Vegetarian Spanish Stew with Chickpeas and Potatoes

This vegetarian Spanish stew is a Spanish-inspired one-pot dish of chickpeas, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, and leafy greens, seasoned with smoked paprika and a little vinegar. It is hearty enough to serve as a main course, while a gentle simmer lets the vegetables soak up the savory, paprika-rich broth.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (30 ml)
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup/150 g)
1 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup/150 g)
1 medium carrot, diced (about ¾ cup/100 g)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 12 g)
1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika, preferably sweet pimentón (about 2 g)
½ teaspoon ground cumin (about 1 g)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (about 1 g)
1 pinch saffron threads, about 0.05 g (optional)
1 can diced tomatoes, including their juices (14.5 ounces/411 g, about 1¾ cups)
1½ pounds waxy or all-purpose potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups/680 g)
4 cups vegetable broth (950 ml)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fine salt (about 6 g), plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 0.5 g)
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (15 ounces/425 g each; about 3 cups/510 g drained)
5 ounces baby spinach (about 5 packed cups/142 g)
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (15 ml)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (about 8 g), for serving (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables. Dice the onion, pepper, and carrot, chop the garlic, and cut the potatoes into evenly sized cubes. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Keeping the potato pieces close to 1 inch helps them cook at roughly the same rate and makes them easy to eat with a spoon.
Soften the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and carrot. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and glossy but not deeply browned. If the vegetables begin to stick, lower the heat and add a tablespoon of water rather than more oil.
Add the spices and tomatoes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the paprika, cumin, oregano, and saffron, if using. Stir for about 1 minute, just until fragrant; paprika can taste bitter if scorched, so do not leave it in the hot oil unattended. Add the diced tomatoes and their juices, then cook for 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot.
Simmer the potatoes. Add the potatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice so potatoes do not catch on the bottom. The cubes should be nearly tender when pierced with a knife, though the centers may still offer slight resistance.
Finish cooking with chickpeas. Stir in the rinsed chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 12 minutes, stirring gently once or twice. The potatoes should now be tender, and the broth should have a little body. For a thicker stew, press a few potato cubes against the side of the pot and stir them back in. For a looser consistency, add a splash of hot broth or water.
Wilt the greens and season. Add the spinach in handfuls, stirring until it wilts, about 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, then stir in the sherry vinegar. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or vinegar. Let the stew stand off the heat for 5 minutes before serving; this brief rest allows the broth to settle and the flavors to come together.

Tips

Choose paprika for the flavor you want. Spanish pimentón gives the stew its characteristic warm, smoky depth. Sweet smoked paprika is the most versatile choice; hot pimentón adds noticeable heat. If Spanish paprika is unavailable, use sweet paprika with a small pinch of smoked paprika. Plain sweet paprika alone will still work, but the stew will be less smoky.
Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can break the potato cubes apart before they are tender and make the broth cloudy. Once the pot reaches a boil, turn the heat down until you see small, steady bubbles. Stir from the bottom occasionally, especially after adding the chickpeas.
Check the broth before adding extra salt. Vegetable broths vary in saltiness, and canned chickpeas may retain a little salt even after rinsing. Start with the measured amount, then taste near the end. If you use a low-sodium broth, you may want a small additional pinch.
Adjust the consistency at the end. Potatoes release different amounts of starch, and the stew thickens as it stands. Loosen it with hot broth or water if needed. If it seems thin, simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes or mash a few potato pieces into the liquid.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the stew hot in wide bowls, with parsley scattered over the top if you like. Crusty bread is useful for dipping into the paprika-tomato broth; toasted bread rubbed with a cut garlic clove is a simple option. For a fuller meal, pair it with a green salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar, or serve it alongside roasted vegetables.

A spoonful of plain yogurt can add a cool, tangy contrast, though it is not necessary. For a dairy-free finish, use a drizzle of olive oil and a little extra parsley. Set out sherry vinegar or lemon wedges at the table so diners can brighten their own portions. The stew is filling, but a small side of rice can stretch it to feed more people.

Variations

Use kale or chard instead of spinach. Replace the spinach with 5 ounces (142 g) of chopped kale or chard leaves. Add kale during the last 8 to 10 minutes of simmering so it has time to soften; add chard leaves for the last 4 to 5 minutes. If using chard, chop the stems and add them with the onion and pepper.

Change the beans. White beans, such as cannellini or butter beans, can replace the chickpeas in the same drained quantity. They are softer, so fold them in for the final 8 to 10 minutes rather than simmering them for the full 12. The result is creamier and less nutty, but still suits the tomato and paprika broth.

Add more vegetables. Stir in 1 cup (about 150 g) of diced zucchini with the potatoes, or add 1 cup (about 150 g) of green beans cut into short pieces for the final 12 minutes. Avoid adding too many watery vegetables at once, since they can thin the broth and make the potato timing less predictable.

Make the seasoning milder or warmer. For a gentler flavor, use sweet smoked paprika and omit the cumin. For more heat, use hot smoked paprika or add a pinch of red-pepper flakes with the garlic. Saffron is optional and gives a subtle floral aroma; leaving it out changes the aroma but does not affect the method.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking in a shallow, covered container. The stew keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The potatoes will absorb some broth as it sits, so expect the texture to be thicker the next day. Add a little water or vegetable broth when reheating to restore a spoonable consistency.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, either in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave in a covered, microwave-safe bowl. Stir occasionally and heat until steaming hot throughout. For leftovers, the USDA FSIS safe reheating temperature is 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer. If using a microwave, stir midway through heating and allow a short standing time so the heat distributes evenly.

For longer storage, freeze the cooled stew in airtight, freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Leave a little space at the top for expansion. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then reheat as described above. Potatoes can become slightly softer after freezing and thawing, but the stew remains suitable for serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a traditional Spanish recipe?
This is a Spanish-inspired vegetarian stew, not a claim to one definitive regional recipe. Spanish home cooking includes many local and family variations of vegetable and legume stews. Smoked paprika, chickpeas, potatoes, and tomatoes give this version a Spanish flavor profile, while the combination can be adapted to the vegetables available.

Can I use dried chickpeas?
Yes. Cook dried chickpeas separately until tender before adding them; they will not become tender reliably in the time the potatoes need. You will need about 1 cup (200 g) dried chickpeas to yield roughly the drained amount from two cans, though yield varies. Do not add their cooking liquid unless you want a thicker, more strongly flavored broth.

Can I make the stew ahead?
Yes. You can cook it a day ahead and refrigerate it once cooled. The flavors meld as it rests, while the potatoes absorb broth and thicken the stew. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or water, then taste again for salt and vinegar before serving.

What can I use instead of sherry vinegar?
Red wine vinegar is the closest easy substitute and can be used in the same amount. Apple cider vinegar also works, though its fruitier flavor is more noticeable. Add the vinegar near the end rather than at the beginning so its bright acidity is not lost during the long simmer.

How can I tell when the potatoes are done?
Slide a small knife or fork into a potato cube. It should pass through easily, with no hard or crunchy center, while the cube should still hold its shape when stirred. If the potatoes are not tender after the stated simmer, continue cooking in 2-minute intervals and check again; larger pieces or a very gentle simmer may need extra time.

Can I make this stew without spinach?
Yes. Leave it out for a tomato, potato, and chickpea stew, or use another tender green such as chopped chard. If omitting the greens entirely, the recipe still works as written; taste at the end and adjust the seasoning, since the spinach contributes a little volume but not much liquid.

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