Slow Cooker Chickpea Stew With Lemon and Coconut

By Ali Slagle

Published August 7, 2025

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 6 to 8 hours
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
About 6 to 8 hours
Rating
4(872)
Comments
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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

  • 1 pound dried chickpeas (no need to soak)

  • 1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into big florets

  • 2 (14-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk

  • 1 tablespoon ground turmeric

  • Salt and black pepper

  • 2 lemons

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

63 grams carbs; 600 calories; 2 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 33 grams fat; 14 grams fiber; 907 milligrams sodium; 22 grams protein; 12 grams sugar

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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Ratings

4 out of 5
872 user ratings
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Comments

Mo Kevany

@SDC not sure why people feel the need to comment on a recipe that differs quite a lot from the original, making it a totally different recipe. I’m going to try the simple original which sounds delicious and so easy.

SDC

I have a 6-in-1 Instant pot, and this is what I did. Note that this recipe makes a lot of food! -1lb chickpeas 1 can coconut water, 1/2 the lemon peels, salt, and 1.5 cans of water. The chickpeas need to be completed covered by the fluid with some room to spare or else the top layer will dry out -seal and cook on bean setting for 20 minutes -chickpeas will be al dente, not entirely cooked -add cauliflower, 2 small yellow onions roughly chopped, and the following: stock cube 2-3 tbsp curry powder 2-3tsp cumin powder 1 can coconut cream 1 jalapeno 1 inch of ginger 1 large clove of garlic (mash jalapeno, ginger and garlic in mortar and pestal before adding or roughly chop) 1 can of water -the cauliflower will release some water, but not enough to make it runny -seal and put on chili setting for 5 minutes -safely open and add 1 cup cashews and 2 handfuls of spinach -stir spinach (should wilt immediately), add salt and pepper to taste -add a splash of coconut cream if it's too spicy for you, but remember that the instant pot will water down the spices I served it with brown basmati coconut rice and it was delicious. The sweetness and creamy flavor of the coconut rice will also help with any spice. The chickpeas are umami and the flavours are great. Cauliflower is perfectly cooked, soft with a hint of crisp. enjoy!

Anon O. Miss

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

Leigh

This was a great technique. The dried chickpeas were perfectly cooked, and the texture of the cauliflower was great. I lacked the courage of my convictions (cooking the recipe as is the first time) and added sautéed onion, ginger, and garlic, as well as smoked paprika and cumin. It was easy and totally delicious.

AL

This was good, and I probably would make it again, but I would probably try to change some things. I thought it would be creamier than it was, so I would probably add some yogurt of heavy cream next time I make it, and I might use a bit less of the lemon peel. I know the recipe said that it wouldn't be super lemony, but more flowery, but it didn't seem to be that way for me. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE lemon, but it kind of overpowered everything else in this recipe for me.

Mooky

This was super easy and delicious- I added some crushed garlic cloves and handfuls of spinach near the end which I’d recommend

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