One‑pan Chickpea and Spinach Stew with Tinned Tomatoes
Cheap, hearty one‑pan stew using tinned tomatoes and chickpeas — ready in 30 minutes and perfect with rice or crusty bread.
Tinned tomatoes are the secret weapon of economical midweek cooking — cheap, reliable and full of flavour. This one‑pan chickpea and spinach stew turns two tins and a few storecupboard spices into a warming, protein‑rich meal in under 30 minutes.
It’s forgiving, vegan and brilliant for batch cooking: reheat gently for lunches or ladle over rice or couscous for an easy dinner. The lemon brightens the tomatoes and the spinach keeps everything fresh and green.
Ingredients
- 800 g tinned chopped tomatoes — about two 400 g tins
- 400 g tinned chickpeas — one 400 g tin; drain (about 240 g drained weight)
- 1 brown onion — medium
- 3 garlic cloves
- 15 ml olive oil
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml chilli flakes — optional — add more for heat
- 150 ml vegetable stock — hot
- 5 ml caster sugar
- 150 g fresh spinach — can use baby spinach
- 1/2 lemon — juice of half a lemon
- 15 g fresh parsley — roughly chopped, for garnish
- sea salt — to taste
- black pepper — to taste
Instructions
Peel and finely chop the brown onion. Peel and crush the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium hob. Add the chopped onion and fry until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the crushed garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin and chilli flakes and cook for a further 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and caster sugar. Stir, then add the tinned chickpeas (drained). Bring to a gentle simmer.
Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens and flavours concentrate, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and taste for seasoning.
Stir in the fresh spinach, lemon juice and most of the chopped parsley. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the spinach has just wilted. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve straight from the frying pan, scattering the remaining parsley on top. This goes brilliantly with boiled rice, couscous or crusty bread.
Tips
- Drain the chickpeas and pat them dry on kitchen paper to avoid watering down the sauce.
- If the sauce is too acidic, a pinch more caster sugar balances it quickly — add a little at a time and taste.
- Cook the tomatoes uncovered so the liquid reduces; a lid will trap steam and make a runnier stew.
- Make ahead: the flavours deepen overnight. Reheat gently on a low hob with a splash of water if it’s too thick.
- To keep this strictly budget, use frozen spinach instead of fresh — add it from frozen and cook until wilted, increasing simmer time by 2–3 minutes.
Substitutions
tinned chickpeas → tinned red lentils, 200 g (add with the tomatoes and simmer until tender)
Noticeably differentfresh spinach → frozen spinach, 200 g (thawed and squeezed of excess water)
Stays closeolive oil → sunflower oil, same amount
Stays closesmoked paprika → sweet paprika, same amount (loses the smoky note)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 200
- Calories
- 9 g
- Protein
- 29 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use whole tinned tomatoes instead of chopped?
Yes — break them up with a spoon while they simmer or pulse briefly in a blender before cooking for a smoother sauce.
Is this recipe freezer‑friendly?
Yes. Cool completely, portion and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the hob.
How can I make it spicier?
Increase the chilli flakes or add a chopped fresh chilli with the garlic. A spoonful of harissa stirred in at the end also works well.
Can I replace the chickpeas with meat?
You can add diced cooked chicken or sausage — brown and remove, cook the onions, then return the meat when you add the tomatoes. It will no longer be vegan.
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