Looking for a chickpea recipe? ‘Espinacas con Garbanzos’ (Spanish Spinach with Chickpeas) is a popular tapa from the southern region of Spain that you can always make at home. Healthy, delicious and ready in thirty minutes!
Andalucia is a beautiful and an unforgettable region in the south of Spain. We’ve not been fortunate enough to see everything in that region, but from what we’ve seen of Seville and Cordoba, a visit every year would not be enough.
How do I describe ‘Espinacas con Garbanzos’? It’s smoky, mouthwatering and ‘Moorish’. The legacy of the Moors is ubiquitous in the region – and more so in their cuisine. If you’ve been to Barcelona, forget about how they cook their tapas. Even the paella in the south is way different – but then again, each region in Spain have their own way of making them.
How to Make Spanish Spinach with Chickpeas (Espinacas con Garbanzos)
If you are looking for garbanzos recipes or baby spinach recipes, this is a great and healthy one to try. I normally switch between regular and baby spinach, but I always make sure I remove their hard stems first. You can also use dried chickpeas, if you have the time to spare. For me, I ALWAYS use the canned ones (I know, I know… sorry I’m lazy 🙁 )
Sometimes, I add saffron as well. But when I do that, I would lessen the paprika – I feel they tend to overpower the delicate flavor of the saffron. If you love saffron, you should definitely give it a try.
There is a slight change in how we eat ‘Spanish Spinach and Chickpeas’ at home. We prefer to eat them with plain, crusty bread instead of those rubbed with tomatoes (another common tapa in Spain). I just feel that plain bread makes the Moorish flavor shine. After all, I want to taste the tapa, not the bread – right? 😉
If you’re still looking for another tapa recipe, check out my Patatas Bravas post.
- 200 grams spinach, washed
- 1 & 1/2 cups chickpeas, soaked and drained
- 2 cups day old bread, cubed or cut in tiny bits
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
- 1 small onion, chopped finely
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika powder
- 1/8 tsp hot smoked paprika powder
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- salt and pepper, to season
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Pour 1 tbsp olive oil on a medium to large skillet. Set heat to medium and add cubed bread. Cook until slightly brown. Take off the pan.
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Pour remaining olive oil and add garlic and onion. Cook until onion has softened a bit.
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Add ground cumin, sweet paprika, hot paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes, until properly combined.
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Add drained chickpeas and mix until chickpeas are evenly coated with the spices.
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Add spinach.
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Add vinegar and water. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the spinach has wilted a bit, mixing constantly.
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Add the browned bits of bread. Mix to combine. Leave on heat for around 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning by adding salt or pepper, if desired. Take off the heat.
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Serve.
Dominique | Perchance to Cook says
This sounds so flavorful! I love this idea, what a tasty way to get protein without meat. 🙂
Neriz says
Thanks Dominique! 🙂
Sarah says
I looooove chickpeas, and I love spinach, and bread! Basically I need this in my life! YUM
Neriz says
Hahaha! I hear ya Sarah. 😀
Analida @ ethnicspoon.com says
I love garbanzo beans and they are so healthy! I make a similar Spanish tapas dish too: https://ethnicspoon.com/garbanzo-beans-tomatoes-onions/
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
It sounds like Spain is a lot like Italy in their regional cooking. We do eat a lot of garbanzo beans — we love them. And spinach in our house is a given. I haven’t combined beans and spinach, though. I’ll have to give it a try.
Eileen Kelly says
The flavor combination is awesome. This is both flavorful and super healthy. I want to make this and add the saffron
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago says
I love recipes with chickpeas. Such a great option for meatless protein!!
Heather says
What a gorgeous dish! I eat chickpeas 1000 different ways and I cannot wait to try this.. I also love that you use hot paprika and the different ways this can be served up.
Leslie Haasch says
This would be so good after I went off the rails a bit last night (cheeseburger, fries and a shake – eek!). Can’t wait to make this!
Jordan says
Perfect side dish and a great way to get in a serving of greens. The seasoning sounds perfect. I’m test driving this recipe tomorrow night!
Amanda says
What a great way to serve chickpeas! I love the warm and smoky spices in this dish, especially paired with the garlic and vinegar. I’d definitely make a meal out of a bowl of this!
Kristina says
I love Spanish tapas and I love chickpeas, so this is a match made in heaven! And easy, which is #1 in my book. Thanks for sharing!
Rezel Kealoha says
I love healthy easy recipes like this. Thank you so much for sharing it!
Ben Myhre says
We LOVED Seville. And wandering around the old part of town ordering tapas (like this one) and wine? Divine.