Spinach and Chickpea Sauté

Ingredients

• 1 can (200 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or dried: soak overnight, simmer 60–90 min until tender; use ~100 g dried to yield ~200 g cooked)
• 200 g fresh spinach (or 150 g frozen, thawed and squeezed dry)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• A pinch of chili flakes (optional)
• 2 tbsp water

For serving:

• Crusty bread
• A dollop of yogurt or sour cream
• A drizzle of olive oil
• Fried or poached egg on top (optional)

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Instructions

1. Sauté the onion

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat.
2. Add the diced onion.
3. Cook for 4–5 minutes until softened and lightly golden.

2. Add garlic and spices

1. Add the minced garlic and chili flakes (if using).
2. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add cumin and smoked paprika.
4. Stir and cook for 30 seconds to toast the spices.

3. Add chickpeas

1. Add the drained chickpeas to the pan.
2. Stir to coat with the spices.
3. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are slightly golden.

4. Add spinach

1. Add the spinach in handfuls — it looks like a lot but will wilt down dramatically.
2. Add 2 tbsp water to help it wilt.
3. Stir and toss for 2–3 minutes until all the spinach is wilted and reduced.
4. If using frozen spinach, just stir it in until heated through.

5. Finish

1. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Squeeze the lemon juice over everything.
3. Stir and taste — adjust salt or lemon if needed.

6. Serve

1. Spoon into bowls.
2. Top with a dollop of yogurt, a drizzle of olive oil, and crusty bread on the side.
3. A fried or poached egg on top makes it a full meal.

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Tips

• Fresh spinach wilts fast. Don’t be alarmed by the mountain of raw spinach — it reduces to about a quarter of its volume in 2 minutes.
• Frozen spinach works great. Thaw it first and squeeze out as much water as you can. It’s already cooked, so just heat it through.
• The chickpeas get better with a little color. Let them sit undisturbed for a minute before stirring — you want some golden crispy edges.
• This is also great cold. Leftovers make an excellent next-day salad or sandwich filling.

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Variations

Variation	Change	Notes
With tomatoes	Add 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, with the chickpeas	Juicy and fresh
Coconut version	Add 1/4 can coconut milk after the spinach wilts	Creamy and Indian-inspired
With feta	Crumble 50 g feta on top at the end	Salty and tangy
With chorizo	Add 50 g diced chorizo in step 1, render fat before adding onion	Smoky and meaty

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Result

A quick, vibrant sauté of golden spiced chickpeas and heaps of wilted spinach with lemon and smoked paprika. Simple, nutritious, and ready in 15 minutes — proof that healthy food doesn’t need to be complicated.