Harissa Chickpea Stew with Aubergine

This delicious vegan chickpea stew gets a kick of spice from the harissa paste and is bulked out with aubergine and a rich tomato sauce. Aubergine stew is healthy and so easy to make!

I can't get over how good this stew is! Or that it's vegan, gluten free and just generally super good for you 💕

We've really overindulged this Christmas. I mean that's fine - it's what you're meant to do over the festive season and we had a lovely time but now I'm back at work and ready to reel it back in somewhat. 

I don't like to get too controlling with what I eat so when I've been eating and drinking a lot for a few weeks I just like to start serving up healthy dinners like this harissa aubergine stew to keep me full and satisfied.

Oh, and speaking of which, I just posted 31 healthy dinner recipes to make in January and there are some amazing ideas in there for getting things back on track this month.

Anyway, back to this stew, it's one of those super simple recipes which uses a few really flavourful ingredients to make something really delicious.

Harissa is one of my absolute favourite ingredients to add so much flavour to all kinds of dishes. It works really well in this sheet pan harissa chicken and potatoes as well as a dressing ingredient for this harissa halloumi salad.

I'll link to my favourite brand below but if you'd like to make your own then Simply Delicious has a wonderful recipe for homemade harissa.

Why we love this recipe

It's a healthy vegan recipe which is perfect for serving up for an easy weeknight dinner guaranteed to warm you up

This stew is also gluten free so it's great for anyone with dietary restrictions

It's easy to customise according to what you like and you can add any extra veggies you like to make it even healthier

There's also so many ways you can serve this stew whether it's with rice, couscous or another grain of your choosing, it's super versatile

Ingredients:

• Chickpeas: I used tinned ones drained and rinsed but feel free to soak and cook dried ones if you prefer
• Aubergine: One of my favourite vegetables and the perfect one for bulking up healthy stews like this one. If you love it too then check out all my other aubergine recipes or try this aubergine parmigiana
• Harissa Paste: Store bought or homemade
• Herbs: I love to stir through a big bunch of fresh herbs at the end of cooking, I went with parsley and dill but any leafy herbs would work well. Leftover dill can be used in these salmon burgers
• Lemon Juice: The perfect thing to add a little zing just before serving

How to make it

1. Cook the vegetables: Heat the oil and add the onion then cook for 5 minutes and add the aubergine and garlic.
2. Add the liquids: Stir the harissa paste into the vegetables then pour in the stock and tomatoes.
3. Simmer: Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes then add the chickpeas, juice of a lemon and chopped herbs.
4. Serve!

Variations:

• Add more vegetables: If you want to up the veg content then I think some spinach or kale stirred through the stew would be really delicious
• Use different herbs: I think a handful of fresh herbs stirred through at the end of cooking really brings this stew to life, if you're not a fan of dill and parsley then try coriander or basil
• Switch up the flavour: Instead of harissa you could try some different spices, smoked paprika would be so good

FAQs

How long does it take to cook aubergine in a stew?

The best thing about this stew is how soft and tender the aubergine is. It takes about half an hour to get the aubergine soft and ready to eat.

How do you prepare aubergines before cooking?

In the past recipes would instruct you to salt aubergine before cooking to remove any bitterness but that isn't really necessary any more. Simply chop and you're ready to cook!

Want more? Try these other vegan recipes!

• Vegan Lemon Risotto
• Roasted Red Pepper Soup with White Beans
• Vegan Enchiladas
• Vegetable Tagine with Chickpeas
• 15 Minute Chilli Garlic Brown Rice Noodles
• Pressure Cooker Curry with Potato & Aubergine

Or try out some of these other chickpea recipes!

Harissa Chickpea Stew with Aubergine

This delicious vegan stew gets a kick of spice from the harissa paste and is bulked out with aubergine and a rich tomato sauce. It's healthy and so easy to make! 

4.67 from 12 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: African

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 304kcal

Author: Amy Fulwood

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Onion chopped
• 1 Aubergine chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic crushed
• 2 tablespoon Harissa Paste
• 1 400g tin Chickpeas
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 400g tin Chopped Tomatoes
• 250 ml Vegetable Stock
• 1 Lemon
• Bunch Parsley chopped
• Bunch Dill chopped

UK Measures - US Measures

Instructions

• Heat the oil over a medium heat and add the onion, cook for 5 minutes then add the aubergine and garlic. Fry until everything is softened. Add the harissa pasta and stir so that all the vegetables are coated then add the tomatoes and stock.
• Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes until the aubergine is really soft then add the chickpeas and the juice of a lemon. Stir parsley and dill through. Serve over couscous or another grain of your choice.

Nutrition Facts

Harissa Chickpea Stew with Aubergine

Amount Per Serving

Calories 304 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Sodium 504mg21%

Potassium 855mg24%

Carbohydrates 46g15%

Fiber 13g52%

Sugar 14g16%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 355IU7%

Vitamin C 31.4mg38%

Calcium 108mg11%

Iron 4.4mg24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

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