Middle Eastern Lentil Chickpea Stew (Print View)

A hearty stew featuring lentils, chickpeas, sumac, and fresh parsley simmered to comforting perfection.

# Components:

→ Legumes

01 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
02 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 medium carrots, diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced

→ Spices & Seasonings

08 - 1 ½ teaspoons ground sumac
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - ½ teaspoon ground coriander
11 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
14 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

→ Liquids

15 - 4 cups vegetable broth
16 - 1 cup water
17 - Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)

→ Fresh Herbs & Garnish

18 - ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
19 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic, diced carrots, and celery. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables start to soften.
03 - Mix in sumac, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and optional cayenne. Cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
04 - Add lentils, chickpeas, vegetable broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until lentils are tender.
05 - Stir in lemon juice and half of the chopped parsley. Cook uncovered for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Taste and adjust salt or pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls, garnish with remaining parsley and lemon wedges, and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like it simmered for hours, but your hands stay free after just fifty minutes.
  • Sumac does something magic—no need to squeeze lemon into every spoonful when the sourness is already woven through.
  • Vegan and naturally gluten-free, yet nobody at the table notices what's missing because there's too much to taste.
02 -
  • Sumac is not optional unless you genuinely cannot find it—it's the voice that makes this recipe unmistakably Middle Eastern, not just another lentil soup.
  • Tasting the broth matters: if it's very salty, use less salt in the stew because legumes concentrate flavors as they cook.
03 -
  • If sumac is hard to find, check Middle Eastern markets, specialty grocers, or online retailers—once you have it, you'll use it constantly on everything from roasted vegetables to yogurt.
  • The stew tastes better the next day when the flavors have settled and deepened, so don't hesitate to make it ahead of time and reheat it gently.
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