Congratulations to Dena B. for snagging a fabulous Vegan Cuts Snack Box! Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Virtual Vegan Potluck blog to enter. It was our most popular giveaway yet!
Here’s an über simple, spicy bean stew that is perfect for a quick lunch or weeknight meal. I served mine over a thick slice of toast and topped it with cilantro and a garlicky cashew cream.
One Year Ago Today: Chunky Monkey Muffins
One year and one day ago: When the Cupboards Are (Almost) Bare
Smoky Chickpea Stew with Spinach, Sausage & Cashew Cream
Serves 4
Cashew Cream
1 cup cashews, soaked for a few hours
1/2 cup water
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos
Stew
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, sliced
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4+ cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 link spicy vegan sausage (such as Field Roast’s Mexican Chipotle sausage), chopped
5 oz. fresh spinach
1 tsp. dry sherry, optional
generous squirt of fresh lemon juice
4 slices thick, crusty bread – preferably garlic bread – toasted
cilantro, for garnish
Make the cream:
Rinse and drain the cashews and put into a blender along with the other ingredients. Process until very smooth – give it a minute or two. Pour mixture into a bowl and set aside.
Make the stew:
In a medium-sized pot, saute the garlic and onion in a little bit of the vegetable broth until tender. Stir in the paprika and cook for about 1 minute. Add the 1/4 broth, white wine and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and add the garbanzo beans. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until thickened slightly.
A few minutes before the stew is finished, toast the bread.
Stir in the chorizo and spinach, cover and cook for a few minutes to allow the spinach to wilt. Remove from the heat and stir in the sherry and lemon juice.
Divide the toast among four bowls and ladle with the stew. Garnish with chopped cilantro and big dollops of the cashew cream.
Looks (and sounds) wonderful Annie! I’ve never used veggie sausage before – I might see if I can find this for the hubby…yup he’s requesting lighter fare these days and its awesome
What a hardy looking meal!
It’s good stuff, Shira. The kind I used here is extremely spicy and SO yummy! It really passes quite well for the “real” thing.
What a great & tasty stew! You like the smoked paprika with the chickpeas too, I see! What a wonderful dollop of cashew cream on top too! MMMMM!
I’ve been using a lot of smoked paprika lately, Sophie. Maybe it’s the cold weather!
It is! We need something soothing & comforing, don’t we? x
What beautiful colours in your plate and your stew. This looks like a wonderful winter warmer, just the thing for a snowy day. Chickpeas and cashews…..mmmmm delicious!
I love your ingredient combo here my friend, I would eat this in a second
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
What a tasty combination. I have to try your Cashew Cream instead of paying $3 bucks for Toffuti. I haven’t tried faux sausage but the Chickpea combo makes it yet another “to try soon” item on my list from you
Love the blue and pink 
Thanks, Angela! The veg sausage really adds a nice heat and spiciness – but not really necessary for the dish.
Angela! GIve up the toffuti
Cashew cream is where it’s at!!! xx
mmmmmmmmmm this looks like just the thing I need in my tummy!
This sounds so good! Perfect on a cold winter day like today… -17 C here!
Oh my, yes! You need something hot!
It’s been terribly cold here, too – days and days without a break.
Cashew cream makes everything better
Not that the rest of this stew needs it- sounds delicious!
Agreed, Gabby! I probably need to back off on the cashew cream, hehe!
Sounds yummy!
Thank you!
Oh my, what a delicious meal
yum yum yum!! Ive bookmarked this to make next week. Love the plate too!
This looks so hearty! Love the combo of chickpeas and field roast!
What a beautifully tasty looking dish, you sure know how to combine some amazing ingredients! Looking forward to my February Vegan Cuts Snack Box!
My goodness this looks delicious!! I am a Field Roast slut like no other. I love the addition of that in here.
Field Roast sluts unite!
I had best head off to Vegan dads for a good sausage recipe before the site disappears! This one looks like a winner Annie and most definately a quick Sunday tea come winter
I just realised that half of my rss feed reader blogs are represented in the comments for this post! “Hi Everyone!”
Haha! You know how to pick blogs, girl!
Yum – love it all!!! Such a great match with the cashew cream and freshly chopped cilanto on top!
This sounds so perfect for a hearty dinner on a cold and blustery day.
And I could definitely use more cashew cream in my life!
Amen to that – vive la cashew cream!
Wow, I have almost everything this recipe calls for in my pantry right now! Sounds like a perfect stew for the cold snap we’re having here in Atlanta.
This looks so good! We’ve been having some crazy cold and windy weather here, this would be perfect on a cold night!
What a lovely looking stew! Chickpeas are probably my favorite legumes, and the way you’ve flavored them and added the cashew cream on top looks fantastic! I also love that you’re looking back to yesteryear with your “This day last year” additions! It’s great to look back and see what you’ve done before!!! Excellent idea!
Oh man, that looks delicious! Scoop me up a bowl!
Come on over, Kristy! On second thought – it’s too cold here!
Yum! This looks like some good vegan comfort food!
I have been so busy with school and everything else that I”ve been saving this post because the title itself was enough to get me drooling. This sounds heavenly – bunches of my favorite things. Can’t wait to try it!
I could really tuck into that! As always your presentation is fantastic. I love how quickly this comes together too, I’m always on the lookout for new quick week night meals. My family would adore this
Anything saucy over toast reminds me of my childhood.
In a good way.
Hehe – so true!
i never eat chickpea stews over toast.. this looks fabulous.. all the sauce goodness, cream and crisp bred. yum!
Mmmmm….I can almost taste it! YUM!
Had to come back and tell you just how much my whole family enjoyed this! It was fabulous! The GF diner in the family ate it over rice (as did I the next day) and this was delicious as well. Thank you!
Cool! So glad it was a hit!
[...] easy chickpea stew created by the wonderfully innovative Annie at anunrefinedvegan. It is called Smoky Chickpea Stew with Spinach, Sausage, and Cashew Cream. It is to die for and quite easy. My family loves this and I highly recommend [...]
I made this for dinner tonight and it is yummy! Found your link on my Sisters Pantry. Thanks!
Hi Suzanne! I’m thrilled you like the recipe and thanks so much for letting me know
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[...] I’ve mentioned before comes from An Unrefined Vegan and is part of a particularly awesome chickpea stew recipe. It was great with both versions. I also use the cashew cream to make delicious mashed [...]
[…] sauce, this creamy sweet corn sauce, this tahini sauce–and I haven’t even tried the cashew cream trick […]