Moroccan Garbanzo Beans with Raisins

Turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger do all the talking in this quick Moroccan-inspired stew. Chickpeas, butternut squash, and plump raisins simmer together in spiced chicken broth until the squash turns tender and the flavors merge.

The sweet-savory balance is what makes this dish work. Raisins swell in the hot broth and burst with sweetness against the earthy chickpeas and warm spice blend. That combination of fruit and legumes is a hallmark of North African cooking, and it’s what sets this apart from a regular bean stew.

Dice the butternut squash small, about ½-inch cubes. It only cooks for 8 minutes, so bigger pieces won’t soften in time. The chickpeas go in at the end since they’re already cooked from the can and just need to heat through.

Kitchen Tips

• Peanut oil handles the initial sauté well at higher heat, but olive oil works if that’s what you have
• Cook the onions fully until they’re soft and translucent before adding the liquid. Undercooked onions stay sharp and bitter
• Toast the ground spices briefly in the oil with the onions to bloom them and deepen their flavor
• This thickens as it sits, so add a splash of broth when reheating leftovers

Variations

• Use sweet potato in place of butternut squash for a similar texture with deeper sweetness
• Make it fully vegetarian by swapping chicken broth for vegetable broth
• Add a handful of chopped dried apricots alongside the raisins for extra fruit complexity