Steps

1. Step 1

   Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Measure the spices and squeeze the lemon juice so everything is ready beside the stove.

   8 min

   • 1 small onion
   • 2 cloves garlic
   • 1 tsp smoked paprika
   • ½ tsp ground cumin
   • ¼ tsp black pepper
   • 1 can chickpeas (15 oz)
   • 2 tsp lemon juice
2. Step 2

   Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and ¼ tsp salt. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden at the edges.

   6 min

   • 1 tbsp olive oil
   • 1 small onion
   • ¼ tsp fine salt
3. Step 3

   Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the smoked paprika, cumin and black pepper and stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant; do not let the spices scorch.

   2 min

   • 2 cloves garlic
   • 1 tbsp tomato paste
   • 1 tsp smoked paprika
   • ½ tsp ground cumin
   • ¼ tsp black pepper
4. Step 4

   Add the crushed tomatoes, chickpeas and water. Scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, about 2 minutes.

   2 min

   • 1 can crushed tomatoes (14–15 oz)
   • 1 can chickpeas (15 oz)
   • ¼ cup water
5. Step 5

   Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly but is still plentiful enough for dipping bread.

   8 min, hands-off

6. Step 6

   Add the spinach a handful at a time, stirring each handful into the sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes, just until wilted.

   3 min

   • 3 oz baby spinach
7. Step 7

   Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add a small pinch of salt if needed. Spoon into two bowls and serve with the crusty bread for scooping and dipping.

   1 min

   • 2 tsp lemon juice
   • 4 slices crusty bread

Where it’s from

Written by TableFare

Saved Oct 12, 2026