Chickpea Stew With Orzo and Mustard Greens

By Melissa Clark

Chickpea Stew With Orzo and Mustard Greens
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(7,828)
Comments
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A complex and colorful chickpea stew, this is rich with vegetables, olive oil and Parmesan cheese. You can vary the vegetables to use what you’ve got. Here, I keep to the basics, adding carrots for sweetness, fennel or celery for depth, cherry tomatoes for looks. Tender greens, wilted into the bubbling mixture at the end, are optional, but they do add a bright, almost herbal note. I particularly love using baby mustard greens, which are pleasantly peppery. But spinach, arugula and kale work well, too.

Featured in: Chickpea Stew, Complex and Colorful, From Meager Beginnings

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
  • 2medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1small fennel bulb or 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1medium onion, chopped
  • 2garlic cloves, minced
  • Pinch of red-pepper flakes
  • 2teaspoons minced fresh rosemary (optional)
  • 2cups chicken or vegetable broth (or water)
  • 1(15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • ¾cup roughly chopped cherry or grape tomatoes
  • ½cup whole-wheat or regular orzo
  • 1quart loosely packed baby mustard greens or spinach (about 5 ounces)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Chopped scallions, for garnish (optional)
  • ¼cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more as needed
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

244 calories; 9 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 720 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the carrots, fennel or celery, and onion. Cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, red-pepper flakes and rosemary, if using, and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in the broth, if using, or water, along with another 2 cups water, and bring to a boil.

  2. Step 2

    Once the mixture is boiling, add the chickpeas, tomatoes and orzo. Reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid. Simmer 10 minutes, or until the orzo is tender. Uncover and stir in the greens, letting them simmer until soft, about 2 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Add more water if you want the mixture to be more souplike, and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped scallions (if desired), grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
7,828 user ratings
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Comments

Jacques

This soup was delicious! However, you do need to get creative with the seasoning in order to create a deeper flavor. I added a bay leaf once the broth was in the pot, and also added in a bit of thyme, coriander, chili flakes, extra garlic, and periodic seasoning with salt and pepper. I'd also recommend adding only broth, not broth cut with water. Heavy handed cheesing will also go a long way! A haiku: Sav'ry and pleasant Steaming bowl on a cold day Lemon squeeze a must

Baker_D

I made this but without the orzo and added in a few extra chickpeas. Used one large garden tomato instead of cherry tomatoes and celery since it's what I had. Mustard greens, kale and arugula from the garden for the greens. This soup made me feel like a million bucks. When our collards come in, I'll make it again with those.

Mordecai

Quite nice. Cooked exactly as directed, added a little lemon juice as a garnish. For a fall/winter stew it had a welcome lightness. Maybe next time I'll add some sausage? Would that be good?

Shea

My go to soup. Fast and adaptable. Add a big dose of kosher salt to the onion, carrot, celery. Double the garlic and red pepper. No rosemary on hand so today I used dried thyme. 4 cups veg broth ( plus 2 cups water at the end), kale instead of mustard greens. Great as is but if you add shaved Parmesan, scallions and a drizzle of olive oil it’s so much better.

staci

Our whole family, including two teens, loved this. It was very flavorful. I added a few cubed Yukon gold potatoes and fennel because I had it on hand. Though, I’m wondering if our switch from a box of organic chicken stock to the “better than bouillon” chicken base is part of the extra flavor? I am conflicted by the thought of the sodium 700mg per serving and the maltodextrin but the flavor is really compelling….. curious if others are more educated and can share the trade offs here…. Obviously increased sodium and additive…. Is that offsetting the nutritional value? Like having a Diet Coke w your super size McDonald’s meal?

Anica

Delicious, easy-to-make recipe that will become a weeknight dinner staple! I ended up using 1.5 L of vegetable stock as I prefer a more liquidy soup base. I couldn’t get my hands on orzo so I substituted a small pasta for it. Spinach flavour was good but it wilted after a few minutes; next time I’ll consider kale instead.

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