Chickpea Lentil Quinoa Spinach Stew
This super delicious chickpea lentil spinach stew is an easy, 1-pan dinner. Lentils, quinoa, and chickpeas cook together in a spinach puree. With only 10 minutes of active cooking time, this is a perfect, high-protein, weeknight dinner.
- 1/4 cup red lentils (masoor dal)
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 15 ounce can chickpeas (or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas, safed chana)
- 1 teaspoon oil (or sauté in broth for oil-free)
- 1/2 cup red onion (finely chopped or thinly sliced)
- 1 mild green chili (finely chopped, optional)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala (or more)
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 large tomatoes
- 2 cups packed spinach (add more for greener soup, use about 3 oz frozen)
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1" ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns (or add black pepper later)
- 2 cups water (or veggie stock, divided)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon raw sugar or other sweetener
- 2 tablespoons chopped cashews ((omit for nut-free))
- non-dairy yogurt or non-dairy cream, crushed pepper flakes, and more cashews or hemp seeds (for garnish)
- Wash and drain the lentils and quinoa and keep ready. Drain the chickpeas and keep ready.
- In a pan, add oil, onions, and green chili and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the spices and mix well and cook for a minute.
- Meanwhile, blend the tomato, spinach, garlic, ginger, and peppercorns with 1/2 cup or more water into a smooth puree. Add to the pan and mix well. Add the lentils, quinoa, and chickpeas and mix. Add salt, sugar, and the remaining 1.5 cups water, mix and cover and cook for 20 minutes. Stir once in between. Add cashew pieces and mix in, taste and adjust salt and spice. Add water or non dairy milk if needed for soupier consistency and bring to a boil.
- Serve hot topped with garnishes of choice such as hemp seeds, pepper flakes, non dairy yogurt, and bread, crackers, flatbread, or naan for dipping.
It’s got lots of delicious Indian curry flavors that make it so addictive and satisfying.
I took inspiration from the spinach curry from my Palak tofu and used that as the sauce for this stew! The greens get blended as the sauce so they can’t be picked out! The puréed greens cooked with spices also takes away the green-y flavor! This stew is an easy 1 pot hearty meal. There’s protein from the lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, nuts or seeds! And if you serve with whole grain flatbread or bread, there’s protein there too!
You can make chickpea lentil spinach stew on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. You’ll find directions for both in the recipe card. I also have step-by-step directions with pictures for the stovetop method. It’s very similar to what you do in the Instant Pot, though, so the photos should help you with either method.
This deeply seasoned, curried stew is fragrant, filling, and a perfect dinner on a chilly evening!
Why You’ll Love Chickpea Lentil Quinoa Spinach Stew
- 1 pot, 1 bowl meal
- protein packed with 21 grams of protein per bowl
- lots of sneaky veggies from the spinach-tomato puree
- naturally gluten-free and soy-free with easy nut-free option
