Slow Cooker Moroccan Chickpea Soup Recipe
There’s nothing more comforting than the aroma of a hearty stew simmering away in your kitchen. This slow cooker Moroccan chickpea stew is the answer to your dinner dilemmas—packed with bold flavors, wholesome ingredients, and the kind of warmth that makes you feel right at home.
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Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 large golden beet, peeled and diced
- 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 cups dried chickpeas, rinsed
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 1 chopped onion, 6 cloves minced garlic, 3 sliced carrots, and 1 diced bell pepper. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (this will seem like a lot of salt but it will go on to season the entire pot of soup). Sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant. (This step adds extra flavor but can be skipped for convenience.)
- Add the 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, the 1 teaspoons ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne. Let toast in the oil, stirring for 1-2 minutes or until really fragrant.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker. Add 1 large diced sweet potato, 1 large diced golden beet, 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, 2 cups dried chickpeas, 8 cups vegetable broth, and 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots.
- Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the chickpeas are tender and the flavors have melded together.
- Stir in the 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and squeeze the juice of the lemon into the stew. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or spices as needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with additional cilantro, and serve.
Notes
- Dried chickpeas: Dried chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are best here because the slow cooking time allows them to soak up all the flavors as they cook and you don't need to soak them in advance. If you can only find canned chickpeas, use 2 (15-ounce) cans, drained and rinsed. Add them during the last hour of cooking.
- Vegetables: This is my favorite combo of vegetables but you could swap butternut squash for the sweet potato or use red beet instead of gold beet.
- Spices: Make it spicier by adding more cayenne pepper.
- Make-ahead/Freezing Instructions: Let soup cool to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container. Cover and refrigerate for up to a week or transfer to the freezer and freeze for up to 6 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then rewarm in the microwave or on the stove.