Middle Eastern · main

Spiced Chickpea and Sweet Potato Tagine

Spiced Chickpea and Sweet Potato Tagine reads sweetness 5.6, fruity 4.5 and allium 4.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 47 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 7.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.1 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.0 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 5.6 · Fruity 4.5 · Allium 4.4 · Umami 4.4 · Salinity 4.2 · Richness 3.9 · Nutty 3.8 · Earthy 3.4 · Warm Spice 2.6 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Smoke 2.2 · Sourness 2.0 · Floral 1.8 · Bitterness 1.3

What's in it (16)

• olive oil — 41 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• ginger — 15 g
• cumin — 10 g
• cinnamon — 7 g
• smoked paprika — 5 g
• turmeric — 3 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• red-skinned sweet potatoes — 680 g
• chickpeas — 851 g
• vegetable broth — 473 g
• dried apricots — 79 g
• salt — 7 g
• cilantro — 15 g
• slivered almonds — 59 g

Time & effort: about 47 min (46 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 145.9 kcal, 7 g protein, 2.9 g fat, 23.7 g carbs

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

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5-6 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in the cumin, cinnamon, smoked paprika, and turmeric; toast the spices in the oil, stirring constantly so they don't scorch, until deeply fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, and let the sauce come together, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, vegetable broth, and dried apricots; stir well to combine.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, 25-30 minutes.
7. Uncover and continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 8-10 minutes more.
8. Stir in the salt, then taste and season with more salt if needed.
9. Ladle the tagine into bowls and finish each with a scattering of cilantro and toasted almonds.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Country Captain Chicken with Curry and Almonds — Southern
• Curried Rice Pilaf — Indian
• Country Captain Chicken with Currants and Almonds — Southern
• Beef Picadillo with Rice — Mexican
• Kubbat Mosul (Flat Bulgur-Shelled Meat Discs) — Iraqi

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

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

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