Instant Pot Moroccan Chickpea Stew with Warm Spices

Instant Pot Moroccan chickpea stew is a warmly spiced, tomato-based meal with sweet potato, carrots, dried apricots and tender chickpeas, finished with spinach and lemon. It takes inspiration from the varied stews of Morocco, where ingredients and seasonings differ by region and household, and the pressure cooker makes this version practical for a weeknight.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
2 medium carrots, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces, about 1 cup (160 g)
4 cloves garlic, minced, about 12 g
1½ teaspoons (3 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander
1 teaspoon (2 g) sweet paprika
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon (1.5 g) ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon (0.3 g) cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth, preferably low-sodium; check your pressure cooker manual for its minimum liquid requirement
2 cans chickpeas, 15 ounces (425 g) each, drained and rinsed; about 3 cups (510 g) chickpeas after draining
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes, about 2 cups (300 g)
½ cup (80 g) dried apricots, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 ounces (411 g), with their juices
¾ teaspoon (4.5 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper
3 cups (90 g) baby spinach
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
¼ cup (10 g) chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
Optional: ¼ cup (35 g) toasted sliced almonds, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Dice the onion, carrots and sweet potato, chop the apricots, and mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Measure the spices and broth before you start sautéing; once the cooker is hot, the first few steps move quickly.
Sauté the aromatics. Select Sauté on a 6-quart or larger electric pressure cooker and add the olive oil. When it is hot, add the onion and carrots. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric and cayenne. Stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. If the spices start sticking, move to the next step rather than letting them scorch.
Deglaze the pot. Pour in the broth and scrape the bottom thoroughly with a wooden spoon or heat-safe spatula to loosen any browned onion or spice residue. This matters because stuck-on bits can trigger a burn warning. Use at least the minimum liquid specified in your cooker’s manual; if your model requires more than 1 cup (240 ml), add broth to meet that requirement.
Layer the remaining ingredients. Add the chickpeas, sweet potato and chopped apricots. Pour the diced tomatoes and their juices over the top, then season with the salt and pepper. Do not stir after adding the tomatoes: keeping them on top helps reduce the chance that tomato solids will stick to the bottom during pressure cooking. Check that the sealing ring is in place and the lid is locked.
Pressure-cook. Set the valve to Sealing and cook at High Pressure for 8 minutes. Allow about 10 minutes for the cooker to come to pressure; the exact time varies with the model and how hot the ingredients are. When the cooking cycle ends, leave the cooker undisturbed for a 10-minute natural release. Then carefully turn the valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure. Keep your hands and face away from the steam.
Finish the stew. Once the float valve drops, open the lid away from you. Stir well, breaking up a few sweet potato pieces against the side of the pot to thicken the broth while leaving most pieces intact. Select Sauté and simmer for about 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach until wilted, then add the lemon juice. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper or lemon if needed. If the stew seems thinner than you like, simmer it for a few extra minutes; it thickens further as it stands.
Serve. Ladle into bowls and scatter cilantro and, if using, toasted almonds on top. The stew is ready when the vegetables are tender and the chickpeas are hot throughout.

Tips

Give the pot a clean bottom. After adding broth, scrape carefully around the entire base, especially the center and edges where sautéed onion can cling. Don’t stir the tomatoes into the broth before pressure cooking. If a burn warning appears, switch off the cooker, release pressure according to the manual, and inspect the base; remove stuck food, add enough broth to meet the minimum liquid requirement, and restart only when the bottom is clear.
Cut vegetables evenly. Keep sweet potato cubes close to ¾ inch (2 cm). Much smaller pieces can collapse during pressure cooking, while very large chunks may remain firm. Carrots can be slightly smaller because they take longer to soften.
Use canned chickpeas for this timing. The recipe is timed for cooked, canned chickpeas. Dry chickpeas need a different liquid ratio and a substantially longer pressure-cooking time, so they are not a direct swap here. Rinse canned chickpeas to remove excess canning liquid and let their flavor blend with the spices.
Adjust thickness after cooking. If you want a heartier, thicker bowl, mash a few chickpeas and sweet potato pieces into the broth or simmer the stew uncovered. If it becomes too thick, stir in hot broth a little at a time. Avoid adding a large amount of cold liquid just before serving, which can cool the stew quickly.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the stew in shallow bowls with couscous, rice or warm flatbread to catch the spiced tomato broth. Plain couscous is a quick, neutral pairing; brown rice or quinoa makes a more substantial base, though each has its own flavor and texture. For a lighter meal, offer the stew on its own with a simple cucumber-and-herb salad or sliced oranges on the side.

Set out lemon wedges, cilantro and toasted almonds so everyone can finish a bowl to taste. A spoonful of plain yogurt is also a pleasant cooling contrast, though it is not necessary for the recipe. If serving couscous, prepare it while the stew cooks, but keep it separate until plating so it does not soak up all the broth in the pot.

Variations

Use preserved lemon. Preserved lemon is a traditional North African pantry ingredient that can be difficult to find in some shops. For a more savory, briny finish, finely chop 1 tablespoon (15 g) of the rind, rinse it briefly if it is very salty, and stir it in with the lemon juice after cooking. If you cannot find preserved lemon, use the recipe’s fresh lemon juice and add a little finely grated lemon zest; the result is brighter and less salty, but still brings citrus aroma.

Change the vegetables. Swap the sweet potato for 2 cups (250 g) of peeled, cubed butternut squash. Its texture is similar, though it tastes less sweet. You can replace the spinach with 3 cups (90 g) of chopped kale, but simmer it for several minutes after pressure cooking until tender. Avoid adding delicate greens before pressure cooking, as they will lose their color and texture.

Make it milder or hotter. Leave out the cayenne for a gentle, family-friendly stew, or add a pinch more at the table. If you have ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend whose ingredients vary by maker, replace the cumin, coriander, paprika and cinnamon with 2 teaspoons (about 5 g) of the blend. Keep the turmeric, and taste before adding extra salt because some blends are seasoned.

Add a different topping. Toasted pumpkin seeds can replace the almonds for a nut-free crunch. A few chopped dates can stand in for the dried apricots, making the stew sweeter and softer in flavor. Add dates with the other dried fruit so they soften, and balance their sweetness with lemon at the end.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking, divided into shallow, airtight containers for faster cooling. Store the stew in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months; leave a little room in the container for expansion, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and stir before reheating because the broth and vegetables may settle.

Reheat a portion in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of broth or water if it has thickened. You can also microwave it in a covered, microwave-safe bowl, stirring halfway through. Reheat leftovers until they reach 165°F (74°C), checking the center with a food thermometer. Heat only the amount you plan to eat, rather than repeatedly warming the full batch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this stew without an Instant Pot?

Yes. Use a heavy pot or Dutch oven. Sauté the onion, carrots and spices in oil, add the broth and scrape the pot, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer gently until the sweet potato is tender, about 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally and checking that the stew is not sticking. Add the spinach and lemon at the end. The stovetop version may need extra broth as it simmers.

Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?

Not with the same timing. Dried chickpeas generally need soaking and a much longer pressure-cooking cycle, and the amount of liquid must be adjusted. For a reliable result, cook dried chickpeas separately until tender, then use about 3 cups (510 g) of cooked chickpeas in this recipe. Add them with the other ingredients and follow the recipe’s 8-minute pressure cycle so the vegetables cook properly.

Why is my stew watery?

Some release more liquid than others, and the amount can depend on the tomatoes and vegetables. Stir the stew after opening, then simmer on Sauté without the lid for a few minutes to reduce the broth. Mashing a few chickpeas and sweet potato cubes also thickens it without adding another ingredient. Remember that the stew will become thicker as it cools.

Can I leave out the dried apricots?

Yes. Leave them out for a more savory stew, or replace them with the same amount of chopped dates or raisins. The fruit adds gentle sweetness that balances the tomatoes and warm spices, so if you omit it, taste the finished stew and add a little extra lemon juice if you want a brighter balance.

Is this stew spicy?

As written, it is gently warm rather than hot. The ⅛ teaspoon (0.3 g) of cayenne gives a mild background heat, but you can omit it completely or increase it according to your preference. The other spices are aromatic, not inherently hot. Add extra cayenne at the table if you are serving people with different heat preferences.

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