This shawarma-spiced chickpea stew is my Persian-meets–Middle Eastern spin on chana masala, and simmered into something far more luxurious than the sum of its parts. Coconut cream creates a silky, rich base that clings to every chickpea, while dried fenugreek, heaps of sabzi (cilantro and parsley), and a splash of pomegranate molasses add bright, tangy depth that balances the warmth of the shawarma spices.

It’s delicious on it’s own, but you can also serve it over a bed of steamed basmati rice.

A white bowl of shawarma chickpea stew, garnished with a golden spoon, is placed next to lime wedges. The stew contains chickpeas, potatoes, and dark greens in a creamy, golden sauce.

🌟Why you’ll love this recipe

  • During recipe testing, I kept inching up the amount of shawarma seasoning, landing at a bold ¼ cup, which might sound like a lot, but it’s just right once the coconut cream mellows and rounds out the spices.
  • I also couldn’t stop adding herbs; two full bunches (parsley and cilantro) finally gave me the lush, green depth I was craving. Maybe it’s my love for herb-heavy dishes like ash-e jo and ghormeh sabzi, but I promise you that here, the herbs make the stew sing.

🧾Ingredients in this recipe

Overhead shot of ingredients for Shawarma Chickpea Stew laid out, including chopped onions, chard, dried spices, pomegranate momlasses, coconut cream in a can, vegetable broth, oil, chickpeas, chopped garlic, chopped potatoes, and fresh herbs.
  • chard – I’ve tested this recipe with all kinds of greens and do not recommend substituting with other greens. Spinach ends up getting lost in the stew, and kale is a little too firm. If you must substitute with kale, make sure you massage it before adding it to the stew.
  • parsley – you can use curly or flat leaf parsley in this recipe.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

👩‍🍳How to Make This Recipe

  • Close-up of diced onions being sautéed in a light blue dutch oven with a wooden spoon.
    In a large pot over medium heat, add oil, chopped onions, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are completely translucent, tender, and browned, about 10–15 minutes.
  • Chopped herbs and garlic sautéing with onions in a light blue dutch oven.
    Stir in the garlic, chopped parsley, and cilantro. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the herbs are wilted and any excess moisture has evaporated.
  • Spices, herbs, garlic, and onions being stirred together in a light blue dutch oven.
    Add the shawarma seasoning and dried fenugreek and stir constantly for about 1 minute, until the spices are fragrant and toasty.
  • A creamy, yellowish stew base with small chunks of potatoes, chickpeas, and flecks of green herbs in a light blue dutch oven.
    Add the chickpeas, diced potatoes, coconut cream, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
  • A creamy stew base with chunks of potatoes, chickpeas, and flecks of green herbs in a light blue dutch oven.
    Cover the pot and cook on a very low simmer for 30 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle bubble. Uncover the pot, stir in the pomegranate molasses, and continue simmering uncovered for another 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to deepen and the stew to thicken. Taste the broth and season with more salt to taste.
  • Shawarma chickpea stew with potatoes, chickpeas, and wilted dark green chard simmering in a creamy sauce in a light blue dutch oven.
    Once the potatoes are perfectly tender, stir in the chopped chard green. Simmer for another 10 minutes until the greens are tender.

🏆 Manage the liquid

Cartoon version of a woman in a pink dress with a flower and curly dark hair.

Candice Recommends

Prefer a thicker, stew-like consistency? Simmer the pot uncovered a bit longer to reduce the liquid. Want it more soup-like? Just stir in up to 1 cup of vegetable broth. It’s easy to adjust the texture to suit your taste, just let your ladle be your guide.

A wooden spoon lifts a scoop of the finished shawarma chickpea stew from the light blue dutch oven, showing chickpeas, potatoes, and dark greens in a creamy sauce.

🥗 What to serve with this recipe

You don’t need much and can serve this stew as a stand-alone meal. If you’d like to zhoosh it up a bit, add a side of sabzi khordan, some basmati rice, and a salad.

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A white bowl of shawarma chickpea stew, garnished with a golden spoon, is placed next to lime wedges. The stew contains chickpeas, potatoes, and dark greens in a creamy, golden sauce.
Author: Candice Walker

Shawarma-Spiced Chickpea Stew

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A creamy, herb-packed chickpea stew infused with Persian and Middle Eastern flavors like pomegranate molasses and shawarma spices.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Main, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Indian, Persian
Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 217kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp oil canola, vegetable, or a light olive
  • 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
  • 1 bunch cilantro bare stems removed and minced
  • 1 bunch parsley stems removed and minced
  • ¼ cup shawarma seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon fenugreek dry
  • 2 15-oz. can chickpeas or 1 cup dry*
  • 1 lb. yukon gold potatoes peeled, and cut into large dice
  • 1 15-oz. can coconut cream
  • 2.5 cups vegetable stock 3 cups, about 2 cans
  • 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 1 bunch rainbow chard stemmed and rough chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • Lime wedges optional, for serving

Instructions

  • In a large pot over medium heat, add oil, chopped onions, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are completely translucent, tender, and browned, about 10–15 minutes.
    2 tbsp oil, 1 yellow onion, Salt
  • Stir in the garlic, chopped parsley, and cilantro. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the herbs are wilted and any excess moisture has evaporated.
    2 cloves garlic, 1 bunch cilantro, 1 bunch parsley
  • Add the shawarma seasoning and dried fenugreek and stir constantly for about 1 minute, until the spices are fragrant and toasty.
    1/4 cup shawarma seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
  • Add the chickpeas, diced potatoes, coconut cream, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
    2 15-oz. can chickpeas, 1 15-oz. can coconut cream, 1 lb. yukon gold potatoes, 2.5 cups vegetable stock
  • Cover the pot and cook on a very low simmer for 30 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle bubble.
    Uncover the pot, stir in the pomegranate molasses, and continue simmering uncovered for another 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to deepen and the stew to thicken. Taste the broth and season with more salt to taste.
    1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • Once the potatoes are perfectly tender, stir in the chopped chard green. Simmer for another 10 minutes until the greens are tender.
    1 bunch rainbow chard

Notes

* To cook the dry chickpeas: (1) Using an Instant Pot, pressure cook with 1 quart of water on high for 45 minutes before venting, or (2) Soak the chickpeas overnight, then simmer in fresh water for 2 hours before adding them to the recipe.
To serve, ladle into bowls and serve hot with a wedge of lime for brightness.

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 884mg | Potassium: 925mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 6380IU | Vitamin C: 67mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 4mg
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.

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