Garbanzos con Espinacas – vegan tapa from Seville
I promise, this is going to be one of your favourite vegan/vegetarian tapa recipes this winter. There is nothing more comforting and mood-enhancing to snuggle up on the couch with than this hug in a bowl: Chickpeas with Spinach from Seville! (also yummy when the sun’s out, of course…)
Healthy. Cheap, easy and above all delicious, Sabroso!
You can prepare this delicious tapa, which is originally from Seville, but can be found on the menu throughout Andalusia, with either frozen spinach or fresh spinach. I like both variations but fresh spinach looks just a bit nicer. I also added a tin of diced tomatoes for colour and flavour. Officially, this is a tapa that is not eaten with a spoon, but with a fork, but that is up to you.
Add a friend egg and/or cod fro a non-vegan alternative!
Apart from tomatoes, you can also add fried egg or cod to this tapa; those flavours go well together but it is not necessary. But do have a slice of rustic bread with quality olive oil with this dish, yummy to wipe your bowl with, too!
Ingredients vegan/vegetarian tapa from Seville
- 400 g chickpeas (dried or jarred*)
- 500 g fresh spinach or 400 g frozen spinach
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 400 gr. can of diced tomatoes (optional)
- salt and white pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
*Tip: Find good quality dried chickpeas. Soak them for at least 8 hours in 3x as much water, (100 grams is then 300 ml.) and cook them for an hour and a half. Much tastier and it saves money! Please note: the cooking time may vary according to the variety of chickpeas, just try them as you go. Chickpeas are not easily overcooked, they keep their shape well.
Preparation of chickpeas & Spinach tapa
First, make the sofrito, the basic sauce. Put a dash of oil in a saucepan with thick bottom and heat it on a very low fire. When the oil is hot, add the finely chopped garlic cloves. Let them fry for about 2 minutes. Then add the chopped onion and season with salt and pepper. Stir all the ingredients together and leave to cook on a low heat for about 10 minutes. Once this is done, add the fresh spinach (or the frozen spinach, which you have first defrosted and drained). Increase the heat and stir the spinach regularly.
When the fresh spinach has shrunk, add a teaspoon of sweet paprika, coriander powder and the ground cumin. Mix everything together and add the cooked chickpeas* (see above) and the diced tomatoes. Mix again, cover and cook for another 10 minutes or so. Add more salt to taste.
Serve in nice bowls if you are serving it as a tapa or on a plate as a lunch or side dish. Buen provecho!
(Come back later for more vegetarian tapas recipes! (you can find loads – in Dutch – on our Ardanza Travel page)
