Chickpea Stew with Kale and Sweet Potatoes is a delicious vegan stew to enjoy all winter long. It's packed with chickpeas, sweet potatoes, kale and creamy coconut milk. Enjoy with your favorite flat bread and you have a perfect dinner!
If you love hearty vegan soups, also try my cabbage, lentil and chickpea stew and my Italian lentil soup - both are weeknight favorites all winter long.
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Chickpea Stew
This chickpea stew with kale and sweet potatoes is the kind of recipe that sounds humble but tastes extraordinary. One pot, mostly pantry ingredients, and a depth of flavor that comes from turmeric and creamy coconut milk working together.
I first made this inspired by Alison Roman's famous chickpea stew - known on the internet simply as 'The Stew' - after seeing her make it one morning. I had nearly everything on hand already.
My version adds sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, and cooked kale, making it a heartier, more complete meal. I skipped the ginger because my kids find it too spicy, but if your family loves it go right ahead and add it in.
The detail that makes this stew special is crisping up a cup of chickpeas separately in a small skillet and spooning them on top of each bowl. Golden, crunchy chickpeas on a creamy, velvety stew is one of my favorite texture combinations.
My kids were gobbling it up before it even hit the table.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- One pot dinner. Everything except the crispy chickpeas cooks in a single large pot. Easy cleanup.
- Completely vegan and dairy free. Coconut milk gives it a creamy, rich body without any dairy.
- Packed with vegetables. Sweet potatoes, kale, carrots, celery, and chickpeas all in one bowl.
- The crispy chickpeas on top. This one step transforms the whole dish. Crunchy, golden, and worth the extra pan.
- Great for meal prep. It keeps in the fridge for 5 days and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
- Flexible. Swap kale for spinach, sweet potatoes for butternut squash, or add garlic and ginger if your family likes the heat.
How do you make the best chickpea soup?
- There are a couple of steps to make this chickpea stew: the large pot of this chickpea stew and also a small skillet to crisp up some of the chickpeas.
- Now if you don't care if you have super crunchy kale on top and you have vegetable broth on hand, skip my directions on using bouillon or vegetable base to begin your own broth.
- I like the addition of sweet potatoes (they are fantastic with chickpeas). Butternut squash chunks would also be delicious.
- I also like the cooked kale. You could also use fresh spinach to add at the end (and forget about sweet potatoes) of the cooking and vegetable broth. I just like the idea of having another soup on hand for another meal for the week and I like to use my own vegetable broth when I can.
I did start with sauteeing the onion in the pot and added the turmeric. I omitted garlic and ginger. My kids aren't huge on ginger in recipes (too spicy)and I thought the onion was enough for flavor.
I added in the two cans of chickpeas and started to cook them up. I mixed it up together and soon after removed a cup of the chickpeas and added them to a small skillet. I added the broth and just one can of coconut milk (I just had regular coconut milk, not full fat and it was perfect. If you like garlic and ginger, go ahead and add it in.
Expert Tips
- Crush some of the chickpeas. This is the step that thickens the stew without any cornstarch or flour. Do not skip it - run your wooden spoon along the bottom of the pot and press down on about a quarter of the chickpeas.
- Do not move the crispy chickpeas. Every time you stir them in the skillet, you risk breaking them apart. Let each side cook fully before you turn them. Patience = crunch.
- Pre-cooked kale works beautifully. If you happen to have leftover cooked kale or any cooked leafy greens, add them in at the end instead of the raw kale. That is exactly how I made this the first time.
- Fresh spinach is a great swap. If you prefer not to use kale, add a few large handfuls of fresh spinach in the last 2 minutes of cooking. It wilts quickly and stays bright green.
- Add garlic and ginger if you like. The original Alison Roman recipe calls for both. I omit them because my kids prefer it milder, but 3 cloves of minced garlic and a tablespoon of fresh ginger added with the onion makes a delicious, more aromatic version.
Variations
- Swap the sweet potatoes. Butternut squash chunks or cubed regular potatoes both work well in place of sweet potatoes.
- Use spinach instead of kale. Add it raw at the end of cooking - no separate pot needed. It wilts in about 2 minutes.
- Add a protein. For a non-vegan version, shredded rotisserie chicken stirred in at the end makes this a hearty chicken and chickpea stew.
- Make it spicier. Add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes with the turmeric for heat.
For another great chickpea recipe, try my Israeli couscous with roasted butternut squash and chickpeas or my easy chickpea patties.
What to Serve With Chickpea Stew
This stew is a complete meal on its own, but it is especially good with warm flatbread, pita, or lavash for scooping up the creamy broth.
A simple side salad works beautifully alongside it too - try my kale and sweet potato salad if you want to lean into the same flavors.
Storage and Freezing
Refrigerator:
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The stew thickens as it sits - add a splash of water or broth when reheating and stir well.
Freezer:
This stew freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely, then transfer to freezer safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop over low heat.
Store the crispy chickpeas separately at room temperature in a small bowl. They will not stay crisp in the stew - make a fresh batch when serving leftovers if you want the topping.
FAQ'S
Both regular and full fat coconut milk work well in this recipe. Regular coconut milk gives a lighter, perfectly creamy consistency without any fuss. Full fat coconut milk makes the stew slightly richer - just stir the can well before adding since the fat separates at the top.
Yes - cook 1 cup of dried chickpeas according to package directions before starting the recipe. They will be slightly firmer than canned and hold their shape better when crisped. One cup dry yields about 3 cups cooked, which equals roughly 2 cans.
Unsweetened coconut milk yogurt is the best option - it has a similar tang and creaminess. Plain unsweetened oat yogurt also works well. Both add a cool, creamy contrast to the warm spiced stew. If you are not dairy free, regular sour cream or plain Greek yogurt are great.
The two keys are dry chickpeas and patience. Pat the reserved chickpeas dry with a paper towel before they go in the skillet - any moisture causes them to steam rather than crisp. Then leave them completely undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Resist the urge to stir.
Yes. Add everything except the coconut milk, crispy chickpeas, and kale to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Add the kale and coconut milk in the last 30 minutes. Crisp the chickpeas on the stovetop just before serving.
More Recipes to Try
• Cabbage, Lentil and Chickpea Stew - another hearty vegan one pot stew
• Italian Lentil Soup - warming, simple, and made with pantry staples
• Easy Italian Pastina Soup - comfort in a bowl
• Israeli Couscous with Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpeas - another great chickpea dinner
• Kale and Sweet Potato Salad - uses the same key ingredients in a completely different way
• Immune Boosting Chicken Soup with Turmeric - for when you want the same golden turmeric warmth with chicken
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Chickpea Stew with Kale and Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil plus more for serving
- 1 large sweet onion chopped, divided in two
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 sweet potatoes peeled and diced in small chunks
- 4 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 small can of chopped tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable base
- 1 bunch of kale stems ribs discarded, leaves chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 cup chickpeas reserved to crisp up
- 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
- Yogurt I used unsweetened coconut milk yogurt
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, sweet potatoes, carrots, celery and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook 2 more minutes; season with salt and pepper.
- Add 3 quarts water, the vegetable base (or a bouillon cube) and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Add the kale and simmer for about 30 minutes. *You could also use 2 cups of vegetable broth (low sodium).
- Add the turmeric, chickpeas and season with salt and pepper. When adding the chickpeas, reserve 1 cup. Add the 1 cup of chickpeas to a small skillet; set aside. Stir everything together for a couple of minutes.
- Keep cooking the chickpeas in the large pot another few minutes. With your wooden spoon, crush some of the chickpeas (this will help thicken the stew).
- Add the coconut milk and the broth from the other pot. Cook the stew for about 20-30 minutes.
- Crisp chickpeas: While the stew is cooking, in the small skillet on medium heat, cook up the other cup of reserved chickpeas. Don't move them around too much. Let one side start to brown a little and then carefully turn over to the other side and cook that side up a few more minutes. The less you move them, the more whole crispy chickpeas you'll have to serve on top.
- Check the stew seasoning. Add more salt and pepper to your taste.
- Divide among bowls and serve with desired condiments on the side (yogurt, herbs, pita or lavash.) Add the crispy chickpeas on top of each bowl.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
I want to warm up to a bowl of this! Looks so tasty!
So flavorful and delicious! Yum!
What a flavorful, nourishing and satisfying soup, love the ingredients and flavors!
I love sweet potatoes and chickpeas, and this sounds like the perfect combination! Looks so easy, too
We've been trying to incorporate more vegetarian and vegan options into our diet and this looks amazing! Yum!
This sounds so warm and comforting! I'm loving that this takes me a bit out of my usual dinner routine, thanks!