Lebanese spinach stew is hearty, warming, and delicious. Using minimal ingredients and can be made in around 30 minutes. Best served with Lebanese Rice.

Spinach Stew with rice known as Sabanekh wa Rice — Popeye for sure loves this spinach stew!!

What Is Lebanese Spinach Stew?

Lebanese spinach stew, also known as sabanekh wa riz, translates to “spinach with rice” in Arabic.

Traditionally, it’s made with browned ground beef meatballs mixed into stewed spinach, which was a family favorite growing up. I remember trying to get as many meatballs as I could into my bowl, they were that good!

These days, I’ve embraced a vegan version of this comforting dish, replacing the meat with chickpeas. The chickpeas blend perfectly into the rich, flavorful stew, making it just as hearty and satisfying.

This vegan Lebanese spinach stew is not only delicious but also budget-friendly, perfect for feeding the whole family. Plus, it makes excellent leftovers, especially when you scoop up the savory juices with a piece of bread.

Btw, if you love food from Lebanon and spinach, you MUST try my Lebanese spinach pies, called sabankeh fatayer, ouft they are addictive.

How I Eat It

Just like with many other stews from Lebanon, this sabanekh w riz is always served with vermicelli rice and a dollop of laban (which is plain yogurt in Arabic) - we now eat dairy-free yogurt on the side.

And if you’re wondering, the combination of cold yogurt with hot stew is wonderful.

I also pair that rice with bazella w riz (peas), molokhia (jute leaves) and fasoulia w riz (kidney beans).

Key Ingredients and The Steps

The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.

Making this vegan Lebanese spinach stew is straightforward and flavorful, perfect for beginners.

black pot with diced onion, crushed garlic and chopped cilantro

Start by frying your aromatics: in a large pot, heat olive oil over high heat, then add freshly chopped garlic, coriander (cilantro), and onion.

Cook these until the onion becomes translucent and the aromas are released. If you’re avoiding oil, you can simply water-fry them.

Next, add the fresh chopped spinach (or frozen if that’s what you have) along with vegetable stock.

Stir well, letting the spinach wilt down for about 15 minutes.

As it cooks, the spinach releases its juices, which blend into the stock to create a rich base for the stew.

wilted spinach with chickpeas and seasoning in a pot

Once the spinach is ready, stir in rinsed and drained canned chickpeas for protein (here’s a meat version), and season with freshly cracked black pepper.

If you like some heat, you can add a bit of red chili, whether fresh or in flakes.

Let everything simmer for about 5 more minutes.

spinach and chickpea stew in a black pot

Finally, turn off the heat and finish the dish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice, which adds a bright, tangy kick.

This step is crucial for balancing the flavors. Serve warm with rice, see how I eat it in the above.

two white bowls with stewed spinach and one with cooked white rice also — The top plate is of spinach and rice, just as we would eat it

Janelle's Tips

In this recipe I prefer to use spinach over baby spinach. It is earthier and overall has a stronger taste. Fresh spinach when cooked will wilt and lose 50% of its volume, hence why a large amount of spinach is needed.

Spinach can be swapped out for Swiss chard (silverbeet) which features a lot in Lebanese cooking and is often interchangeable. See the next image.

Storage

Making a big batch of sabanekh wa riz is great. This recipe keeps well in the fridge, for about a week in an airtight container. Simply reheat over a stove top or microwave.

The above photo shows the same recipe but with silverbeet (swiss chard) rather than spinach. The result is equally delish.

stewed spinach with chickpea and rice with vermicelli noodle in a white bowl

Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.

Recipe

Lebanese Spinach Stew

Lebanese spinach stew without meat is a hearty dish made with fresh spinach, simple ingredients, and ready in 30 minutes, perfect for weeknight dinners.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Lebanese

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 35

Servings: people

Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

2 kg Fresh spinach chopped small. (Frozen spinach can also be used)
½ cup Coriander (cilantro) finely chopped
400 g Chickpeas drained
1 medium Brown Onion Diced
5-6 cloves Fresh garlic crushed
2 tbsp Olive oil divided
1 cup Vegetable stock
1 teaspoon Black pepper to taste
1 medium Fresh lemon juice
1 small Red chili (optional)

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

In a large pot, over high heat, add 2 tablespoon Olive oil, the diced 1 medium Brown Onion, chopped ½ cup Coriander (cilantro) and crushed 5-6 cloves Fresh garlic until translucent and fragrant.
Add the chopped 2 kg Fresh spinach and 1 cup Vegetable stock. Stir contents through and allow spinach to wilt for about 15 minutes with the lid on.
Add 400 g Chickpeas, 1 teaspoon Black pepper, chopped 1 small Red chiliStir everything together and allow to simmer for about 5-10 minutes with the lid on. Turn off heat and pour 1 medium Fresh lemon juice. Serve on a bed of rice.