Healthy One Pot Tomato and Chickpea Stew

This Indian-inspired Healthy One Pot Tomato and Chickpea Stew is similar to a Chana Masala, and it’s so good, topped with herby yogurt and served with toasted ciabatta or garlic naan. Quick, easy, warm, comforting, and delicious. Ready and on the table in just 30 minutes, we’ve included an easy swap in the ingredient list to make it vegan-friendly too!

Chickpeas are cooked in a fragrant tomato sauce that is full of Indian flavors from the homemade spice mix. The whole dish is a healthy weeknight meal that conveniently freezes very well – great for batch cooking.

Tomato and chickpea stew in bowl with sliced bread.

Why you’ll love this recipe

It’s ready in 30 minutes and made in one pot.
It uses pantry staples: canned chickpeas and tomatoes plus a simple spice blend.
It freezes well, so it’s great for batch cooking.
It’s easy to make vegan. Just use a dairy-free yogurt for the topping.

Ingredients

Don’t be intimidated by the length of the ingredient list in this simple Tomato and Chickpea Stew recipe. They’re all easy-to-find ingredients, and the list below includes everything you need for a homemade Indian-inspired spice blend (but you can use your favorite instead) and a herby yogurt to go on the side. It’s easily a 30-minute meal!

Olive oil – Or any other neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point.
Tomato puree – Also sold as tomato paste.
Chickpeas – Canned chickpeas are perfect, or if you want to level up this stew, we LOVE Bold Bean Co. Queen Chickpeas!
Balsamic vinegar – Go for the thickest, richest one you can afford.
Canned tomatoes – Use either chopped or plum tomatoes; both will work here. Crush them in your hands as you add them to the pan.
Coconut milk – Adds a slight creaminess to the stew.

For the spice blend

Ground cumin
Ground coriander
Sweet smoked paprika
Ground turmeric
Dried oregano
Dried red pepper flakes (chili flakes)
Ground cinnamon

For the herb yogurt

Full-fat Greek yogurt – M&S Collection does a lovely one; we like this for a better flavor. You can use a lighter version if you prefer, or a dairy-free version if you’re looking to make this stew vegan.
Lemon juice
Capers – If they come packed in salt rather than brine, make sure you’ve rinsed them really well first.
Fresh dill – Fresh mint or tarragon would be good substitutes here!

Substitutions and variations

Spices: Swap the homemade blend for 1 1/2 tbsp of your favorite Indian-inspired spice mix.

Heat: Add more chili flakes or chili powder, or serve with sliced green chilies.

Herbs: Fresh mint or tarragon work in place of dill.

Vegan: Use a dairy-free yogurt.

How to make tomato and chickpea stew

ONE: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent and soft, about 5–6 minutes. You want it quietly sizzling, so lower the heat if needed.
TWO: Stir the spices together in a bowl, then add them to the onion. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, mashing it into the spices and oil with the back of your spoon.
THREE: Add the garlic and chickpeas and stir for 30 seconds.
FOUR: Add the balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, and coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper.
FIVE: Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes.
SIX: Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, capers, olive oil, dill, and a grind of pepper.
SEVEN: Scoop the stew into bowls and top with a dollop of herby yogurt and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with toasted ciabatta or garlic naan.

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Tips from Margie’s kitchen

Keep the onions gentle: They should sizzle quietly, not brown. Lower the heat if needed.
Mix the spices first: They all go into the pan at once.

Frequently asked questions

Can I add more heat to this tomato chickpea stew?

Yes! Either increase the amount of dried chili flakes, add some dried chili powder, or serve it with sliced green chilies. It’s up to you!

Do I have to serve this stew with bread? Will it work with rice instead?

I like bread as it helps keep this stew a proper one-pot meal, but this would work really well with simple herby coconut rice or fragrant coriander rice instead. Or just by itself for a low-carb option!

Is this tomato chickpea stew vegan?

The stew itself is. For the herby topping, use a dairy-free yogurt.

Can I freeze the tomato and chickpea stew?

Yes, it freezes very well. Just don’t add the herb yogurt until you’re ready to serve it. Let the stew base cool completely, then freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight, and reheat it gently on the stove; you might want to add a little stock.

Other recipes you might enjoy

For more warm, comforting dinner recipes, you’ll want to try my Butter Beans and Feta on Toast and Butternut Squash and Butter Bean Gratin. If you want some extra protein, make this Easy Poached Fish with White Beans and Tomatoes or Simple Crispy Chicken with Tomatoes and Cannellini Beans. And, if you have more chickpeas to use, my Best Ever Hummus with Crispy Chickpeas is a must!

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If you tried this One-Pot Tomato and Chickpea Stew or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!

Healthy One Pot Tomato and Chickpea Stew

By: Margie Nomura

This simple, Indian-inspired Tomato and Chickpea Stew is a deliciously healthy one-pot dinner, ready in just 30 minutes! Serve it with toasted bread, your choice of rice, or just by itself with its herby yogurt topping. And did we mention that it's freezer-friendly, too?

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the stew:

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion , finely diced
1 tbsp tomato paste (tomato puree)
2 garlic cloves , minced
14 oz canned chickpeas , drained and rinsed; about 1 1/2 cups drained
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
7 oz canned chopped tomatoes , about generous 3/4 cup
6.75 fl oz coconut milk , about scant 1 cup
Sea salt and ground black pepper , to taste

For the spice blend:

1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

For the herby yogurt mix:

1 cup Greek full-fat yogurt
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp capers , optional
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil , plus more for drizzling
Freshly ground pepper , to taste
1 tsp chopped dill

–

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook and stir the onions until translucent and quite soft, about 5-6 minutes. You want the onions to be quietly sizzling while they cook, so lower the heat if necessary.
Add the spice blend to a bowl and stir. Pour into the onions and stir. Once the spices are quite fragrant and fully integrated with the onions (about 1 minute), add the tomato paste, mashing it with the back of your spoon into the spices and oil. Add the garlic and chickpeas and stir the mixture for 30 seconds.
Add the balsamic vinegar and tomatoes to the pan and stir. Add the coconut milk and season the stew with salt and pepper.
Bring the chickpeas to a boil, and then lower the heat to a light simmer. Cook the stew for about 10-15 mins.
In a small bowl, mix the yogurt ingredients well.
Scoop into bowls and top with a dollop of the yogurt mixture and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

To freeze: This stew freezes very well. Just don’t add the herb yogurt until you’re ready to serve it. Let the stew base cool completely, then freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight, and reheat it gently on the stove; you might want to add a little stock.

You can replace the spice mix with 1 1/2 tbsp of your favorite Indian-inspired spice mix if you prefer.
If your can of chopped tomatoes is larger (a standard 14.5 oz US can is about double, so use half), you can freeze the rest.

Nutrition

Calories: 286 kcal
, Carbohydrates: 24 g
, Protein: 12 g
, Fat: 17 g
, Saturated Fat: 10 g
, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g
, Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g
, Trans Fat: 0.003 g
, Cholesterol: 3 mg
, Sodium: 466 mg
, Potassium: 550 mg
, Fiber: 6 g
, Sugar: 5 g
, Vitamin A: 473 IU
, Vitamin C: 10 mg
, Calcium: 142 mg
, Iron: 4 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.