Cuban Garbanzo Stew with Chorizo and Potatoes

Cuban garbanzo stew, often called potaje de garbanzos, is a hearty bean stew built around chickpeas, a savory sofrito, potatoes, and Spanish-style chorizo. This stovetop version simmers dried chickpeas until tender, letting their cooking broth turn rich and flavorful; family and regional versions vary, so the vegetables and seasoning can be adjusted to taste.

Ingredients

1 pound dried chickpeas (454 g), picked over and rinsed
8 cups water (1.9 L), for soaking the chickpeas
2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
8 ounces fresh pork chorizo (225 g), casings removed
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 150 g)
1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped (about 150 g)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 160 g)
4 garlic cloves, minced (about 12 g)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (2 g)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (1 g)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika (2 g)
1 can diced tomatoes, with their juice (14.5 ounces / 411 g)
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth (1.4 L), plus a little more if needed
1 bay leaf
1 pound waxy potatoes, peeled if desired and cut into 1-inch chunks (450 g)
1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g), plus more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper (1 g)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (15 ml)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (about 8 g), for serving

Instructions

Soak the chickpeas. Put the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with the 8 cups of water. Leave them to soak for 8 hours at room temperature, or overnight. They will swell, so use a bowl with plenty of room. Drain and rinse them before cooking; discard the soaking water. If your kitchen is very warm, soak them in the refrigerator instead.
Prepare the vegetables. Chop the onion and bell pepper, cut the carrots and potatoes, and mince the garlic. Keep the potatoes aside for later, since they cook more quickly than the chickpeas. Having everything ready before heating the pot makes it easier to build the sofrito without letting the garlic scorch.
Brown the chorizo. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the fresh chorizo, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 6–8 minutes, stirring and turning the pieces until browned and no longer pink. Check the thickest piece with a food thermometer: USDA FSIS lists 160°F (71°C) as the safe minimum for ground pork. Transfer the cooked chorizo to a plate, leaving the flavorful fat in the pot.
Make the sofrito. Add the onion, bell pepper, and carrots to the pot. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the pepper begins to look glossy. Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, and paprika and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. If the spices stick, add a splash of broth rather than letting them burn.
Add the chickpeas and simmer. Stir in the tomatoes and their juice, then add the drained chickpeas, broth, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned bits. Bring the liquid just to a boil, then reduce the heat so it bubbles gently. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring every 20–30 minutes. Keep the beans covered by liquid; add a little hot water or broth if the level drops too far.
Add the potatoes and finish cooking. Stir in the potatoes and browned chorizo. Continue simmering gently for about 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the chickpeas are soft all the way through. Test a chickpea by pressing it with a spoon: it should yield easily without a firm or chalky center. If the beans still seem firm, continue simmering and check every 10 minutes; older dried chickpeas can take longer.
Adjust the texture and seasoning. Remove the bay leaf. For a thicker, creamier broth, mash a few chickpeas and potato pieces against the side of the pot, then stir them back in. Add the vinegar and taste before adding more salt or pepper. If the stew is thicker than you like, loosen it with hot broth; if it is too thin, simmer uncovered for several minutes, stirring gently.
Rest briefly and serve. Turn off the heat and let the stew stand for 5 minutes so the broth settles and the flavors come together. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot. The listed cook time includes the browning, sofrito, and simmering, but not this optional short rest.

Tips

Use beans that will soften. Very old dried chickpeas may stay firm even after a long simmer. Check their tenderness rather than relying only on the clock, and keep simmering in 10-minute increments if needed. Avoid adding acidic ingredients such as vinegar until the beans are soft; adding acid earlier can slow softening.
Choose the right chorizo. This recipe uses fresh pork chorizo, which browns into the sofrito and seasons the broth. Spanish cured chorizo is a practical alternative if fresh chorizo is unavailable; slice it and brown it briefly, knowing it will bring a firmer texture and a more cured, smoky flavor. Check the package directions for handling and cooking.
Control the salt. Chorizo and broth can both be salty, so a low-sodium broth gives you room to season at the end. If using regular broth, begin with less added salt and taste after the stew has simmered.
Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can break up the potatoes and make the chickpeas cook unevenly. Look for small, steady bubbles, stir from the bottom now and then, and add hot liquid if the beans become exposed.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the stew in deep bowls with crusty bread, Cuban bread, or warm rice to catch the flavorful broth. A modest scoop of white rice makes the dish especially filling, while bread keeps the meal simple. For a fresh contrast, offer a crisp green salad dressed with lime or vinegar, sliced avocado, or a small plate of pickled onions. A few drops of hot sauce can be set on the table for diners who want extra heat without changing the whole pot.

If you are serving the stew as part of a larger meal, keep the sides straightforward: the chickpeas, potatoes, and chorizo already make it substantial. A little parsley or finely chopped onion on top adds freshness. If the stew thickens while it waits, stir in a splash of hot broth just before serving rather than adding cold liquid to the pot.

Variations

Use canned chickpeas for a quicker version. Replace the dried chickpeas with four 15-ounce cans (about 1.7 kg total, drained and rinsed). Skip the soaking and long bean simmer: make the sofrito, add the broth and tomatoes, and simmer it for 15 minutes before adding the canned chickpeas, potatoes, and cooked chorizo. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20–25 minutes. Canned beans are already soft, so stir carefully and expect a slightly less starchy broth.

Make it vegetarian. Leave out the chorizo and use vegetable broth. To build savory flavor, sauté the vegetables in olive oil and add an extra ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika (1 g); this gives a gentle smoky note, but it will not exactly reproduce the sausage flavor. For more substance, add sliced mushrooms with the onion and pepper.

Add squash or greens. Stir in 1–2 cups of cubed calabaza, kabocha, or butternut squash (about 150–300 g) with the potatoes. Calabaza is a traditional Caribbean pumpkin that can be difficult to find; butternut or kabocha makes a convenient substitute, with a slightly sweeter flavor. For greens, fold in 2 cups of chopped kale or spinach (about 60 g) during the final 5 minutes.

Adjust the heat. The recipe is mild. Add a pinch of cayenne or a chopped fresh chile with the garlic if you want a warmer stew. For an especially smoky profile, use smoked paprika in place of sweet paprika, or use a little of each so the smoke does not overpower the chickpeas.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking in shallow, airtight containers. The stew keeps for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. It will thicken as it chills because the chickpeas and potatoes absorb broth; add a few tablespoons of water or broth when reheating to restore a spoonable consistency.

Reheat a portion in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until steaming throughout, or microwave it in a covered, microwave-safe container, stirring midway through. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum for reheated leftovers. Avoid repeatedly warming and cooling the full pot; heat only what you plan to eat. For longer storage, freeze in meal-size containers for up to 2–3 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat thoroughly; potatoes may soften a little after freezing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Cuban garbanzo stew without soaking the chickpeas?

Yes, but the simmer will take longer and the beans may cook less evenly. Rinse and sort the chickpeas, then simmer them in the broth until tender, checking the liquid level and adding hot water as needed. The timing can vary substantially with the age of the beans, so begin checking after about 2 hours. Soaking is the more dependable choice for the timing in this recipe.

Can I use canned chickpeas instead of dried?

Yes. Use four 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed, and follow the canned-bean variation above. Since canned chickpeas do not need the long simmer, add them with the potatoes and give the stew about 20–25 minutes for the potatoes to become tender. Take care when stirring so the beans stay mostly whole.

What if my chickpeas are still hard after simmering?

Keep cooking them gently and check every 10 minutes. Add hot water or broth if the liquid no longer covers them, and wait to add vinegar or other acidic ingredients until they soften. Chickpeas that have been stored for a long time can take much longer than expected; if they remain stubbornly hard after extensive cooking, the beans may be too old to soften well.

Can I make the stew ahead?

Yes. The flavor develops as it sits, and the stew is convenient to prepare a day ahead. Cool it promptly, refrigerate it within 2 hours, and keep it chilled until reheating. The broth will be thicker the next day, so loosen it with broth or water while reheating and bring it to 165°F (74°C).

Is this stew spicy?

It is generally mild as written; fresh chorizo can vary in heat, so check its label if spice level matters. Add cayenne or fresh chile to the pot for more heat, or serve hot sauce separately so each person can adjust their bowl. Smoked paprika adds smoky flavor, not the same sharp heat as chile.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).