Spanish · Authentic-ish Spanish
Chickpea and Spinach Stew
336 kcal a serving, against 403 for the traditional version. That is 67 kcal off, or 17%, with 17g of protein. Serves 4. 1 hour.
What the traditional version is
Classic Andalusian chickpea and spinach stew starts by frying thick slices of stale bread in a puddle of olive oil, with a handful of garlic cloves and a scatter of smoked paprika. The fried bread and garlic are pounded into a paste with a splash of vinegar, then whisked back into the pan to thicken the stew. Chickpeas (often soaked and simmered) join a massive bag of spinach and tinned tomatoes. The oil-soaked bread makes the whole pot satisfying and lush, and a bit of paprika and vinegar keeps it lively.
What changed, and what each change costs
Fried bread and garlic swapped for dry toasted and blended with stock
That 60g olive oil never disappeared: it's in the bread, the garlic, in the walls, in every shirt you cook in. Toasting the bread in a dry frying pan and blending it up with vegetable stock gives a decent paste for thickening, no oil needed.
What it costs you. The picada doesn't have the same deep, crackly edge. That fried bread taste is not there, and the paste comes out a little grainier. But the stew still thickens, and you won't walk away thinking you've just eaten a pan of fried bread.
Chickpeas increased from 480g to 600g
Odds are good you've eaten this and still been peckish an hour later. More chickpeas means more actual food in the bowl, and bumps up the protein where all that oil came out.
What it costs you. You get a heartier, beanier stew. Purists may say it's too chickpea-heavy, but no one's ever found leftovers in this house.
Spinach up from 350g to 450g
The original's generous, but the more spinach you wilt down, the better. It brings colour, fibre, a faint bitterness and - quietly - a few extra nutrients.
What it costs you. If you overdo it, the stew goes a bit green and swampy. Stop at 450g. I've tested further and regretted nothing but the colour.
Olive oil cut from 60g to a token drizzle at the end
A gentle drizzle of oil at the end gives you the perfume and silk without the calorie baggage. You can skip it entirely if you like, but you'll miss the taste up your nose.
What it costs you. It won't glaze the stew the way the original does, but a little oil on top is better than none. Don't use more than a teaspoon per bowl unless you're a glutton for punishment.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 403 | 336 |
| Protein | 14.2g | 17g |
| Fat | 19.7g | 7.6g |
| Saturated fat | 2.6g | 0.9g |
| Carbohydrate | 46.2g | 53.9g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 3.5g | 5.1g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Spanish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, sulphites.
The method is in the book
Does it taste as rich as the one you'll get in a smoky bar in Seville? No - but it does still taste like a proper meal, and you've traded most of the oil for more chickpeas and spinach. The only true loss is that fried bread perfume, but you can't have it both ways. I wouldn't serve this to my oldest Spanish aunt, but I'd eat it for lunch all week and not regret a thing.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Spanish, along with 57 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.