Spanish Style Silverbeet with Chickpeas

This fresh and delicious silverbeet with chickpeas recipe takes inspiration from one of my favourite Spanish tapas dishes, Espinacas con garbanzos. Silverbeet leaves and stalks are panfried, then mixed with chickpeas, garlic breadcrumbs and fresh tomatoes. It can be eaten hot straight out of the pan, or enjoyed cold the next day.

Silverbeet and rainbow chard are regular winter crops in our vegetable patch, often producing an abundance of the beautiful dark glossy leaves and colourful stalks, leading me to be creative with it to keep my family from complaining about eating it for the fourth meal in a row. From Japanese silverbeet with a sesame dressing, Greek style feta and silverbeet pie, sautéed silverbeet and this Italian silverbeet pie which is perfect for lunch boxes, it is a very versatile vegetable!

I have particular fondness for this silverbeet recipe however, as it is based on our favourite tapas dish and we would order whenever we saw it on the menu.

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

• Silverbeet – I have made this dish with rainbow chard as well as silverbeet, and both work really well. If you don’t have silverbeet or rainbow chard, then use kale, spinach or collard greens.
• Chickpeas – I use tinned chickpeas but you can use dried chickpeas and cook according to packet instructions.
• Breadcrumbs – I have used wholemeal and white breadcrumbs and both work as well. I’ve even used breadcrumbs made from seeded bread, and love the savoury nuttiness the seeds give. It is a great recipe for leftover bread crusts too!
• Olive oil – use a good quality olive oil as it really adds to the flavours of the dish.
• Tomatoes – fresh tomato or use cherry tomatoes / grape tomatoes if you have a glut of them. I advise against using tomato puree / paste as it is too overpowering, and you want the juice from the tomato to help keep the dish moist.
• Garlic – fresh garlic!
• Sherry Vinegar – this Spanish vinegar is slightly sweet – though not as sweet as balsamic vinegar – slightly nutty, complex and rounded, and my favourite vinegar to use in so many dishes, from vinaigrettes to marinades. If you don’t have it, substitute with red wine vinegar in this recipe.
• Smoked paprika – this smokey red spice is a classic Spanish spice, warm and earthy. I have found brands of smoked paprika to vary greatly in taste here in Australia, and some of the more basic brands have a harsh smokey taste which isn’t that pleasant. I am currently enjoying El Avion Mild Smoked Paprika.

Tips for making this silverbeet recipe:

• Silverbeet leaves cook down alot! It may seem like a lot of silverbeet in this recipe when you first put it in the pan, but it soon wilts down.
• You just need to warm the chickpeas through, if you cook them for too long they can turn mushy.
• Add a generous pinch of salt, it really brings out the flavour of the ingredients.
• If using the slightly larger silverbeet leaves and stems, then cut the stems into smaller 3-4cm/1.5″ lengths as they take a little longer to cook than finer rainbow chard stems.

FAQs

How to prepare silverbeet:

• Wash the silverbeet well to remove any dirt and grit.
• Use a sharp knife to remove the stems from the leaves.
• Slice the stems into 3 – 4 cm l/ 1.2 – 1.6 inches and cook for a few minutes before adding the leaves.

Serving Ideas

• As part of a tapas spread alongside these other vegetarian tapas dishes: baked patatas bravas, ajillo mushrooms, asadillo manchego, or add in a taste of Venezuala with this Guasacaca recipe which is similar to guacamole.
• It is also delicious as a side to grilled chicken or sausages.
• On its own with a drizzle of your favourite olive oil 🙂