Garbanzos con Espinacas y Bacalao (Chickpeas, Spinach & Salted Cod)

Name: Garbanzos con Espinacas y Bacalao (Chickpeas, Spinach & Salted Cod)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 400 g salted cod (bacalao); 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large yellow onion; 4 clove garlic; 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika (pimentón dulce); 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 1 piece bay leaf; 2 can chickpeas (garbanzos); 300 g fresh spinach; 200 g ripe tomatoes; 2 cup low-sodium vegetable or fish stock; 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 0.25 cup fresh parsley; to taste black pepper; to taste salt; pinch hot smoked paprika or red pepper flakes

A hearty Andalusian-style one-pot of desalted salt cod, tender chickpeas and spinach — rich in complete protein and iron, great for training-day fuel and meal-prep.

AI image

55 min

start to finish

25 min

hands on

Some skill

difficulty

servings

4 servings

Ingredients

Contains fish. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Roughly, per serving

420 kcal30g protein33g carbs18g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Desalt the salted cod (if using): place the cod in a bowl and cover with cold water; refrigerate 24 hours, changing the water 2–3 times.
If you have fresh cod, skip this step and reduce added salt later.
Drain the desalted cod, remove skin and any bones, and cut into 1- to 1½-inch (2.5–3.5 cm) chunks.
Pat pieces dry so they hold together better in the braise.
Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy skillet or cazuela over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
Lower the heat if the onion browns too quickly — you want soft sweetness, not char.
Stir in the minced garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin and the bay leaf; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the chopped tomatoes (or canned tomatoes) and cook until they start to break down and form a saucy base.
Add the drained chickpeas and 1 cup of the stock (reserve the rest), stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
Nestle the cod pieces among the chickpeas, pour in the remaining stock, add the chopped spinach on top, cover and simmer gently until the cod is opaque and flakes easily and the spinach is wilted.
Avoid a rolling boil so the cod stays firm.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the lemon juice and chopped parsley; taste and adjust seasoning with black pepper and a little salt only if needed (salt sparingly when using salted cod).
Spoon into bowls, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and serve warm.

Worth knowing

If you prefer dried chickpeas: soak overnight and cook until tender (about 1–1½ hours) before adding; use about 350 g dried to yield similar cooked volume.
To speed desalting if short on time: cover cod with cold water and change water every 2–3 hours for 6–8 hours (best if refrigerated) — still not as mild as a full 24 hours.
This dish keeps well: cool, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; flavors deepen overnight — reheat gently on the stove.
Serve over short-grain rice, with boiled potatoes, or with a wedge of lemon and charred bread (note: bread contains gluten).
For more heat, add the optional hot smoked paprika or a pinch of red pepper flakes with the spices.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

PescatarianGluten-freeDairy-freeHigh proteinMeal prepBudget

More Spanish cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Spanish cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be pescatarian and gluten-free and dairy-free as listed.