Sometimes can be hard to eat out as a vegan here in Spain, but it’s not impossible and in recent years, the number of vegan or vegetarian restaurants has increased.
In Sevilla is easy to find Spanish spinach with chickpeas (espinacas con garbanzos in Spanish) in many traditional restaurants. Everybody loves it, even those who hate veggies, especially if you use finely chopped fresh spinach.
It’s common to use a lot of oil to make this delicious dish, but I prefer this lighter version, it’s healthier and tastes amazing too. You only need 6 ingredients to make spinach with chickpeas: extra virgin olive oil, garlic, sweet paprika, spinach, chickpeas and salt (optional).
You can use canned chickpeas, but they have preservatives and additives. I prefer to cook them in boiling water for one or two hours or until they’re soft. You should soak the chickpeas overnight, the longer you let it soak before cooking, the quicker they will cook.
Canned and frozen spinach is fine too, but fresh spinach is the best choice. You can use olive oil to cook the spinach instead of water, but I prefer my recipe. The result is a lower in calorie dish with a lot of flavor, so you won’t miss the extra oil.
Use a high quality paprika, it will make the difference. I love “Pimentón de la Vera” (smoked Spanish sweet paprika), but you can also use hot paprika or any kind you like.
Many people add more spinach, so feel free to add more. Besides, it’s not necessary to chop the spinach, but I think the dish looks and tastes better.
The recipe is ready in only 15 or 20 minutes (if you use cooked chickpeas, of course) and is super easy to make. I make it almost every week, it’s one of my all time favorite chickpea recipes.
If you make this Spanish spinach with chickpeas recipe, please leave a comment or tag a picture #simpleveganblog on Instagram or any other social network. We love to see your pictures and comments, it makes us very happy!
Spanish Spinach with Chickpeas
- Prep: 5 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Total: 20 mins
- 4 1x
- Main dish
- Vegan, Spanish
Servings 4 1x
Spinach with chickpeas is a traditional Spanish recipe. Everybody loves it, even those who hate veggies, especially if you use finely chopped fresh spinach.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 head of garlic (12 cloves)
- 3 tbsp sweet paprika
- 6 cups spinach (250 g)
- ½ cup water (125 ml)
- 3 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (650 g)
- Sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the garlic (diced) in a saucepan with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until golden brown.
- Add the paprika, stir and add the spinach (finely chopped). Add the water and salt to taste (optional) and cook for about 5 minutes. You can use oil instead of water to cook the spinach.
- Add the cooked chickpeas, stir, add more oil if you want (you can add more paprika and salt too) and cook for 5 minutes more.
Can this be frozen once it is cooked as I have a lot of chard?
Hi! Feel free to freeze it 🙂
Loved it!! I have to admit that I am not vegetarian (I just like my veggies, herbs and spices lolol) so I did add little lamb meat balls with a green goddess sauce to accompany the dish. It was super
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I’m glad you liked it 🙂
This was filling, and was a good introduction. For me, I would increase the olive oil, some lemon juice, and add pinch of heat (cayenne). I used next day left overs mashed and combined with egg white fried to make a patty.
Thanks for your feedback Robert 🙂 Have a nice day!
I really enjoyed this recipe!! So simple and delicious. I had to make a few modifications due to not having sweet paprika on hand. I only had smoked paprika, so I added 2 tbsp of that + 1 tbsp of tomato paste with the water to add a little sweetness to the dish. Next time I pick up some sweet paprika I will be sure to make this again 🙂
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Hi Stefania! I’m so glad you liked our recipe 🙂 Sounds so good your modifications!
How do you measure paprika in table spoons? Does it have to be that finely chopped, or what? 😀
Hi Igor! Paprika its a spice so you can measure it in tablespoons 🙂 Have a nice day!
Paprika in the dried spice form. Dried and crushed to a powder. It is available in stores as a dried spice.
Just made these chickpeas today! They are really good! Next time I’ll lower the amount of paprika to 2.5 tbsp. Thanks for the recipe!
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Hi Karen! So glad you liked it 🙂 Yes, next time try to add less paprika! Have a nice day!
Thanks for this super easy and tasty recipe. 15 minutes is all it took with some freshly chopped spinach and canned garbanzo. I’ll definitely make this again! I saved the aquafaba for later 😉
I cooked the spinach with water as you suggested but it did taste a little bitter. Any idea why? Any tips to remove the bitterness?
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Hi Neha! Thanks for your comment! Have you followed the recipe to a T? If yes, I don’t know what could have happened, sorry 🙁 Have a nice day!
So simple but really delicious. I fried some potato cubes into it too. Yummy!
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Sounds so good! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂 Have a nice day!
There are only 2 of us. Can I cut the ingredients including water evenly?
This will be first go at this recipe
Hi David! Yes, feel free to cut all the ingredients 🙂 Hope you like it!
Just would like your opinion on what to use as a sauce for cauliflower crust to make my vegan spinach bell pepper pizza?
We have been using a spicy roasted red pepper hummus for our veggie pizzas but we have not tried it with a cauliflower crust. I certainly would love to try it especially now that our garden is kicking out so much. We typically grill veggies separately and then load up a pizza crust with our hummus, the veggies and bake for about 10 minutes. Then we top with thinly sliced tomatoes and (avert your eyes vegans) a little feta cheese for another 5 minutes being careful not to burn the crust.. I would love to hear how the cauliflower crust works (and a recipe to make one).
Sounds so good Tom 🙂 Have a nice day!
Hi Irene! Have a look at this one: https://simpleveganblog.com/oil-free-chimichurri-sauce/ 🙂 Hope you liked it!
Oh no our spinach from the garden has just quit producing – lots of yummy salads to date but now I have great looking swiss chard coming on strong. Any ideas on sub-ing swiss chard for the spinach? I will buy some spinach from the store (how sad) as I really want to try this recipe but I will definitely need a couple swiss chard recipes.
Hi Tom! Feel free to substitute the spinach from this recipe by swiss chard 🙂 Have a nice day!
Hi! I am planning to do my first vegan week soon and I am planning every meal to make it easy for me. I found your blog and your receipt make me feel that I can do it! Thank you!
I am trying to control the calorie I eat so I wonder if you have the table for the calories for this dish as well..
thank you again
I hope to tag you on instagram soon 🙂
Hello Elena! That sounds amazing!
Hope you find our blog useful 🙂 Thanks!
I made this last night and it was pretty good. I think I would’ve liked more spinach and less pimentón but my Spanish husband loved it. I ended up adding more water than what the recipe calls for and put it on couscous.
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Hello Jay. So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I’ve just made it and it’s delicious! added some extra tomato pure for a stronger taste. Yummy
Hi Wiktoria!! Thank you!!!!!
I made this dish tonight using smoked paprika, which is really flavorful. It was easy to prepare and delicious! The recipe paired well with brown rice. I will definitely add it to my collection of favorite vegan dishes.
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Hi Lori! Sounds so good 🙂
I just made this, and really like it! I used 3Tbs smoked, mild paprika, 1 Tbs cumin, and some jarred red peppers, and mixed in some rice. It is delicious ! We will have it with some grilled shrimp, but, oil packed tuna would be good too. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
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Hi Mary! Thank YOU so much 🙂
I loved it!!! I did sprinkle a wedge of lemon over the top and served it on a bed of rice. Filling and satisfying!!!
Hi Rexene! Thanks a lot 🙂 Sounds great!
I made it for the first time tonight. I cut back on garlic, but next time I won’t. I didn’t know how much salt to add. Next time I will have to add more salt. It really didn’t sound tasty, but it actually was quite good. I would make it again.
Hi Sharon! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Is it really 3 table spoons of paprika?..
I made it today and it wasn’t very nice..
Sorry
Surely it’s meant to be 3 tsps – not tbsps!
Hi! It’s 3 tbsp 🙂
Hi! Yes, it’s 3 tbsp and our readers like it this way as it’s a super popular recipe. Maybe your paprika has a stronger flavor than mine… Sorry for the inconvenience!
I made it and it taste really good in a sandwich!
Hi Iasia! Thank you so much 🙂 I’ve never eaten it in a sandwich, but sounds great!
Sounds tasty! Just double checking that 12 cloves of garlic is not a typo ☺️ You do say that the whole thing yields 4 servings so ok then! Looking forward to it! But just confirm the garlic amount please. Thanks!
Hi Lacey! Yes, it’s okay, this recipe is made with lots of garlic, but feel free to use just 3-4 cloves if you want 🙂
Quite tasty! I added more water to make it brothy & some red pepper flakes. I served it over brown rice. This was a nourishing, quick & simple meal. It fed my Puerto Rican soul:)
Thank you!
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Hi Blanca! Sounds so good 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
Really good
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Hi Melissa! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Cumin, definitely, and I add strips of charred red pepper from a jar too. Yummy !
Hi Chris! Sounds great 😉
This recipe came over as being rather tasteless. I’ve had this dish frequently in Spain where it has had a much more memorable taste. Certainly needs modification. More garlic? Additional spices needed (cumin might be an idea)?
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Hi Jeffrey! I’m so sorry the recipe didn’t work for you, but it’s so popular on the blog and also in our Spanish blog. However, feel free to add more spices if you want 🙂
We loved it! My husband requested that it be made everyday!!
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Hi Pattie! I’m so glad you guys loved it 🙂