and puree in a food processor or blender, then add back to the soup mixture.
Add water if the consistency isn’t to your liking. Add salt until the taste is to your liking. Add lemon juice and mix before placing in the bread bowl.
Pour the soup into a bread bowl. Enjoy.
Calories: 461kcalCarbohydrates: 81GProtein: 18GFat: 9GSaturated Fatty Acids: 1GPolyunsaturated fat: 2GMonounsaturated fatty acids: 4GSodium: 1536mgPotassium: 523mgFiber: 9GSugar: 9GVitamin A: 8171IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 136mgIron: 7mg
Disclaimer: While plantbasedonabudget.com tries to provide accurate nutritional information, please note that these are estimates only. Nutritional information may be affected by product type, brand purchased and in other unpredictable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on nutritional information. If you have a specific calorie intake requirement, please consult your doctor first.
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