A reader named Paula sent me this recipe for Moroccan Chickpea Stew and it’s a meatless dish with chickpeas, red lentils, and spices. I don’t know if Paula’s recipe is authentically Moroccan, but it’s definitely delicious!
PIN Moroccan Chickpea Stew to try it later.
Two of my favorite ingredients for meatless recipes are lentils and chickpeas, so when I got this recipe for Moroccan Chickpea Stew by e-mail from a reader named Paula B., the minute I read the recipe, there was never any doubt I was going to make it. Not only did it sound like a perfect combination of flavors, but I’d just gotten a big bag of red lentils from Whole Foods, so it seemed like an omen when the recipe arrived.
Paula called the dish a Moroccan stew although I’m not sure if it’s really an authentic Moroccan recipe, but it’s aromatic and spicy with a blend of interesting ingredients that come together perfectly. Paula said she eats it with a dollop of sour cream (again, probably not Moroccan, but highly recommend it!) I ate mine over brown rice, and this was one of the best easy dinners I’d had for a long time.
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What ingredients do you need?
What if you don’t have red lentils?
If you’re thinking of using brown lentils for this, please try to find the red lentils. Not only are they beautiful, but they’re much softer than other lentils and dissolve to make a perfectly thickened stew.
Is this Chickpea Stew really a Moroccan Recipe?
I’ve actually been to Morocco, which was a fascinating place. But I still can’t say for sure if Paula is correct in calling this a Moroccan recipe. When I googled it I did find similar recipes called Moroccan all over the web, but I’m not claiming it’s an authentically Moroccan dish.
Want more Moroccan Flavors?
If you’d like to try more recipes with flavors used in Moroccan cooking, I love the Moroccan Spice Mix that I’ve enjoyed in Roasted Butternut Squash with Moroccan Spices and Air Fryer Carrots with Moroccan Spice Mix. And Moroccan Cabbage Slaw with Carrots and Mint is also a tasty dish.
How to Make Moroccan Chickpea Stew :
(Scroll down for complete recipe including nutritional information.)
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot, then gently saute the onions, garlic, ginger, and ground turmeric for about 7 minutes.
- Then add chopped celery, garam masala, ground cardamom, cayenne pepper, and ground cumin and cook 3-4 minutes more, or until spices become very aromatic and celery is just starting to soften.
- The beautiful red lentils that dissolve into the stock become the base of this stew. They turn more of a yellowish color when they’re cooked.
- Add chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can chickpeas, and the red lentils, and let the stew start to simmer.
- Once it starts to bubble, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover pan, and cook 45-60 minutes (or even a bit longer, depending on how fully dissolved you’d like the lentils to be.) I wanted to keep some texture, but cooked mine for about 60 minutes so the lentils were about half-dissolved.
- Serve Spicy Red Lentil Stew over rice or brown rice if desired. I love this with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt as well.
More Tasty Chickpeas or Red Lentils:
Bengali Red Dal Curry from Jake
Curried Rice and Red Lentils
Mexican Red Lentil Stew
Red Lentil and Chickpea Soup
Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes, Olives, and Herbs
Weekend Food Prep:
This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 T olive oil (or perhaps a little more, depending on your pan)
- 2 tsp. minced ginger (or grated fresh ginger)
- 1 T finely minced garlic
- 1 tsp. ground turmeric
- 3/4 cup celery, finely diced
- 1 tsp. Garam Masala
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 6 cups vegetable stock or canned vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups red lentils
- one 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed until no more foam appears
- one 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
- cooked brown rice for serving (optional)
- sour cream or plain yogurt for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- Add onions, ginger, garlic, and turmeric and gently saute, stirring often, for about 7 minutes, or until onions are quite soft but not browned.
- Add diced celery, Garam Masala, ground cardamom, cayenne pepper, and ground cumin and saute 3-4 minutes more, until celery barely starts to soften.
- Add the stock, red lentils, canned tomatoes, and rinsed chickpeas and bring mixture to a gentle boil.
- When it starts to bubble, reduce heat to the barest simmer and cover pan with lid.
- Let mixture simmer, stirring a few times, until lentils are dissolved enough that mixture has thickened into a chunky stew.
- The shorter time you cook it, the more chunky it will be. I cooked mine at the barest simmer for about 60 minutes.
- Serve hot, over brown rice and topped with sour cream or plain yogurt if desired.
- Paula said this is even better after it’s been in the fridge, and I’d have to agree that like many stews, the flavors were even better the next day.
- This freezes very well, so I’d recommend making the whole batch, even if you’re only cooking for a small number of people. However, it’s so good it might not make it into the freezer.
Notes
This recipe adapted very slightly from one sent to me by a reader named Paula B; Paula doesn’t remember where she got it but everyone she has shared the recipe with has loved it!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 196Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 812mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 8gSugar: 8gProtein: 10g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
If you eat this Moroccan Chickpea Stew plain (without rice) this dish would be approved for any phase of the original South Beach Diet or other low-glycemic diet plans. I ate mine over brown rice, which would make it phase 2 or 3 for South Beach. This is too high in carbs for a stricter low-carb eating plan.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Stews for more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest or on Facebook to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
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Keto Short Rib Chili
Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.
There’s a definite chill in the air. Can you feel it? Well, maybe not in some parts of the country, but here in the Pacific Northwest, autumn is on its way, if not already here.
The best part of fall is the comfort food and there is no food more comforting than this short rib chili. Well, maybe my Shrimp and Bacon Chowder. Or perhaps my keto Cream of Mushroom Soup. And my Buffalo Chicken Soup is also pretty darn spectacular.
But this keto chili recipe definitely makes the short list.
Chili is and always has been one of my favorite foods, because even not very good chili is pretty darn comforting when you’re cold and hungry. How can you go wrong with meat cooked slowly in rich spices and a thick tomato broth? You can’t, that’s all. You can’t go wrong.
And the crazy part is that while I make chili all. the. time, I don’t actually have a good keto chili recipe here on All Day I Dream About Food. Until now, that is.
What makes the best keto chili?
Well, what really makes good chili is a matter of opinion and taste. And probably a few feuds as well. Everyone has their own take on the best way to make chili.
In my experience, a slow simmered chili recipe is best, as it allows the flavors to develop and intensify over time. So don’t be fooled by promises of “fast and easy”. Good chili is usually easy to make but it takes time to cook.
Keto chili should be devoid of any higher carb items like beans, though. That goes almost without saying, because beans are high in carbs and many consider them inflammatory. Onion needs to be kept to a minimum as well, since it’s surprisingly high carb.
Tomato sauce, paste, and puree can also send the carb count up if used too liberally. I like to keep my chili to less than 5g total carbs per serving, so I use a single can of diced tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes help bring out the best flavor.
But the focus of a good keto chili recipe should always be the meat and the spices. Use beef with a high percentage of fat for a satisfying meal, and be generous with the chili, cumin, and garlic.
Can you make keto chili ahead of time?
I find myself wanting to answer this question with a smart ass comment like “Is the pope Catholic?”. Because chili is perhaps the best make ahead meal on the planet.
It’s one of those dishes that seems to actually get better when it’s eaten the next day or even a few days later. And one of the benefits of keto chili is that there are no beans to get mushy as they sit and soften. So it’s just as good or better than the day you made it.
So go ahead and make a huge pot of this short rib chili. This particular recipe serves 10 people. Let it cool to room temperature and then split it up however you see fit. You can do individual servings, or portion it out for your family size.
The chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. We froze our leftovers back in May and I just fed my family the second portion about a month ago!
Because it contains acidic ingredients like tomatoes, I recommend storing in glass containers if you have them. If not, good BPA-Free tupperware works too.
Tips for making Short Rib Chili
Short ribs are ideal for comfort food dishes like this, because they are fatty and rich, and become incredibly tender with slow braising.
Always brown the ribs first: This step adds 10 minutes or so, but it’s worth it. Browning the meat in lard or oil helps bring out the best flavor, before the liquids are added. Otherwise, you are essentially just eating stewed meat. Transfer the ribs to a plate while making the rest of the chili.
Sweat the onions and other veggies: While I do keep the onion to a minimum, it definitely helps add flavor. So add the onion and green pepper to the pot and sauté in the oils and fats with a little bit of salt. This will help them release their juices and flavor.
Add the spices into the hot oil: Before adding any liquids into the pot, you want to briefly sauté the garlic, jalapeño, and spices in the hot oil. This enhances and intensifies the flavor.
Adjust the heat to your liking: My husband and I like our chili pretty spicy but our kids have more tender palates. So we keep the heat at a medium level. I always add the seeds from the jalapeño but you can leave them out if you want less spice. You can also leave out the cayenne. Or you can add more jalapeño and cayenne too.
Now add the liquids and the meat: Once the spices and garlic are fragrant, stir in the diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer before adding the meat.
Slow braise in the oven: You’re looking at a good two to three hours of cooking, but this time is completely inactive. You can be doing lots of other things during this time. Slow braising makes the meat from the short ribs fall off the bone and shred more easily.
Doesn’t this keto short rib chili sound like the perfect comfort food?
Check out my Keto Soups & Stews cookbook for more delicious comfort food recipes.
Keto Short Rib Chili
Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: keto chili, keto chili recipe, short rib chili
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 428kcal
Ingredients
- 3 lb bone in short ribs
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup bacon fat, lard, or other high-heat oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium jalapeno pepper minced (leave the seeds in for more heat)
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- ⅓ cup beef bone broth
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300F and season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.
In a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt the bacon fat or lard. Once hot, add half the short ribs and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and brown the remaining short ribs. Transfer to the plate.
Add the onion and pepper to the pot, sprinkle with salt, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne, and cook another minute, until fragrant.
Stir in the roasted tomatoes and bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add the short ribs back into the pot, cover and transfer to the oven.
Cook 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender. Remove the ribs, shred the meat and return the meat to the pot. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with your favorite chili toppings.
Nutrition Facts
Keto Short Rib Chili
Amount Per Serving (1 serving = about 1 cup)
Calories 428
Calories from Fat 319
% Daily Value*
Fat 35.4g54%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1.2g5%
Protein 22.6g45%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
- Calories N/A
- Total Fat N/A
- Saturated Fat N/A
- Cholesterol N/A
- Sodium N/A
- Total Carbohydrates N/A
- Protein N/A
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