Slow Cooker Chickpea Stew With Lemon and Coconut

By Ali Slagle

Published Aug. 8, 2025

Slow Cooker Chickpea Stew With Lemon and Coconut
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Total Time
About 6 to 8 hours
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
About 6 to 8 hours
Rating
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Soothing yet bright, this soup tastes like something that took careful attention, but really just requires throwing five ingredients into a slow cooker and letting it cook for hours. Dried chickpeas and cauliflower soften in the gentle heat, and the coconut milk thickens as the mixture cooks, seasoned with earthy turmeric and sweet lemon peel. While a little lemon juice balances the richness, the predominant lemon flavor here isn’t tangy but rather floral from the peels releasing their oils into the stew. Reminiscent of curries throughout South and Southeast Asia, it can be eaten over rice, or with sliced almonds or cilantro on top, but it can just as well stand alone.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 1pound dried chickpeas (no need to soak)
  • 1head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into big florets
  • 2(14-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
  • 1tablespoon ground turmeric
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2lemons
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

600 calories; 33 grams fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 63 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 907 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the chickpeas, cauliflower, coconut milk, turmeric and generous pinches of salt and pepper. Use a vegetable peeler to peel wide strips of zest from the lemons, then add to the slow cooker. Add enough water to just cover the cauliflower.

  2. Step 2

    Cover and cook on low until the beans and cauliflower are tender, 6 to 8 hours.

  3. Step 3

    Stir in the juice of half the lemon, then season to taste with salt, pepper and more lemon juice until the soup is rich and bright. The strips of lemon peel are deliciously sweet and floral, not at all bitter, but feel free to discard if you prefer.

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Comments

Bret Bradigan

Making my first comment because it will be first. This is a dish that will only taste better with time as the flavors blend. And it’s endlessly riffable - add chicken or pork shoulder for the non-vegans. I used to make a variation of this for our office parties. It’s easy to scale up to feed a hungry horde.

Bret Bradigan

Making my first comment because it will be first. This is a dish that will only taste better with time as the flavors blend. And it’s endlessly riffable - add chicken or pork shoulder for the non-vegans. I used to make a variation of this for our office parties. It’s easy to scale up to feed a hungry horde.

Rob Steinberg

@Bret Bradigan Making it now. It sounds great!

Allison

@Rob Steinberg I agree! But as I can have no fiber until next Wednesday I am forced to live vicariously through your efforts, so please be sure to let us know how it turns out!

Anon O. Miss

@Bret Bradigan Slow cooking cauliflower for hours sounds awful. It doesn’t overcook?

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