A Warming and Hearty Vegetarian Slow Cooker Stew
This healthy slow cooker Tunisian Lentil Stew with Crispy Chickpeas couldn’t be easier to make. It is delightfully simple and comes together in a flash. Some days are destined for slow cooker meals, and yesterday, for me, was one of them. I didn’t have it in me to prepare the enchiladas that I’d planned, so I opted for something a bit faster. I whipped up a batch of this delicious and massively low-maintenance Tunisian-style stew instead.
The ingredient list may look a little lengthy to you at first blush, but most are things that you probably already have on hand (spices, olive oil, garlic, onions, pepper, etc.) and all you have to do is throw everything in the slow cooker and go about your business. Yes, this is one of THOSE recipes.
It happens to be vegetarian and, if you nix the cheese and yogurt, it’s suddenly a vegan thing. I enjoy recipes that conjure up the feeling that I might be somewhere deliciously exotic and warm – and this recipe accomplishes that.
It’s the tell-tale combo of gorgeous North African spices that get the credit. The cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and coriander play so well together. I also like to add a generous couple of teaspoons of smoked paprika to the mix, and this wouldn’t be a proper Tunisian-style stew without some Harissa …
What is Harissa?
Sometimes referred to as “Tunisia’s main condiment,” harissa is a spicy Tunisian chili paste. It sports a distinctive bright red color, and is served with many meals as a dip or spread, or as an ingredient in soups and stews. Harissa paste is also used to give deep flavor to couscous, or as a rub for meat and vegetables.
This traditional condiment has regional variations, with the simplest versions consisting of just chilis, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Extras such as cumin, coriander, lemon, onions, tomato are used sometimes, and variations from some Saharan regions often possess a smokey flavor. Harissa is a common ingredient in other Middle Eastern cuisines as well – in Israel it is often used as a topping for shawarma and in Morocco, you will see it served as a condiment alongside tagines.
Tunisia, however, is the world’s largest exporter of prepared harissa and as such, this fantastic and easy recipe wouldn’t be complete without it.
This recipe would go beautifully with either of the following (for sopping):
Restaurant Style Homemade Naan
Alison Roman’s Sour Cream Flatbread
Tunisian Lentil Stew with Crispy Chickpeas
This hearty, warming vegetarian stew is packed with healthy components and easily comes together in a slow cooker. Make it as thick or as thin as you like by tailoring the amount of broth you add, and be sure to sop up all of the juices with some soft and fluffy flatbread, such as naan or pita.
- Yield: about 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
· 2 Tbsp olive oil divided
· 1.5 cups green lentils
· 1 small sweet onion diced
· 3 carrots thinly sliced
· 3 garlic cloves minced or grated
· 1-inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated
· 1 red orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
· 1/2 tsp cinnamon
· 1 tsp turmeric
· 2 tsp ground cumin
· 2 tsp ground coriander
· 2 tsp smoked paprika
· 2 TBSP harissa (check in your store’s international aisle)
· 4 cups vegetable broth, can sub chicken broth (or more if you want a thinner stew)
- 14.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
· 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce (optional and totally inauthentic, but delicious)
· 14.5-ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained
· Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
OPTIONAL SERVING SUGGESTIONS
· Plain Greek yogurt for serving
· Crumbled goat cheese for serving
· Finely chopped pistachios for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Add 1 TBSP of the oil to the sleeve of a slow cooker. Next, add the lentils, onion, carrots, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika, harissa, broth, coconut milk, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and give it all a good stir. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 6 to 8. If the stew looks too thick when it’s done, simply add some water until your desired consistency is reached (thicker than a soup, thinner than baked beans).
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Put the chickpeas onto a baking sheet and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Season well with salt and pepper and roast until they’ve crisped up a bit and taken on a golden brown color; about 15 to 20 minutes (they will shrivel and shrink on you).
- When your stew is done, ladle into bowls and top with some Greek yogurt, crumbled goat cheese, chopped pistachios and some crispy roasted chickpeas. Serve with some buttered, warm naan or flatbread and enjoy!
