Middle Eastern · main

Beef and Chickpea Harissa Stew

Name: Beef and Chickpea Harissa Stew
Prep time: 2 h 47 min
Total time: 2 h 49 min
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: boneless beef chuck roast — 907 g; salt — 5 g; black pepper — 3 g; olive oil — 27 g; yellow onion — 110 g; garlic — 12 g; sesame seed paste — 41 g; tomato paste — 15 g; cumin — 5 g; coriander — 1 g; cinnamon — 3 g; tomatoes — 794 g; low-sodium beef broth — 710 g; chickpeas — 851 g; carrots — 120 g; cilantro — 15 g

Beef and Chickpea Harissa Stew reads umami 7.4, richness 6.7 and allium 4.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 2 hr 49 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 7.8 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 3.9 / 10
Sour & Bright — 2.1 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.6 / 10
Rich & Fat — 7.7 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.4 · Richness 6.7 · Allium 4.2 · Salinity 3.9 · Sweetness 3.4 · Nutty 3.1 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Earthy 2.4 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Sourness 1.9 · Fruity 1.7 · Bitterness 1.1 · Floral 1.1 · Heat 0.7 · Citrus 0.5

What's in it (16)

boneless beef chuck roast — 907 g
salt — 5 g
black pepper — 3 g
olive oil — 27 g
yellow onion — 110 g
garlic — 12 g
sesame seed paste — 41 g
tomato paste — 15 g
cumin — 5 g
coriander — 1 g
cinnamon — 3 g
tomatoes — 794 g
low-sodium beef broth — 710 g
chickpeas — 851 g
carrots — 120 g
cilantro — 15 g

Time & effort: about 2 hr 49 min (2 hr 47 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 167.6 kcal, 11.9 g protein, 6.2 g fat, 16.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

Pat the beef cubes dry and season all over with the salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Working in two batches so the pot stays hot, sear the beef until deeply browned on at least two sides, 6-7 minutes per batch, then transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden at the edges, 5-6 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, harissa paste, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon, and cook, stirring constantly, until the pastes darken slightly and smell toasted, about 1-2 minutes - this blooms the spices instead of leaving them raw-tasting in the finished stew.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot and stir to combine.
Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently until the beef is just becoming tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Stir in the chickpeas and carrots, cover partially again, and continue simmering until the beef shreds easily with a fork and the carrots are tender, 45-50 minutes more.
Uncover and simmer 5-8 minutes to thicken the broth slightly to a hearty, spoon-coating consistency. Taste and season with additional salt if needed.
Ladle into bowls and scatter the cilantro over the top before serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Harissa Meatball Subs — Middle Eastern
Ndizi Nyama (Green Banana and Beef Stew) — Tanzanian
Taco Stuffed Peppers — Tex-Mex
Spinach Chicken Meatballs in Curry Sauce — Indian
Mesaka'a (Egyptian Eggplant Casserole) — Egyptian

Keep reading: what umami, richness, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.