Chickpea Cacciatore with Potatoes

Make this impressive Chickpea Cacciatore in your slow cooker! It’s from my friend Kathy Hester’s updated classic, The Vegan Slow Cooker. As with all of Kathy’s recipes, the prep is easy and the flavors pack a punch. She even tells you what to do the night before to avoid a morning rush.

I have it bubbling in my slow cooker now and will update this post when it’s ready. Update: Fabulous! This hearty stew brings me back to my Italian roots. It’s sure to be a hit with folks who want rib-sticking, full-flavored meals. (I’m looking at you, Meat and Potato Man.) For me, the sliced black olives on top played well with the other umami elements (mushrooms, tomatoes, and garlic). For my Taster, it was a bonus that the olives are optional garnish and not cooked in. Look how yum:

I’m thrilled to be part of the blog tour for Kathy’s launch of the revised and expanded version of her best-selling cookbook. She’s added ten recipes (including my homemade aquafaba) and mouth-watering new photos by Kate Lewis. Kathy has also kept her wicked sense of humor. Where else will you find TurboDog Root Veggie Soup or the retro Cherry Bourbon Cocktail Carrots?

Thank you, Kathy, for making vegan cooking so easy and for letting me share this recipe. Learn more about Kathy on her site Healthy Slow Cooking.

Chickpea Cacciatore with Potatoes

Here’s a completely plant-based one-pot meal that will satisfy the hungriest at your table. The potatoes and chickpeas are filling and full of nutrients. The sauce and the rest of the veggies make a sauce that packs a flavor punch.

gluten-free soy-free no oil added

1 bag (24 ounces, or 680 g) baby potatoes, quartered

2 cans (15 ounces, or 425 g each) chickpeas, drained (save liquid to use as aquafaba in other recipes)

1 pound (454 g) mushrooms, sliced (can use all white, baby bella, or a combo)

2 cups (300 g) chopped bell pepper (use multiple colors if you can)

3 carrots, cut into coins

SAUCE INGREDIENTS

1 can (28 ounces, or 784 g) crushed tomatoes

¼ cup (60 ml) red wine (or 2 tablespoons [30 ml] balsamic vinegar)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground rosemary

SERVING INGREDIENTS

½ cup (50 g) pitted black olives (optional)

yield: 6 servings

equipment: 5- to 6-quart slow cooker

cooking time: 7 to 9 hours on low

the night before: Cut up the veggies. Add veggies and drained chickpeas to a sealable container, and mix. You can mix all the sauce ingredients together now, or wait until morning. Store everything in the fridge.

in the morning: Mix the sauce and veggie-chickpea mixture together in your slow cooker. Cook on low 7 to 9 hours.

Garnish with pitted black olives, if desired.

Reprinted with permission from The Vegan Slow Cooker, Revised and Expanded by Kathy Hester, published by Fair Winds Press.

Recipe Notes from Linda:

I used a teaspoon of minced fresh rosemary instead of a quarter teaspoon of powdered rosemary. I also used only 2 tablespoons of Spanish sherry vinegar (vinagre de Jerez) instead of a quarter cup. The cacciatore turned out just right. If it hadn’t, I could have added more vinegar towards the end of the cooking time.

Next time I make this, and there will be a next time, I’ll put the potatoes and carrots in the slow cooker first to make sure they are covered with sauce the whole time. That will give them the most cooking time.