COOK: Hearty Chilean Chickpea and Swiss Chard Stew with Paprika Oil

• Hearty Chickpea and Chard Stew Ingredients
• Garlic-Infused Paprika Oil Ingredients
• Kitchen Equipment Needed
• How to Make Hearty Chilean Chickpea & Chard Stew and Garlic-Paprika Oil
• Storage & Serving Ideas
• Hearty Chilean Chickpea and Swiss Chard Stew with Paprika Oil

This Chilean recipe (guiso de garbanzos con acelga) combines hearty chickpeas, onions, carrots, garlic, and greens in a flavorful vegetarian stew. It is thickened with chickpea puree, and garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of garlic-infused paprika oil, reflecting the dish’s Spanish origins.

It’s thick, rich, and satisfying, and can even be made vegan if you prefer! It’s a budget-friendly meal that can be made in advance, and freezes well. Make a double or triple batch to portion and fill deli containers or Souper cubes for simple meal prep!

The recipe as written will make four hearty adult entree portions, or six to eight smaller lunch or first course soup portions. This chickpea stew makes a great vegetarian meal, with a dinner roll, some buttermilk flatbread or tortillas, or freshly baked bread. It also makes a great starter course before grilled shrimp, fish, or meat, or pair it with chilled Chilean quinoa salad, a green salad, or crispy slaw.

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Hearty Chickpea and Chard Stew Ingredients

Chickpeas:

This recipe is written for soaked dried chickpeas. I recommend using these for the best flavor and consistency, but you could substitute canned or pre-cooked chickpeas for a shortcut or easier preparation.

You’ll need two 15 oz cans to substitute for the two cups of dry chickpeas in the recipe if you’re taking this shortcut, plus additional hot water or broth to thin the soup.

Swiss chard:

You can use plain green chard, red or rainbow chard for a more colorful stew. Wash the greens well and shake or pat them dry. Cut the chard tops into a wide chiffonade to make ribbons of greens.

Trim back the larger stems, and either chop them into small dice to saute with the onions, or save them for another recipe (they make tasty quick refrigerator pickles, or can be chopped and sauteed, then added to pasta or grain salads. Or, cut the stems into long strips, then bread them or dip in tempura batter, then fry them and served as an appetizer, like zucchini).

Carrot:

Use one large (or two to three medium or small) carrots. Wash them, then peel them before grating them coarsely, or chopping into very small dice. You’ll want about one cup of grated or finely diced onion.

Onion:

I usually make this with yellow onions, but you can use white or red onions here. Use enough to make one and a half cups of finely chopped onion (about one jumbo onion, one and a half large, or two-three medium to small onions).

Broth or Stock:

You can use vegetable stock to make this stew vegetarian or vegan, or a light chicken or turkey stock for a richer flavor. You can also use hot water and good quality bouillon base or powder. If you use bouillon, reduce the salt in the recipe and adjust to taste, since the cubes or paste are quite salty.

Parmesan (or vegan alternatives):

The soup is topped with a garnish of cheese before serving, which adds umami and a nutty flavor. Use good quality grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor, but you can use regular grated Parmesan or a Romano cheese blend if needed.

You can omit this or serve it on the side to keep the chickpea stew vegan. Try using a shake of nutritional yeast flakes and a sprinkle of flaky Maldon salt, or toasted breadcrumbs instead of the cheese if you can’t have dairy.

Seasonings:

This stew is seasoned with ground cumin, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.

Garlic-Infused Paprika Oil Ingredients

This brightly colored infused oil is delicious drizzled on this stew, but you’ll find other ways to use this to add a pop of color and flavor to a dish! I love it drizzled on butter-basted fried eggs, garlic humous, a bowl of tender white beans, or just to fry simple garlic-toasts.

Oil:

You can make this with a light olive oil, neutral vegetable oil, or avocado oil. You can also use good-quality lard if you don’t need the soup to be vegetarian and want an even richer flavor.

Garlic:

You’ll want to use fresh garlic to infuse your paprika oil for the best flavor. Use a single large clove, crushed, or two smaller cloves.

Paprika:

Use ground sweet paprika for a neutral flavor, or a mix of smoked and sweet paprika for a smoky flavor. Add a bit of hot paprika to spice things up!

Kitchen Equipment Needed

Soup pot, Instant pot, or crock pot:

You can make this soup in a large pot on the stove top, or use an Instant pot (saute setting and the soup setting), or even a crock pot if you aren’t in a hurry. You may want a second pot to cook the chickpeas (unless you’re using canned ones), or a saute pan for the onions and vegetables if you are making the stew in a crock pot.

Food processor, blender, or immersion blender:

This chickpea stew is thickened by blending some of the chickpeas with some of their cooking liquid. You can do this in a food processor or blender, or use an immersion blender in a wide-mouth quart jar or smaller pot.

How to Make Hearty Chilean Chickpea & Chard Stew and Garlic-Paprika Oil

one: soak chickpeas

• Pick over the chickpeas, rinse them, and then place them in a pot.
• Cover with cold water to cover by at least 1″-2″.
• Let soak in a cool place overnight or for at least 8 hours.
• Alternately, use the quick soak method from our post on canning dried beans.
• If you need to soak the beans for more than 8 hours, change the cold water at least once, and refrigerate the pot if possible so that the chickpeas do not start to ferment.

two: cook chickpeas

• Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and put them in a heavy soup pot or Instant Pot.
• Add the 5 cups of water and the bay leaf.
• Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Skim any foam that rises to the surface.
• Reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer the chickpeas until tender, about 50 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.
• If the water level drops below the surface of the chickpeas, top it up with the chicken or vegetable broth, or just enough boiling water to keep them covered.

three: puree chickpeas

• Measure out two cups of the cooked chickpeas, along with about one cup of the cooking liquid or broth.
• Puree these chickpeas in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.
• This will be added back to thicken the soup. Set it aside while you saute the vegetables & prepare the rest of the soup.

four: prep ingredients

• Wash and pat or shake the Swiss chard greens dry.
• Trim the large stalks either chop them into small dice to saute with the onions, or save them for another recipe. Cut the green leafy tops into wide ribbons.
• Peel the onion, and cut into small mince. Peel and mince the garlic cloves.
• Wash and peel the carrot, and grate it coarsely or cut into small dice.
• Wash, pat dry, and mince the parsley.
• Measure out the dry seasonings.

five: saute vegetables

• In a large saute pan (or Instant Pot on the saute setting, after transferring the chickpeas to another container), heat the olive oil, butter, or lard on medium-high heat.
• Add the minced onion, stir, and saute until they’re translucent. Add the chopped chard stems if you are using them, and saute for another minute or two.
• Reduce heat to medium, then add the garlic, carrot, cumin, salt, and pepper.
• Saute until fragrant and tender.

six: simmer soup

• Combine the cooked whole chickpeas and their cooking liquid with the sauteed onion and carrot mixture. Use a bit of the cooking liquid to deglaze the saute pan and add this back to the pot (this will add a depth to the flavor).
• Heat to a low simmer over medium heat. Add any of the remaining chicken or vegetable broth, if you didn’t use it while cooking the chickpeas.
• Stir the Swiss chard greens and parsley into the soup, and cook just until the chard is tender.
• Add the pureed chickpeas to the soup, and cook until the mixture is lightly thickened and creamy.
• You can thin the soup with additional chicken or vegetable stock if you like to adjust the consistency. Taste, and adjust seasonings if you like.

seven: make paprika oil

• Peel and crush the garlic clove with the side of a large knife or cleaver.
• In a small pot or skillet, heat the 1/4 cup of lard or vegetable oil over medium heat.
• Add the garlic clove and saute until light brown. Do not burn the garlic.
• Remove the garlic clove, and stir in the sweet, hot, or smoked paprika (or my recommendation- a blend of these).
• Set aside and drizzle this over the soup before serving.

eight: garnish & serve

• Stir the soup again, and ladle portions out into warmed serving bowls (or meal prep containers).
• Drizzle the paprika oil over the top of each bowl of the chickpea and chard stew, or swirl it into the pot just before serving.
• Sprinkle the bowls or containers with the grated Parmesan cheese (omit for vegan soup, or use toasted breadcrumbs).

Storage & Serving Ideas

Serve this soup immediately while hot, or refrigerate it for up to four days. Store any leftover garlic-paprika oil in a small jar in the fridge for up to a week.

You can portion and freeze the soup, with or without the garnishes, in airtight containers or freezer quart bags, for up to six months.