Kale and chickpea stew is healthy comfort food at its finest. Whole foods, gluten-free, easy vegetarian and vegan options. Make-ahead and meal prep-friendly. Ready in an hour.
Why we love this recipe
I created this recipe years ago for Serious Eats, on a night when I didn't have much wherewithal — or many ingredients — left at the end of the day. It turned out so well that it's become a regular not just in our family's rotation but in many of yours. This stew is:
- Full of deep, rich flavor
- Equally full of nutrients
- Gluten-free, with easy vegetarian and vegan options
- A big, hearty batch which you can easily halve if you prefer
- Great for a party or for a couple of family dinners
- Ready to keep well throughout the week, only improving in flavor
What you'll need
Here's a glance at the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe.
- I especially love using basmati brown rice, but any long-grain brown rice is fine.
- Lacinato kale (sometimes called dinosaur kale) is easy to work with, but you can use any variety that you like.
- Any good vegetable or chicken broth (or homemade stock if you've got it) is great. Use veggie broth if you're cooking for vegans or vegetarians.
- The parmesan cheese rind adds a ton of flavor to this dish, but it's optional. Parmigiano-Reggiano is not vegetarian, so use a vegetarian parmesan if that matters to you. Leave it out to make this dish vegan.
How to make it
Here's an overview of what you'll do to make a great batch of this healthy comfort food stew. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- First you'll sauté the onion, carrots, and garlic in the olive oil.
- Add the rice and stir to coat, then stir in the tomato paste. After that you'll add the tomatoes and broth, herbs and spices, and the parmesan rind. Bring it to a boil, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Add the kale and chickpeas.
- Cover and cook for 15 minutes more, or until the rice is tender. That's it!
Expert tips and FAQs
Yes, this recipe is perfect for making in advance. The flavors will only improve as it rests. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to a week. The rice will continue to absorb any liquid, so if you like, you can thin it with a bit of additional broth when reheating.
More favorite healthy comfort food stews
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Kale and Chickpea Stew
Kale and chickpea stew is healthy comfort food at its finest. Whole foods, gluten-free, easy vegetarian and vegan options. Make-ahead and meal prep-friendly. Ready in an hour.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¾ cup (135 grams) uncooked basmati brown rice
- 1 tablespoon (16 grams) double-concentrated tomato paste
- 1 28-ounce (794-gram) can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups (945 ml) chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
- ½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 piece parmesan cheese rind
- 2 bunches lacinato kale, stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 15.5-ounce (439-gram) cans chickpeas
- Grated parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In large, heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add onions, carrots, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, one minute more.
- Add rice and stir to coat lightly with oil.
- Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for one minute.
- Add tomatoes, broth, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, and cheese rind if using. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover tightly, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for 25 minutes.
- Add kale and chickpeas, re-cover pot, raise heat to return liquid to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes more.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with grated cheese if you like.
Notes
- I especially love using basmati brown rice, but any long-grain brown rice is fine.
- Lacinato kale (sometimes called dinosaur kale) is easy to work with, but you can use any variety that you like.
- Any good vegetable or chicken broth (or homemade stock if you've got it) is great. Use veggie broth if you're cooking for vegans or vegetarians.
- The parmesan cheese rind adds a ton of flavor to this dish, but it's optional. Parmigiano-Reggiano is not vegetarian, so use a vegetarian parmesan if that matters to you. Leave it out to make this dish vegan.
- This recipe is perfect for making in advance. The flavors will only improve as it rests. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to a week. The rice will continue to absorb any liquid, so if you like, you can thin it with a bit of additional broth when reheating.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 242Total Fat: 5.1gCarbohydrates: 42.7gFiber: 8.3gProtein: 9.4g
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G says
Thanks for the great recipe! Wanted to note that you show salt in the photo of ingredients but never mention it in the recipe itself. We found a bit of salt was needed to round out the flavors - we added it as finishing seasoning, but next time (and we'll definitely be making this again) I think we'll put it in with the broth so it infuses the rice as it cooks too. We didn't measure but it was probably 6-ish twists of a sea salt grinder in a half-recipe.
Carolyn Gratzer Cope says
Oh my, thanks so much for catching that. I've added the salt to the ingredient list and the instructions. It takes a village! xx