Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spinach with Garbanzo Beans)

Wow! This was terrific. I used a bag of fresh spinach and cooked the onion and garlic first, then added the garbanzo beans and cooked them with, mashing them a bit, then added the fresh spinach and wilted it with salt and cumin. I served it with baked lemon salmon and it was divine!! Thanks for the recipe.

Spinach, garbanzo beans, garlic, olive oil - all flavors I grew up up with and love. Cumin is relatively new to me, but I love it too. I thought I'd have a winner here with this recipe, but I've learned that just because you love a variety of flavors doesn't mean they all belong together. For me, this was just perfect and excellent until the addition of the cumin, which just didn't seem to work well with the spinach. I found the cumin and spinach an "off" combination. I used fresh baby spinach so I didn't have any problem with the dryness other reviewers noted, but I can easily see where this would be an issue with frozen spinach. Oh, I know I'll make this again, because dishes like this are so familiar and just the way I grew up learning to eat and to cook - but I'll reserve the cumin for another time, in a different dish.

This is a good basic recipe when you don't have a lot of time or if you're too tired want to cook. I usually don't use the cumin and substitute it for rosemary. When I have them on hand, I will add canned diced tomatoes and even adding a splash of red wine brings a lot of depth and flavor to this recipe. Simple ingredients and cooking at its best!

This is a very traditional Spanish dish or tapas, I grew up on this and is the ONLY way I would eat my spinach! This recipe is fine BUT it is missing a very important ingredient, Sweet Spanish Paprika, just use regular if thats what you have, also white wine, some add coriander and some recipes use bread in it but honestly it is already so hearty that I feel it works best without the bread. Cumin goes perfectly with this dish contrary to the other review and please please don't destroy this wonderful dish by adding cheese!!!

My husband I LOVE this and make it all the time! I do make a few changes though... After sautéing the garlic and onion, I add the beans and mash most of them with a fork (this tastes better if most of the beans are mashed). Then I add chopped fresh spinach in batches, covering with a lid after each addition until wilted. Once all the spinach has been added, I season with cumin, salt (1/4 tsp is plenty), and a little red pepper. I cook the mixture covered for about 5 more minutes, stirring every minute or so. DELICIOUS!

OMG!!! This is a FANTASTIC and easy recipe! I used fresh spinach as I prefer fresh over frozen and I did not mush the garbanzos as I like mine whole. I followed the recipe to a "T" and did make any additions or ommissions, was done in less time than it took to grill my salmon that accompanied it! Awesome Recipe!

This was easy to make and tasted fantastic! I doubled it and added a cup of water and a chicken bullion cube for a little extra juiciness.

WOW. First off I will say that I not by any means a spinach lover unless it is covered in some kind of cheese, but this recipe was fantastic. The only thing I changed was a little extra garlic, and some chicken broth at the end of cooking because it started to get very dry. Next time I will mash the beans before I put them in the pan and add a little ground black pepper/. Overall great recipe, will definatly make a regular dish, even the kids liked it.

i've made this a couple of times now, and as much as i love cumin, i feel it is a little too earthy and didn't work well for me in this dish. i must have squeezed the spinach too much in an effort to "drain well," as it was very dry. after tasting it, i added some lemon pepper and feta cheese and i liked it much more. i prefer using the whole onion, fresh lemon zest and a pinch of cayenne. a squeeze of fresh lemon at the end also really brightens this dish. great recipe to tweak to your tastes, and feel healthy doing it. :)

Very interesting dish, needed a little more flavor in my opinion. I'm a big lover of spinach and I added some cheddar cheese to this dish and it was really good.

Have seen that there are a lot of good reviews.. and a few that say I should have added more flavor in the recipe. This dish is a dish to highlight the beans and spinach flavor, and most importantly the very best extra virgin olive oil. It's a tapas food (bar food) so suppose to be paired with a good beer for light mellow flavor. As others have suggested you can add seasonings of your choice, or even crushed red pepper to spice up the dish, if it comes out too dry I recommended adding a bit more high quality olive oil, again depends on water content of beans and spinach - which can very everytime you make this dish. I really appreciate everyone's comments and suggestions to make this dish the best possible for each person individual tastes. And with any recipe, it's best to make it your own! ;)

very good a bit salty... used fresh spinach... woke well with South African Yellow Rice... very tasty

This was quite good, a nice staple recipe (especially as I'm vegetarian). It was easy and quick to make. I might suggest a squeeze of lemon or Braggs before serving. It would also be good with fresh chopped tomatoes added to the pan while the garlic and onion are sauteeing.

This was a very easy, quick, and tasty recipe! I really enjoyed it. I used less oil than the recipe called for, and it turned out very well. That was the only thing I changed when making this recipe. Give this one a try! It is very good, and very healthy!

Yum! Used half a bag of fresh spinach and replaced the cumin with rosemary. When I put the spinach in, I added salt, pepper, a little lemon, and a little more oil. Next time I would add rosemary to the pan while beans/onion are browning. Also, it was a little dry, so I might save a little bean juice to add toward the end and smash the beans a little. Served w/ quinoa, tomato, onion, lemon and cilantro, it's a super-fast vegan meal.

This is true Spanish home cooking - I had this all the time when I was living in Spain. Yum, yum, yum.

This was really delicious! I opted not for the cumin, I like cumin but it didn't match the flavors of the menu. I didn't totally squeeze the spinach dry b/c some complained that it was dry so I left a little water in it. I couldn't help to wonder if fresh cream drizzled over would make it better (of course, to me, cream makes everything divine). It was so good and added a little moisture and sauciness to it, I added about 3 to 4 tablespoons.

Delicious...ive been using this recipe for two years now! love it...i use fresh spinach, i used jarred minces garlic for convenience, and i top it with abit of parmesan cheese at the end! Fabulous lunch recipe! thank you!

So good and easy. Added a fresh tomato for color.

Very flavorful! Not a huge cumin fan but it tasted great in this recipe.

Ridiculously easy and quick. Perfect for a light dinner. In fairness, I was being super lazy and impatient and left out the onion, so it was flavored only by the salt, cumin and garlic, but I loved it. Spooned it on small pieces of crusty baguette. Couldn't be more pleased with adding this one to the make-dinner-fast arsenal.

Espinacas con Garbanzos' Haiku: "I thought this was great! (I didn't 'lightly mash' beans.) Simple, graceful taste." I followed the recipe exactly, using fresh spinach instead of frozen, and since I love the texture of garbanzo beans, I didn't lightly mash them. I thought that I'd serve this side dish w/ grated cheese or hot sauce, but it stood wonderfully on its own - I really liked the addition of cumin, but I think that that particular spice could be swapped for another depending on the "theme" of your meal; for instance, if your main dish is an italian chicken, basil could stand in for cumin, and what-not. (This versatility, and the ease of preparation, will make this recipe a keeper in my book!)

This is an excellent dish hot or cold and as a side or main dish. Adding a generous amount of lemon is a must. I always use fresh spinach and toast the cumin. Thanks for sharing.

Delicious...even my super picky husband thought this was good! Will definitely make again. Like other reviewers, I used fresh spinach and tossed in a handful of pine nuts for extra flavor.

This was just delicious! I used a 1-lb bag of fresh spinach and instead of fresh garlic, I opted to use up 4 cloves of roasted garlic - just smashed them up and added them with the onions. Amazing how a fast and simple recipe, with just a few ingredients, can come together so nicely! I'll be making this weekly!

This is such a great light lunch or dinner! I used fresh spinach and added a shake of paprika.

This was an easy side dish with a casserole. I used a bag of frozen spinach (thawed). The bag was 16oz so if you do that if up the salt and cumin to 3/4 tsp maybe but I love cumin.

Yes, served it at church potluck, made it for 28 servings and they all asked for the recipe. I had some left over that I had made before, and was asked to take something for an event so took it cold with crackers and people piled it on and ate till it was all gone. Highly recommend. Made it as stated in recipe.

I really enjoyed this. I used fresh spinach and added it to the skillet last. I was out of cumin so I used a small pinch of the curry powder that I made from a personal recipe on this site (Bon Apetito). I served this with Fast Salmon with a Ginger Glaze (Chef John) and brown rice. Great recipe. I will add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat the next time I make it.

Dry, bland and ended up throwing it away.

The more I made this... the more I liked it!! Soon had cravings for it even! First time ever had and now becoming a favorite!

excellent fixed it several times. One of my favorite. Great combination.

This was a really easy idea to add something different for my work lunches. I did make a few additions. One of the video suggested squeezing lemon juice for some tang. I used a lime. I also added some red pepper flakes and very little chicken broth. I wanted something a bit more filling so I mixed in some tuna as well. This may not be your cup of tea, but it's delicious to me. When you consider the North African origins, it just feels like a very earthy dish.

Next time we will double the spinach and add tomatoes. We ate this with baked salmon.

I just made this and it is really good!! The only change I made was I used fresh baby spinach and added about a tablespoon of water when I added that spinach at the last to add a bit more moisture while the spinach wilted. All the flavors are great together!!

Followed recipe exactly. My favorite recipe that I have cooked from this site!

I thought I would really like this, since I love the two main ingredients, but it turned out dry and didn't seem that flavorful. It needs some sauce or something. If I try it again, I'll add bouillon and/or more onion.

My husband and I love this. We make it all the time exactly as directed. It's a great, easy, healthy side dish that goes especially well with chicken or pork.

I happened on this looking for something to do with garbanzo beans. It is so delicious! I add quite a bit more cumin and use fresh spinach. We've had it about 5 times since I discovered the recipe. So simple and yummy!

Really easy and liked the flavours in the dish although I didn't add cumin. I think it would be great topped with parm!

i really tried to like this. i love spinach and garbanzo beans. i didn't like this at all. wife and daughter really liked it...therefore..4 stars.

We really enjoyed this "Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spinach with Garbanzo Beans)" recipe (4 stars), and love it with lemon juice (5 stars). Thank you Vanessa for sharing your recipe.

I didn't have any onion so I subbed in onion powder and used fresh spinach. Loved it! I wasn't able to taste the cumin so I'll increase that next time. I ate almost all of it myself. Will definitely be making it again many times.

Had this recently at a tapas restaurant and loved it. This recipe replicates it exactly. Very very tasty and easy to make. I used fresh spinach and just wilted it at the end. Also sautéed the onions separately and then added the garlic with the beans because garlic tends to burn if cooked for a long time. Loved the result and definitely making it again. Great dish!!

I absolutely love the combination of all these ingredients but never thought of putting them together until I came across this recipe. Thanks for sharing.

imo the recipe on its own is missing that little something. so i added crispy chopped bacon and a hint of white wine- very very good.

Subbed Swiss chard for the spinach. Kids absolutely loved it and ate the entire dish! Great new flavor for garbanzos and spinach. Filling dish. Nutritionally perfect for the vegan, vegetarian and GF diets frequently served in our house.

I am not a picky eater! The flavors did not seem to go together in my opinion. On the other hand, my one year old loved it!

I thought this was pretty good. I liked it much more than I expected I would. I did make a few changes. I used a 6oz bag of fresh spinach instead of frozen. I hate mincing garlic, so I just sliced it which saved time. This actually was rather quick to make. I was worried the cumin and salt would be a little strong. I used low sodium garbanzo beans and rinsed and drained them. I also cut the amount of salt in half and added 2 pinches only of cumin plus a pinch of garlic salt. TY

Yum! So easy, and delicious! It looks so simple, but the flavors really come together, and it tastes awesome. My husband and I ate the whole thing for our main dish! It does not have a very "spinach-y" taste, probably because of the seasonings. Try it!

I absolutly love this recipe as is. I always use fresh spinach, usually when it's not looking so fresh anymore. Unbelievably good for such few ingredients and such little time and effort put into it. I usually make it as a side dish and then end up eating the leftovers alone for lunch the next day. So good.

This was very good thanks for sharing

Delicious, I didn't change a thing except to use fresh spinach, added later in the process. Makes wonderful leftovers too!

Super delicious and healthy. I sauteed the onions and garlic first and then added the garbanzo beans to the mix to heat them up alittle (since they were in can) and crushed them in that mixture before adding spinach (much easier!). I also used fresh spinach and sauteed that separately and then I combined everything. Def a keeper!

I made this tonight and it couldn't be simpler or tastier!! My only variation was to use fresh spinach and I cut back on the salt by using 1/4 teaspoon. (I prefer to add it later if it needs it.) This will definitely be in my rotation!

I absolutely LOVED this dish. My hubby and kids found it just okay, but if you like garbanzos you are likely to love this dish too. Great hot or cold!

This was just ok for me. Nothing to write home about, but a nice easy side high in nutrients.

I actually made this exactly as written with only one small change and I thought it was great. All I did was use pan spray and only 1 teaspoon of the oil, otherwise I stuck to the recipe. DH on the other hand, didn't care for it. Oh, he ate it because he'll eat just about anything, but he complained the whole time. I'll definitely make this again, but I'll save it for my own lunch. Thank you so much for the post.

Excellent flavor! Make sure to drain some of the moisture from the spinach otherwise you'll end up with spinach soup!

I really, really liked this. My husband, not so much. that's ok though. More for me to enjoy.

I use this same recipe, but it's out of my favorite vegetarian book. Tastes great!

We thought this was fantastic! I didn't change a thing. It was served with some grilled salmon and shrimp and rice. Will definitely be a keeper. Thanks for the great recipe!

Was not that great definitely needed more of somethin

I followed the recipe to the letter and I found it very bad tasting. My friend that tried it agreed. It sounded so promising as I love all the ingredients but it just wasn't good - IMHO.

Add as much spinach as you want. This dish is great!

This was great! I've made it twice so far and it's a hit...even my carnivore boyfriend loves it. The only adjustment I made was adding a little chicken stock at the end because it looked a little dry.

Very good. Made the mistake of using baby fresh spinach it tended to clump together, next time will try using frozen spinach as recipe calls.

I make this often. Easy and delicious dish. I always make a recipe my own by adding my own ingredients. I've add different spices, veggies, and cheeses to the mix. Usually comes out great. Serve with rice and you have your meal.

Delish and healthy! Thanks for recipe - definitely a keeper!

used 12 oz of fresh spinach, and added half of the cumin, then added the rest little by little to be sure that i didn't use too much. a little extra olive oil, and a grate of fresh nutmeg were the only changes i made. someone mentioned that a little white wine would be good, so i'll try that next time. very tasty. i think a little smoked paprika would be a good addition. i may try it using white beans in place of the garbanzos. with some sliced spanish style chorizo added, and crusty bread, this would be be a great, easy, fast meal.

Incredibly simple and very tasty. I used fresh spinach instead of frozen.

I found this recipe to be dry. I liked the mix of foods and the smells were great by it was dry. Maybe is should not have squeezed the water from the spinach.

This was so simple and delivered lots of taste. 4 out of the 5 kids liked it so next time we will double the recipe. No changes - none needed. Hubs did put crushed pepper on his but her puts it on everything lol Very good - will make often!

Easy and delicious! My husband and 5 year old loved this, my son asked for it again the next night! The only change I made to this recipe was made the gb's fresh.

I made this with Cannellini beans instead of chickpeas because I did't have any in my cupboard. Next time I'll have them on hand. But, this was so delicious anyway! Either way, it's a good recipe.

I really liked this. Easy great recipe. I added a teaspoon of minced garlic. Will make again! Thanks for the great easy recipe.

This is a good, healthy side dish. I used fresh spinach and added it after the garbanzos were heated through, I only let it barely wilt (that is how we like it). I omited the cumin (personal preference). Next time, I think I will cut back on the garlic a bit. Thanks for the recipe!

This was absolutely delicious!!!! I like to change recipes around and i added roasted red peppers to give it a pop.

Out of this world! I steamed frozen spinach for 8 minutes on a pot of water first. I added the spice to the sautéed the onions and garlic, then added the spinach, and finally the beans.

We really enjoyed this! We used fresh spinach, but otherwise followed the recipe as written. The cumin adds a nice flavor. Thanks for posting!

I really liked this dish, I served it with key west chicken on the grill and some crusty bread. We'll definitely be making this one again!

Great for light lunches especially when I'm supposed to be on a diet! hahaha. Used fresh baby spinach and followed the rest. Had a buttery taste at the end from the garbanzo beans. I have to admit though, it does need a stronger seasoning to it.

I added more cumin. If you don't want the dish to be so dry, don't completely dry the spinach

Very easy to make, healthy and taste great. I did not mash the beans as a matter of preference. Thank you for sharing.

This is tasty, healthy, easy and low cal! What more can I ask for? I make it with fresh spinach and sweet onion. Great side dish and delicious for a light lunch the next day.

very good, I added some can tomatoes for extra flavor

So easy, so fast, and so GOOD! I struggle to add vegetables to my children's diet but both my eight year old and my 3 year old liked this. You could definitely eat this with some rice as a meal on its own. We served this with basmati rice and a rotissire chicken for a quick healthy weeknight meal.

I am SO thankful I found this recipe. I absolutely LOVE it. I use it as a side dish. Fabulous. I, too, add a bit of lemon juice for added flair. But even without - this dish ROCKS! Thanks for sharing!

I love this recipe! And what a bonus being so good for you too! Used double the spinach since it was a 20 oz frozen bag ,added some chicken bouillon and water to cook it for a little bit. It was a wonderful accompaniment to a grilled pork loin. Thanks for posting this recipe!

I thought this recipe was very delicious, healthy and fresh tasting. I lowered the oil to 1 tsp, and the recipe tasted very good, however since I like a little extra zest I added a can of diced tomatoes right at the end to give it a little extra liquid and zing. Either way it is a really good vegetarian/vegan main dish or side dish. I will make again.

Very delicious and basic. If you appreciate the flavors of spinach and garlic in addition to the texture of garbanzo beans, you will love this. Personally, it was a little bland for me and I added more cumin.

I made my garganzos in the crockpot and they were wonderful. I then made this recipe with frozen spinach and found it to be very tasty. Next time I will use fresh spinach. This is perfect for any vegan looking to add protein into their meals.

Trying to add more veggies to my diet and to be honest, this one took me totally by surprise! Wow, so easy and it even turned out to be filling. Thanks so much for the recipe!

We like spinach, and we like garbanzo's, but this was not to my liking! Followed the recipe to the letter and no one ate it. Won't make this again...

For me and my family this was only so, so. In my opinion the beans needed some sort of sauce to off set the natural dryness that they have. I ended up tossing them into the blender, adding a bit more salt and enough water and EVOO to almost cover the beans then blended them into a tahini free hummus. That got a much better review from the family (including my one year old).

We loved this easy and quick recipe! I used fresh spinach instead of frozen and i used shallots in place of the onions b/c i didnt realize i didnt have any onions. Will definately be making this again! Thanks!

This was really good! I cant really give it a star rating bc I made it a little differently. I used chili powder instead of cumin, but it had a great flavor. Next time will add more spinach and a spinkle of parmisian cheese. :)

perfect! I made this for Valentine's Day with a simple grilled salmon over cous cous and it was awesome! I ended up having lots of leftover ingredients for this so I made it the next two nights! Its like healthy comfort food. Im completely addicted.

This is delicious! However, it seemed a little dry as it was cooking so I added a little chicken broth. That made it easier to smash the beans and added a nice flavor surprise.