Happy new year, everyone! It’s 2015!! YAY!! I love the fresh start feel to a new year. This Moroccan Butternut Squash, Chickpea, and Spinach Stew is a super healthy and super yummy meal to start your year off right. This vegan, gluten-free stew is packed with healthy, nutrient-packed ingredients. It’s warm, both in temperature and from flavorful spice combination of allspice, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and cayenne pepper. I could eat this all day every day.
Who says you need to only have salads to eat healthy (and who wants to eat them when it’s cold outside?)? I keep seeing so many salads out there for healthy recipes for the new year.
I love me a good salad… but I don’t exactly crave them in January. Warm, comforting dishes are much higher on my priority list.
On my last post, I talked about how only 8 percent of people keep their new years resolutions- I think, partially because they often revolve around depriving oneself of delicious things.
I think that if you make goals to eat more of what’s good for you, rather than less of what’s bad for you, it’s much easier.
My goal for 2015? Eat more plants. (ala Michael Pollan in his book, In Defense of Food. Which, by the way, if you’re looking to read more in 2015, you should definitely put on your list!)
Why more plants, you ask? Isn’t that just being vegan? Well, yes. But I love meat. And I love cheese. And I do not intend to give them up.
However, I also know how many nutrients are packed into plant-based meals, and that meat and cheese that’s organic and from happy animals is expensive and sometimes hard to come by.
And what better way to eat more plants than to cook more vegan meals?
I consider myself a “conscientious omnivore.” It would be very hard for me to be completely vegan, or even vegetarian. In 2014, I ate meat about 2-3 times per week.
That doesn’t mean when I went to the grocery store that my cart wasn’t filled with um like five blocks of cheese. In 2015, I would like to cut back on the other animal products by eating more vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
One step at a time. First step: this Moroccan Butternut Squash Stew.
I served this stew over white basmati rice, but it would be delicious over brown rice, couscous, quinoa, or cilantro lime brown rice.
Or, for a grain free option, cauliflower rice or even just by itself.
Sometimes when I make this, I whip up a cool cucumber yogurt sauce (not vegan, but also very healthy) to dollop on top, which pairs so, so well with the stew’s spicy flavors. (To make the yogurt sauce, just mix 1 cup of Greek yogurt with 1 cup of grated cucumber, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and salt and pepper. Easy!)
Want more protein in this meatless dish? Try poaching or frying an egg and serving it on top.
This recipe will take you 30 minutes max to make, and you can cook a large batch and freeze it for later.
Like this recipe? Check out this Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Herbs.
Other easy chickpea recipes
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Spicy Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
- Classic Hummus
- Chickpea and Feta Salad Wrap
- Mediterranean Orzo and Chickpea Salad
And be sure to check out this Moroccan Roasted Butternut Squash for a delicious side dish.
Here’s the printable recipe for Moroccan Butternut Squash, Chickpea, and Spinach Stew!
Moroccan Butternut Squash, Chickpea, and Spinach Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup chicken stock/broth or vegetable broth or water for vegan/vegetarian version
- 3 cups diced butternut squash
- 30 oz. canned chickpeas drained and rinsed (2 small cans, or 2.5 cups cooked chickpeas)
- 2 cups packed baby spinach roughly chopped
- juice of one lime
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped plus more for garnish
- Cooked rice, quinoa, or cous cous to serve (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot, sauté onion and ginger in oil (1 tablespoon)over medium-high heat until softened.
- Add garlic; saute until fragrant (approximately one minute)
- Add spices, stock (1 cup), and squash. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low, cover, and simmer until squash is fork-tender (approximately 15 minutes)
- Add chickpeas and spinach, turn heat to medium, and cover. The spinach will wilt and the chickpeas will heat through in about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir stew, adding the lime juice and cilantro. The squash will naturally integrate into the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Serve over rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, or cous cous if desired.
Notes
- Not a fan of spicy recipes? Leave the cayenne pepper out. I did this when I made it for my 11 month old daughter and she couldn't eat it fast enough!
- Instead of all the individual spices, you can use 1 tablespoon Ras el Hanout, a Moroccan spice blend.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Sandy
This was so dry. Called for 1 cup liquid and I added 5 more cups and was still dry. We threw most of it out (I ate about 2 cups). Disappointed as we like all the ingredients and thought it would be a nice vegetarian meal.
Elizabeth Lindemann
I’m happy to troubleshoot this with you. I’m sure that was disappointing for you! I have never had an issue with it being dry, and I have two thoughts as to what may have happened. 1- were you by any chance using dried chickpeas, not canned/cooked? That would definitely make it dry! Since you added 5 cups more water, which is quite a lot, this was my first thought. Or, 2- did you cover it while the squash cooked? This should definitely be covered, as it keeps the steam in, which increases the liquid amount and also cooks everything faster. If it was uncovered, there definitely wouldn’t be enough liquid. Hope one of those things helps!
Leslie
Amazing flavors and so delicious!! Followed the recipe as is ans wouldn’t change a thing. This will definitely be added to our rotation. Highly recommend!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Cindy
Excellent recipe. I found it very filling without an additional side.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Glad you liked it!
Megan
Delicious! I agree that 1 cup of stock is not sufficient to fully cook the squash and contribute to sauciness. I would love to try an additional cup of stock or even a cup of coconut milk. Spicyness was perfect! Served over quinoa.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Adding coconut milk would be delicious!
Esther
Really loved this recipe. I didn’t have any squash so I swapped it out with some carrots! Came out just as great!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Wow I love the idea of using carrots for this! So glad you liked it :-)
Jennifer Lau-Bond
Made this last night and it was wonderful! I did add a bit of extra stock (around 2 cups total) to make it saucier, but otherwise I stuck to the recipe. I measured and added 3 c squash, but I actually wish I had added a bit more than that just because it was really delicious with the spices. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Lavinia
Adding 2 cups of stock instead of one really did the trick for me, too! Love the recipe, delicious!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Madeleine Berg
Perfect as is and we had all the ingredients on hand. My favorite kind of recipe.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Coxy
We added some chicken and cauliflower….. loved it. Thank you. Went well with yoghurt dip.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Love your additions, thanks for sharing, and so glad you liked it!
Dorothy
We had the wood stove going on this cold fall day, so I made a triple batch. Everyone loved it, lots left to go in the freezer for another quick meal.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Sounds like a perfect fall evening! Glad you liked it :-)
Helly
Really good! Followed the recipe to the letter except I added a little extra water. I had it with quinoa for some extra protein and the flavours went together really well. Thanks!
Elizabeth
So glad you liked it! Love the idea of serving it with quinoa. Thanks for the comment!
Mary
We thought it should have more liquid/sauce to it. I pulled out a cup of the squash and chickpeas, added another cup of vegetable stock, puréed it and put it back in. I would add a picture if I knew how to
Elizabeth
Ooo I love this idea to make it a little thicker! Thanks so much for the tip!
Marta Johnston
I made this for dinner tonight and I loved it! What great flavors! I like things a little “creamy” so I added a few tablespoons of full-fat Greek yogurt and it was perfect! Also added a few toasted pine nuts on top for some crunch. This is a keeper and I can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Elizabeth
So glad you liked it! Good idea about the yogurt- I bet coconut milk would be great too, even as a substitution for some of all of the broth. Thanks for the comment!
Alison
Yum!! Made this tonight. Mostly for
my own reference— I used water instead of stock, a mix of kabocha and butternut squash, lots of harissa paste, and also put in about a half can of fire roasted tomatoes. Served over brown rice.
Elizabeth
Oooo I LOVE the idea of using harissa paste! Thanks for the suggestion, and glad you liked it!
Alan Poppleton
Very nice recipe but please try to be greener by not using an enormous font in the printable version and therefore wasting a whole sheet of paper every time someone prints it.
Elizabeth
Oh, that’s a great idea! I wish I were better at coding- I’m sure it’s a simple fix for people that know things about it, but unfortunately, I’m stuck with the settings on my theme right now. There isn’t an option for me to just change the font on my recipe card. I’ll keep it in mind for the future! In the meantime, this is an easy fix on your end- on print settings, find the option to scale it, and set it at 75% rather than 100%. That should fit it on one piece of paper. Glad you liked the recipe, and thanks for the suggestion!
Marie
Loved this recipe! It was pure coincidence that I had the ingredients, but it was so quick and easy to make as so different from what I usually make. l shared this recipe with all my friends! I will definitely will make it again. Yummmmmm!!!!
Elizabeth
So happy you liked it!
Tanya
Never normally comment on recipes but this was so good !! I added a dollop of harissa paste and some homegrown basil. Couldn’t stop eating it and had to get some bread to mop up the sauce when I’d finished because it was soooooo good. So much flavour. Thank you so much!
Elizabeth
I’m so glad you took the time to leave this comment! And also glad you liked the recipe so much :) I love the idea of adding harissa and basil.
Deborah
Looks so good! I will be trying this!
Rather than an egg to bump up the protein, what else could I use? Another bean, or chicken?
I’m looking for meals I can cook and freeze for my 81 year old mom to easily reheat.
Na'Themba
Excellent recipe: so easy, so fast, so delicious! Since ras el hanout has elements of most of the spices listed in the recipe, that can be substituted and supplemented with za’atar. To continue with the Mediterranean profile, harissa paste can be substituted for cayenne and salt. For a protein boost I served the curry with quinoa prepared with sodium-free veggie broth and berbere.
This recipe is now a family fave – with or without the substitutions.
Elizabeth
Thank you, and love your suggestions! :-)
Elizabeth C
This stew tastes amazing! I love the spice combination and it was delicious with brown rice. I substituted kale for the spinach and it worked really well. Awesome recipe, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth
Thank you!! Love the idea about subbing in kale. Glad you liked it :-)
Kara @ Yaya Recommended
This looks amazing! I have butternut squash sitting on the counter right now. Thanks for sharing!
Denise Nihei
To add more protein and keep it vegetarian, serve the stew over cooked Farro! Its delicious cooked with vegetable stock or broth adds flavor and is very filling.
Elizabeth
Yum! Awesome idea. I love Farro. Glad you liked the recipe!
Happiness Noel
Wow, teachers are people too! Lovely blog with a good name. Happy New Year and God Bless!
Elizabeth
Hah! Yes – despite popular belief, teachers are actually people with other interests :-) Thank you so much for your kind words. Happy new year to you as well!