Instant Pot Eggplant Chickpea Stew - Make this easy vegetarian recipe
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Instant Pot Eggplant Chickpea Stew - Make this easy vegetarian recipe
As a long-time contributor to Simply Recipes and an Instant Pot expert, I'm so happy to share this recipe from The Instant Kitchen Cookbook.
The book contains recipes for Instant Pots and Air Fryers (basket and toaster oven styles), so you can use the latest cooking technology to get meals on the table quickly and easily, every day of the week.
This stew is so adaptable and easy to love.
It's gluten-free and vegetarian as written and easily vegan/dairy-free by substituting the vegan feta for the dairy kind.
I sometimes make my own (there's an almond feta recipe in my Vegan Instant Pot book), but now that I'm busy with two young children, I'm also grateful for store-bought options.
My favorite vegan feta is Trader Joe's – it has all the briny and flavor you'd expect from the real thing.
Speaking of adaptable, that's something I kept in mind when writing this cookbook.
Whether you're looking to make a dish in your Instant Pot or Air Fryer (or use both on any given night, as a main dish and a side dish), and no matter what dietary preferences or restrictions you may have, you'll find plenty to love and do at The Instant Kitchen Cookbook.
Every recipe that contains meat has a plant-based option, and gluten-free and dairy-free replacements are also offered.
I also made sure to test the air fryer recipes in both a basket-style fryer and a toaster-style fryer, as each has its own quirks.
But let's get back to today's recipe. It's a one-pot Instant Pot dish (minus the rice you'll want to serve with it), with silky eggplant, bell peppers, and baby garbanzo beans in a rich, herb-infused tomato broth.
It all comes together in a little over half an hour and depends mostly on pantry ingredients, so it's become a weeknight visit to my house.
The feta on top is absolutely perfect for me – you can add an extra drizzle of olive oil when serving if you like for more richness too!
It also keeps well as a meal prep dish, to be enjoyed for lunches throughout the week.
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (from 4 oz dry)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup of water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
To serve
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (dairy or vegetable)
- 3 cups of cooked rice
Method
Salt the vegetables:
In a bowl, mix the eggplant and bell pepper with the salt. Let rest for 15 minutes.
Sauté the garlic and onion:
Select the SAUTÉ setting on the Instant Pot and heat the oil and garlic. When the garlic begins to bubble, add the onion and sauté for another 2 minutes, until softened.
Add the salty vegetables, chickpeas, spices and water:
Add the eggplant and bell pepper, chickpeas, mint, oregano, cumin, and water and stir to combine. Put the tomato paste on top, but do not stir.
Pressure cook the stew:
Secure lid and set pressure release to Seal. Press the Cancel button to reset the cooking program, then select the PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL setting for 3 minutes on high pressure.
(It will take about 5 minutes for the cooker to come up to pressure before the cooking program starts.)
Release the pressure:
When the cooking program is finished, perform a quick pressure release by moving the pressure release to Vent or allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the pan and mix in the tomato paste.
To serve:
Arrange the stew on plates or bowls. Top with crumbled feta and serve immediately with rice.
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