Moroccan Stew with Chickpeas and Quinoa Couscous
If you want an authentic bowl of Mediterranean goodness, then this Moroccan stew with chickpeas and quinoa couscous is all you need. I layer sweet dried apricots, tender sweet potatoes, and protein-packed chickpeas into a deeply spiced broth that simmers flavor into every bite. In just 1 hour, I have a comforting, hearty, and nutritious vegan stew that sparks my appetite.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 238.8kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried quinoa cooked with 1 cup of water
- 8 dried apricots chopped
- 1 red onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 zucchini diced
- 2 carrots diced (optional)
- 1 sweet potato diced
- 15 oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 15 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes 1 can
- 4-8 oz veggie broth
- 2-2 1/2 tsp Ras El Hanout
- 1 tsp Shawarma Spice Blend
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- sprinkle of cinnamon
- Fresh mint chopped
- Sliced almonds
Instructions
- Soak the apricots in hot water and set aside. They will absorb the water and reconstitute while you are cooking the other ingredients.
- Chop all of the veggies: onions, sweet potatoes, garlic, zucchini, etc.
- Saute the onions and garlic in 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Let the onions cook until they have caramelized slightly. Add the rest of the ingredients: potatoes, zucchini, carrots (if using), tomatoes, chickpeas, and all of the spices. Add 4 oz veggie broth, stir to combine, and let all of the ingredients simmer on medium heat, covered, for at least 10 minutes until the potatoes and chickpeas are tender.
- While the tagine is cooking, combine the quinoa and water in a pot, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the quinoa is cooked. Fluff with a fork.
- Take the apricots out of the water and chop them. Chop the mint as well.
- Uncover the tagine and finish cooking through. Let some of the excess water boil off (if there is any). If it’s gotten dry, add a bit more vegetable broth until it’s the consistency you want. When it’s done, it will look like this:
- Stir the apricots, mint and almonds into the quinoa, and serve.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this Moroccan stew with chickpeas and quinoa couscous recipe is never skip soaking the apricots. I make sure I soak them before starting anything else. This gives them ample time to plump up and absorb the water. Dried apricots that go straight into the quinoa stay tough and chewy, and clash with the other textures.
- Low and slow simmer: I keep the heat at a medium-low once the stew is covered. Rushing the simmer with a high heat may cause the liquid to evaporate too quickly, before the vegetables have had a chance to soften fully.
- Prep ahead: When I am very organized, I like prepping my vegetables the night before and storing them in an airtight container in the fridge, keeping the aromatics separate. This saves time when I make the stew.
- Spice substitution: If I am unable to locate these specific spice blends, I build my own mix by using 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. These spices do a good job of replicating the warm, complex flavor profile.
- Keep cuts uniform: I try to cut my zucchini, sweet potatoes, and carrots into uniform-sized pieces, which allows everything to cook at the same rate.
- Add a bright finish: Just before serving, I add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the stew. The acidity reawakens all the spices and gives the dish a vibrant finish.
Nutrition
Calories: 238.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 47.7g | Protein: 8.8g | Fat: 2.3g | Sodium: 387.9mg | Fiber: 8.3g | Sugar: 8.7g