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Vegetarian, South and mountains

Provençal chickpea stew with rice

This is a chickpea stew cooked with tomatoes, fennel, and black olives, served over rice, for 4 people. It's ready in 40 minutes, rated very easy, and costs €1.80 per serving. The key to getting it right is adding the olives at the very end, so they stay tender instead of turning tough.

A simple tomato and fennel chickpea stew that smells like the South of France and costs almost nothing.

Provençal chickpea stew with rice
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.80
Calories per person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

This stew smells like the South of France the moment fennel and onion start sweating in olive oil. Crushed tomatoes and herbes de Provence build a soft, fragrant sauce, chickpeas bring a creamy bite, and black olives add a welcome salty note right at the end. The rice soaks up the sauce and rounds out the plate without changing its character.

It's the kind of dish you can throw together on a weeknight without much thought, using pantry staples and one fresh fennel bulb. It works well for a simple vegetarian dinner, whether you're cooking for family or just yourself, and it mostly takes care of itself while the rice cooks alongside. Mon Chou likes it for its low cost and generous dose of legumes.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Canned chickpeasoften in the pantry 800 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Black olives 80 g
  • Herbes de Provenceoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Fennel 1
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves

The step by step recipe

  1. Thinly slice the fennel, onion, and garlic, then sweat them in the olive oil. 8 min

    Save the fennel fronds to garnish the dish.

  2. Add the tomatoes and herbes de Provence, season with salt and pepper, and let it simmer gently. 10 min

    A splash of water keeps the sauce from sticking to the pan.

  3. Pour in the rinsed and drained chickpeas, and let everything simmer covered. 15 min

    Rinse them well, the liquid from the can is foamy and a bit bland.

  4. Meanwhile, cook the rice in salted water. 11 min

    Rinse it before cooking so it doesn't clump together.

  5. Stir the olives into the stew and serve over the rice.

    A drizzle of raw olive oil at the last moment adds fragrance.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a fennel bulb that's white and firm, it will turn out milder and less fibrous once cooked.
  • Let the stew simmer covered so the chickpeas have time to soak up the tomato sauce.
  • Taste before adding salt, since olives and sometimes canned chickpeas already bring some saltiness.

The variations

  • Swap the chickpeas for flageolet beans or white beans for a different texture.
  • Add diced zucchini or bell pepper along with the fennel for a stew with more vegetables.
  • For a faster version, skip cooking the rice and serve the stew with crusty bread instead.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for dipping
  • A lemony green salad
  • A glass of mint tea

Storage

The stew keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It freezes well without the rice, for up to 2 months. Reheat it gently in a pot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you use dried chickpeas instead of canned?

Yes, soak them overnight and cook for about 1 hour before following the recipe. Use about 250g of dried chickpeas to replace the 800g canned amount.

Can this stew be made ahead of time?

Yes, it actually tastes better reheated the next day, once the flavors have settled in. Cook the rice fresh right before serving so it stays soft.

Can you leave out the fennel if you don't like its anise flavor?

You can replace it with a stalk of celery or a sliced leek instead. The dish will lose its anise note but keep its Provençal feel.

How do you tone down the stew if the olives taste too strong?

Use fewer olives, about 50g, or rinse them briefly before adding them. You can also serve them on the side, so everyone adjusts to their own taste.

How long does it take to make a Provençal chickpea stew with rice?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a Provençal chickpea stew with rice?

About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Provençal chickpea stew with rice cost?

About €1.80 per serving, or €7.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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