Freezer Friendly Moroccan Chickpea Stew

Serving meatless meals is a great way to save money while meal prepping. And when it comes to vegetarian recipes, you can’t go wrong with soup! This flavorful Moroccan chickpea stew is a delicious vegan dinner idea that’s sure to be a hit with your family. And since it’s made with chickpeas and tons of veggies, it’s also a hearty dinner you can prepare a head of time and freeze until you’re ready to start cooking.We were visiting our son and his fiancé in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada when we first heard of Moroccan Chickpea Stew. On a hotel restaurant menu, there were the usual egg dishes and pancakes and such, but we spotted something that seemed out of place, a vegetarian stew. The waitress assured us it was the best choice so my husband and I both ordered it, him with poached eggs on top and me without.

The waitress was absolutely right. It was flavorful and unique. The dish came with crusty bread on the side for dipping in the remaining sauce and we ate every last bite!

I was determined to develop my own version of the recipe so that we could add it into our freezer meal rotation and this is the resulting recipe. 

Moroccan Chickpea Stew Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1-2 sweet potatoes, cubed into 1 inch cubes
  
• 19 ounces chickpeas, drained
  
• 28 ounces diced tomatoes
  
• 12 black Kalamata olives
  
• 1 cup vegetable broth
  
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  
• 2 teaspoons cumin
  
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
  
• 1 teaspoon paprika
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Assembly Instructions:

1. Combine the onion, garlic, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, diced tomatoes, olives, vegetable broth, brown sugar, cumin, curry powder, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a large freezer bag. Squeeze the ingredients together to mix.
2. Remove excess air from the bag and seal to close the bag. Freeze the ingredients until you’re ready to prepare the stew.

Cooking instructions:

1. Transfer the soup ingredients to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
2. Pour the contents of the bag into a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the onions are tender, between two to four hours.
3. To cook the ingredients in the slow cooker, transfer everything to the bowl of the crockpot. Set to cook on high for four hours.

How Do You Store Moroccan Chickpea Stew?

Your family is going to love this flavorful soup, which means it’s perfect for leftovers. If you have soup leftover after dinner, it should be stored in the refrigerator. Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to five days.

To reheat your stew, place it in the microwave or heat the leftovers on the stovetop until they’re warmed through.

Can I Freeze Cooked Stew?

Freezing the ingredients for your stew is a great way to speed up the prep work of your dinner. But if you want to make cooking even easier, you can also cook the stew before you freeze it.

Follow the instructions for cooking the stew on the stovetop or in the slow cooker. After the soup is cooked, remove the pan from the heat source and allow the stew to cool completely.

Once the ingredients are fully cooled, you can transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag for storage.

When you’re ready to eat your frozen soup, make sure to thaw it safely in the refrigerator. After that, you can warm it up in the microwave for around two minutes. Or transfer the soup ingredients to a pan on the stovetop. Cook over medium low heat until the ingredients are warmed through.

How Long is Frozen Stew Good For?

This chick pea stew is perfect for meal prepping because all the ingredients are freezer friendly. When your stew ingredients are stored properly, they’ll stay good for up to six months when frozen. Make sure to store the ingredients in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Before sealing the bag, make sure to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn.

Before you place the Moroccan stew ingredients in the freezer, don’t forget to write the name of the recipe, the date of freezing and the expected expiration date on the bag. That way, you’ll be sure to make your stew before it goes bad.

Can I Make Moroccan Stew with Dried Chickpeas?

Using canned chickpeas is a great way to speed up the prep work of your dinner. That’s because all you have to do is drain and rinse the canned beans before you combine them with the rest of your soup ingredients.

But if you don’t have any canned chickpeas or prefer to make your own from scratch, you can also use dried chickpeas to make your stew. Start by cooking the chickpeas according to the instructions on the package.

Once the chickpeas are cooked, make sure to allow them to cool completely. After that, you can combine the cooked beans with the rest of the stew ingredients before freezing them for later use.

What to Serve with Moroccan Chickpea Stew?

Since this delicious stew is made with a variety of veggies, it’s already packed with flavor. That means it can be difficult to know what to serve with your soup when dinner time rolls around. Try these side dish and topping ideas to create a full meal for your family’s dinner.

• Rice
• Quinoa
• Lentils
• Thick bread or Naan
• Poached eggs
• Yogurt or sour cream

Some of our other vegetarian freezer meals:

• African Thai Stew
• Chana Masala
• Asian Rice Bowl
• Chickpea and Vegetable Curry
• Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas