Slow Cooker Chickpea, Red Pepper and Tomato Stew
This easy vegan stew is inspired by romesco, the Spanish sauce made from roasted red peppers, tomatoes, almonds, garlic, olive oil and vinegar. Here, those flavors come together in a stew that pulls from the pantry, with fast prep and little waste. Instead of stock, this stew relies on the thick liquid from the canned chickpeas, sometimes called aquafaba. And the marinating oil in jarred sun-dried tomatoes is often delicious, augmented with herbs and vinegar. Give yours a little taste to make sure you like it, and then throw that in, too. (If you don’t like it, make up the difference with regular olive oil.) The smoked almonds on top are key, adding necessary crunch and richness, so be generous with them. (If you would like to make this stew on the stovetop, just sauté the onion then add the remaining stew ingredients and simmer until the flavors are blended, about 30 minutes. If using a pressure cooker, you can use this pressure-cooker version of the recipe.)
- Total:
- Serves: 6 persons
Ingredients
- 3(15-ounce) cans chickpeas, with liquid (or about 4 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas and 1 cup cooking liquid)
- 2(12-ounce) jars roasted red peppers, drained and finely chopped (2 cups)
- 1(14-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
- 1(6- to 7-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped (about 1 cup), oil reserved (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1red onion, finely chopped
- 5garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped
- 1tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
- 1tablespoon olive oil, plus more for serving
- ½teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Red-pepper flakes, for serving
- Chopped smoked almonds, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the chickpeas and their liquid, roasted red peppers, canned tomatoes, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, onion, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and several generous grinds of pepper. Cook on low until the flavors are blended, 6 to 8 hours.Step 2
Taste before serving and add more salt, pepper or vinegar if necessary. Divide among bowls and top with a drizzle of olive oil, red-pepper flakes and smoked almonds.