Moroccan Chickpea and Butternut Squash Stew

Ingredients

• 🎃Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2 cm cubes600 g
• 🧅Red Onion, finely diced1 onion
• 🧄Garlic, minced3 clove
• 🥕Carrot, peeled and diced small2
• 🥬Celery, thinly sliced2 stalk
• 🫒Avocado Oil2 tbsp
• 🥫Tomato Paste2 tbsp
• 🧂Cumin (ground)2 tsp
• 🧂Coriander (ground)2 tsp
• 🌶️Smoked Paprika1 tsp
• 🧂Cinnamon (ground)1 tsp
• 🫘Chickpeas (dry), cooked until tender and drained200 g
• 🥫Crushed Tomatoes (canned)400 g
• 🧂Vegetable Bouillon Powder2 tsp
• 💧Water, hot400 ml
• 🍋Lemon, juiced1
• 🌿Flat-Leaf Parsley, chopped10 g
• 🧂Kosher Saltto taste
• 🧂Black Pepper (ground)to taste

Contains Celery, Dairy, Garlic, Gluten, Onion. AI-generated, checked against common allergens; always check labels.

Method

1. 1

   Cut the squash

   Peel the Butternut Squash, split it in half, scoop out the seeds, and cut the flesh into neat 2 cm cubes on a chopping board. Keep the pieces even so they soften at the same pace later; if a few are larger, trim them down now rather than leaving the stew half tender and half firm.

   8 min
2. 2

   Dice the aromatics

   Finely dice the Red Onion, mince the Garlic Cloves, peel and dice the Carrot, and slice the Celery thinly so everything cooks at the same speed. Aim for small, even pieces that will melt into the stew rather than stay crunchy; if the onion tears your eyes, pause and give the board a quick wipe so you can keep the cuts tidy.

   7 min
3. 3

   Start the base

   Set a large heavy-based pot over medium heat with the Avocado Oil and let it shimmer, then add the Red Onion, Carrot, and Celery. Stir with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes until the vegetables look glossy, the onion turns translucent, and the edges start to soften; if they catch, lower the heat and keep them moving so they sweat instead of browning hard.

   5 min
4. 4

   Toast the spices

   Stir the Garlic Cloves into the pot and cook for about 30 seconds, just until the aroma turns sweet and the raw edge fades. Add the Tomato Paste, Ground Cumin, Coriander (ground), Smoked Paprika, and Cinnamon (ground), then stir constantly for about 1 minute until the paste darkens slightly and smells rich and warm; if the garlic starts to catch, splash in a spoonful of Water and lower the heat for a moment.

   2 min
5. 5

   Build the stew

   Add the Butternut Squash, Chickpeas (dry), Crushed Tomatoes (canned), Vegetable Bouillon Powder, and Water to the pot, then stir firmly from the bottom so the toasted paste dissolves into the liquid. Bring it up to a lively simmer over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the stew turns an even orange-red and you can hear steady bubbling across the surface; if the bottom looks sticky, scrape it gently with the spoon before it scorches.

   5 min
6. 6

   Simmer until tender

   Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot partially, and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes so nothing sticks to the base. The squash is ready when the cubes are tender at the edges but still hold their shape, and the chickpeas have taken on the spice colour; if the pot looks dry before then, add a splash of Water and keep the simmer gentle.

   15 min
7. 7

   Finish bright

   Turn off the heat and stir in the Lemon juice, Kosher Salt, and Black Pepper (ground), then fold through the Flat-Leaf Parsley. Let the stew sit for about 2 minutes so the flavours settle and the parsley stays vivid; if the lemon seems sharp at first, wait a moment before adding more salt, because the sauce will taste rounder as it rests.

   2 min
8. 8

   Spoon and serve

   Ladle the stew into warm bowls, making sure each portion gets plenty of squash and chickpeas as well as sauce. Serve it right away while the surface is still steaming and the broth looks thick and glossy; if it has tightened up in the pot, loosen it with a small splash of Water before you divide it.

   1 min

Nutrition per serving