Chickpea and Spinach Stew with Turkey Meatballs
A cozy, plant-forward stew adapted from a New York Times recipe, built on chickpeas, wilted spinach, and a deeply savory tomato base spiced with ras el hanout. Finished with oven-roasted turkey meatballs and crumbled feta.
Ingredients
Oven-Roasted Turkey Meatballs
- 1½ pounds ground turkey
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2½ teaspoons chopped garlic
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for hands and pan
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons harissa
Chickpea and Spinach Stew
- 4 tablespoons olive oil plus more for serving
- 1 onion chopped
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ras el hanout
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 5 cups water
- 1 bouillon cube
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cans 15 ounces each chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 5 cups packed spinach about 5 ounces
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
To Finish
- 2 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- Fresh parsley chopped
- Crusty bread couscous, bulgur, or rice, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F (205C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
- In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients and mix gently just until combined.1½ pounds ground turkey, 1 medium onion, 2½ teaspoons chopped garlic, ¾ cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons harissa
- Roll into 1 to 1½ inch meatballs and arrange on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, flip, then bake 5 more minutes until cooked through.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and ras el hanout and cook 1–2 minutes.4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion, 8 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons ras el hanout
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes until slightly darkened.6 tablespoons tomato paste
- Add water, bouillon cube, soy sauce, salt, and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then simmer 20–30 minutes.5 cups water, 1 bouillon cube, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 2 cans
- Add spinach during the last 5 minutes, then stir in lemon juice.5 cups packed spinach, 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Serve topped with meatballs, feta, parsley, and olive oil.Fresh parsley, Crusty bread, 2 ounces feta cheese
Notes
Notes:
- Meatballs can be made ahead and stored refrigerated up to 3 days.
- If you don’t have ras el hanout, you can make a simple homemade version using the New York Times ras el hanout blend: stir together 1 teaspoon each ground turmeric, coriander, ginger, cumin, cardamom, and nutmeg, plus ½ teaspoon each ground aniseed, caraway seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, and black pepper. This makes about 3 tablespoons total.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the meatballs and add an extra can of chickpeas.
- If the stew thickens too much, add a splash of water or broth when reheating.
- Preserved lemon can be used in place of lemon juice for a deeper citrus note.
- Ras el hanout blends vary, so taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Nutrition facts are automatically calculated using an online tool and should be considered estimates.
Nutrition
Calories: 441kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 35gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 1742mgPotassium: 807mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2826IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 218mgIron: 3mg
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