Spanish Spinach and Chickpeas (Espinacas con Garbanzos)

An overhead shot of a serving of Spanish spinach and chickpeas with slices of bread on the side.

4.92 from 12 votes

Spanish Spinach and Chickpeas (Espinacas con Garbanzos)

Nutty and deliciously filling --- that’s what you’ll get in every spoonful of Spanish Spinach and Chickpeas (Espinacas con Garbanzos). A great addition to any meatless weeknight dinner!

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Spanish

Servings:

Calories: 233kcal

Author: Neriz

Equipment

Ingredients

handful almonds, blanched (about 20 pieces)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp sweet paprika
5 pieces black peppercorns, whole
2 & 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely sliced
3/4 cup crushed tomatoes
2 cups stock
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
3 cups chickpeas, cooked and drained
3 handfuls spinach
salt and pepper, to season

Instructions

Place a medium-sized deep pan (or skillet) over medium heat.
Add the almonds, cumin, and peppercorns and cook for about 5 minutes.
(Note: Make sure you don’t burn the spices, so mix often.)
Transfer into a food processor, ground into powder form, then set aside.
Place the pan back into the heat and add olive oil.
Once the oil is ready, cook garlic and onion until it softens.
Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper.
Cover the pan with a lid, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Pour the stock.
Add the sherry vinegar and ground almond with spices from earlier.
Mix to combine everything, then add chickpeas.
Cover with a lid, adjust heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
Adjust heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
Add the spinach and mix until they’ve wilted.
Transfer your Spanish spinach and chickpeas to plates.
Drizzle with olive oil on top and serve.

Video

Notes

Cook’s Tip #1: If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a blender to grind the almonds and the spices
Cook’s Tip #2: Espinacas con garbanzos is closer to a stew than a soup. But if you prefer to have more sauce, feel free to add half a cup of stock.
Cook’s Tip #3: If you have excellent fresh tomatoes, use them instead of the canned crushed tomatoes that I usually use.
Cook’s Tip #4: Use ground cumin instead of cumin seeds if that’s what you have on hand.
Cook's Tip# 5: Not sure how to prepare blanched almonds? Then check out How to Blanch Almonds --- QUICKLY!

Nutrition