This hearty chickpea stew is layered with spices, smoky chorizo (either meat or plant-based,) leafy greens, cooked pasta shells, and sharp, shredded cheese that melts into the broth. It’s one of the coziest one-bowl soup dinners that’s ready to serve in about 30 minutes.

Chorizo chickpea stew garnished with shredded cheese in a serving bowl.

Chickpea stew has so much going on flavor-wise — chorizo sausage kicks up the flavor big time! I would describe this as a Mediterranean-inspired “chili”, a meal you can eat out of the bowl while sitting on the couch in front of your favorite movie.

Sometimes you just gotta cozy up to a warm bowl in your lap and something on the screen that changes your mood.

Chorizo spices

I have a thing for zesty chorizo spices. The great thing about chorizo is that you can buy meaty versions of the sausage made with pork or poultry, as well as completely vegetarian chorizo, made with seitan or other plant-based ingredients. Chorizo is typically seasoned with a blend of pantry spices, including:

  • Paprika
  • Cumin
  • Garlic
  • Chili pepper

Recipe steps

  • Crumbled chorizo in a pot, stirred with spices and tomato paste.
    1. Saute crumbled or sliced chorizo in olive oil, then stir in chopped onion, garlic, tomato paste and ground spices.
  • A wooden spoon stirring chickpeas, crumbled chorizo, spices and roasted red bell pepper in a Dutch oven.
    2. Stir in chopped roasted red peppers and two cans of drained chickpeas.
  • Chickpeas, roasted red peppers and chorizo in broth, cooking in a pot.
    3. Pour in 3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth. Simmer 20 minutes.
  • Sliced kale leaves and grated cheddar cheese in a pot of chickpea stew.
    4. Stir in chopped leafy greens (I used kale) and shredded cheese.
  • Chickpeas and kale stew in a soup pot with a wooden spoon.
    5. The greens will wilt into the hot broth, and the cheese will melt.
  • One-Bowl Chorizo Chickpea Stew with Greens
    6. Stir in cooked soup pasta. I made this stew with my favorite gluten-free pasta made from chickpea flour.
Chorizo chickpea stew garnished with shredded cheese in a serving bowl.
4.86 from 54 ratings

Smoky Chorizo and Chickpea Stew

Karen Tedesco
With tasty chunks of chorizo (made with meat, or plant-based), roasted red peppers, leafy greens and spices, this hearty stew is layered with flavor. This is an ideal one-bowl meal that you can make in 30 minutes flat.
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Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¾ pound Mexican or Spanish-style chorizo sausage (about 3 links), crumbled or sliced, or 1 package plant-based chorizo
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or cayenne pepper
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 15-ounce cans (850 g) chickpeas, drained
  • 2 roasted red bell peppers, jarred or homemade, chopped
  • 3 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth
  • 2 cups loosely packed leafy greens such as kale, chard, spinach, torn or chopped into bite-size pieces
  • ½ cup (60 g) grated cheddar, Monterey Jack or Manchego cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1 cup cooked soup pasta, such as shells or orzo

Instructions
 

  1. Pour the oil into a soup pot or Dutch oven and place over medium heat. Stir in the chorizo and cook until it's not longer pink, about 5 minutes. If you're using plant-based chorizo, cook 2-3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic cook until the onion is softened, stirring frequently.
  2. Add the tomato paste, both paprikas, cumin, red pepper, and 1½ teaspoons salt Stir to coat the spices in the oil. 
  3. Add the chickpeas, red bell pepper and 3 cups broth or water to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes, uncovered. Adjust the heat to medium-low if it starts to boil.
  4. Stir the greens into the hot stew until they wilt. Add the cheese and pasta (if using). Serve in bowls with additional cheese.

Notes

  • The stew will keep refrigerated up to 5 days, and frozen about one month. Be sure to cool completely and portion into airtight containers.
  • To roast red bell peppers, put the whole peppers on a hot barbecue grill, under an oven broiler, or directly over a stovetop gas flame until blackened on all sides. Put the peppers in a bowl and cover. When cool, peel off the skin, and remove the stem and seeds. Store peeled peppers in the refrigerator for a week or so.
  • Make sure the chorizo you use for this recipe is uncooked, not the dry-cured type, which is more like salami or pepperoni.
  • If you prefer a thicker texture, scoop out some of the soup, puree in a blender, and add back to the pot, or use an immersion stick blender to blend in the pan.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 146kcal Carbohydrates: 13g Protein: 5g Fat: 9g Sodium: 696mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 2g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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