Introducing my Creamy Chickpea Stew, where chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, step into the culinary limelight! This mouthwatering dish is ready in less than 30 minutes and is not just delicious but also a testament to the magic of cooking—proving you can create a lusciously cream sauce without a single drop of heavy cream or any dairy in sight.

Picture this: In a wide, deep skillet, caramelized onions mingle with fragrant garlic, and the vibrant essence of fire-roasted diced tomatoes. A can of drained chickpeas joins the party, adding that extra “oomph” to the flavor symphony, creating a savory crescendo. Now, here’s where the real enchantment happens: Blend those two cans of chickpeas, complete with their liquid (called aqua faba) into a silky elixir, add to the skillet and behold as the stew undergoes a magical transformation, turning into a creamy masterpiece.

Season it with a dash of salt, a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper, and a generous handful of freshly chopped basil to achieve a symphony of flavors. And should you choose – top with grated parmesan or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast to bring this over the top.

Whether you’re on a quest to explore more plant-based meals or simply craving healthy comfort food, I’m pretty sure you’ll be coming back for seconds!

Recipe notes:
• Use a large, wide skillet. Mine is ~11 inches across.

• I strongly recommend using canned “fire-roasted” diced tomatoes, as they add more flavor than plain canned diced tomatoes.

• You’ll need a total of three cans chickpeas: one can will be rinsed and drained. Two cans are blended with their liquid (called aqua faba) to create a creamy, velvety texture without having to use heavy cream. If you are unfamiliar with aqua faba, it’s perfectly safe to consume and blends up beautifully to create a thick texture. It prevents the need for vegetable broth and works like a charm!

• If your blender isn’t big enough to puree both chickpea cans (+ liquid) at the same time, you can do it in two batches, and pour each into the skillet when it’s done blending.

• You can transform this into a fully creamed version, by pureeing all three cans of chickpeas, and then adding to the skillet after the tomatoes have simmered.

• Season to your heart’s content—the possibilities are endless! Add extra ground black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes for heat, minced fresh or dried herbs like basil, rosemary, oregano, etc. And adding grated parmesan or nutritional yeast at the end really makes this stew sing!