---
title: "Chilean Chickpea Stew — Homemade Guiso de Garbanzos Recipe"
description: "Versión en Español. Chilean guiso de garbanzos is a hearty chickpea stew made by soaking dried chickpeas overnight, cooking them twice until tender, and simmering them for 40 minutes with a sofrito of..."
url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-chickpea-stew-guiso-de-garbanzos-recipe/
date: 2026-09-27
modified: 2026-09-27
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-chickpea-stew-guiso-de-garbanzos-featured.jpg
categories: ["Main Dishes"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Chilean Chickpea Stew — Homemade Guiso de Garbanzos Recipe

[Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-garbanzos/)

![Chilean chickpea stew with squash and tomato in a deep bowl](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-chickpea-stew-guiso-de-garbanzos-featured.jpg)*Homemade Chilean guiso de garbanzos*

Chilean guiso de garbanzos is a hearty chickpea stew made by soaking dried chickpeas overnight, cooking them twice until tender, and simmering them for 40 minutes with a sofrito of onion, shallot, tomato, winter squash, and thyme, vegetable stock, and their own cooking liquid. It takes 12 hours of soaking plus about 3 hours of cooking and serves 4 people.

One of its great advantages is that, once cooked, the stew freezes well for months.

## How to Make Chilean Chickpea Stew?

Dried chickpeas are recommended rather than canned or precooked, so plan ahead for the overnight soak. The chickpeas are softened in two stages, then finished with a vegetable sofrito and their starchy cooking liquid.

## Nutritional Information

Each serving of chickpea stew contains approximately 350 kcal, 60 g of carbohydrates, 8 g of fat, 18 g of protein, 15 g of fiber, 8 g of sugars, 0 mg of cholesterol, and 600 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

## Homemade Chilean Guiso de Garbanzos Recipe

**Preparation:** 12 hours
**Cooking:** 3 hours
**Servings:** 4 people

### Ingredients

- 500 g (1.1 lb) of dried chickpeas
- 100 g (3.5 oz) of diced winter squash
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 sachets of vegetable stock powder
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 shallot, chopped
- Fresh thyme

### Instructions

1. Cover the chickpeas with water in a large pot and soak overnight, about 12 hours. Rinse and return them to the pot with 3 cups of cold water and the baking soda, stir, and cook uncovered over medium heat for 60 minutes. Drain and discard the water.

![Dried chickpeas soaked overnight](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/dried-chickpeas-garbanzos.jpg)*Dried chickpeas*

1. Return the chickpeas to the pot with 3 cups of boiling water and cook uncovered over low heat for 60 minutes, or until tender. Strain, keeping the cooking liquid.

![Olive oil for the stew sofrito](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/olive-oil-sofrito-tuna-antipasto.jpg)*Olive oil*

1. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the shallot, tomatoes, squash, and thyme to taste and cook for 5 more minutes.

![Vegetable stock for the chickpea stew](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/vegetable-stock-morel-sauce.jpg)*Vegetable stock*

1. Add the stock powder and the chickpeas, pour in enough of the reserved cooking liquid to cover, and simmer covered for 40 more minutes. Serve very hot in deep bowls, with pan amasado if you like.

## Additional Tips

### Keep the cooking liquid

The chickpea cooking water contains starch and minerals that give the stew body and flavor.

### Freeze in portions

Cooled stew freezes well for months in airtight containers.

### Season at the end

Add salt near the end so the chickpeas stay tender.

| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dried chickpeas | Canned chickpeas | 3 cans | Skip soaking, cook 20 minutes |
| Stock powder | Homemade vegetable stock | 1 liter | Cleaner flavor |
| Winter squash | Carrot | 1:1 | Less sweet |
| Thyme | Cumin | 1/2 teaspoon | Earthier |

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

### 1. Why add baking soda?

It helps soften the skins of the chickpeas so they cook faster and turn creamier.

### 2. Can I use a pressure cooker?

Yes. After soaking, cook the chickpeas for about 25 minutes at pressure, then finish with the sofrito.

### 3. Can I freeze it?

Yes, for several months in airtight containers; reheat with a little water.

### 4. Is it vegan?

Yes, as long as the stock is vegetable-based.

## What Is Guiso de Garbanzos?

Guiso de garbanzos is a simple Chilean chickpea stew with vegetables, a warming winter meal that is naturally vegan.

## Legumes in Chilean Cooking

Chickpeas, lentils, and beans are winter staples in Chile, cooked into stews with squash and a vegetable sofrito.

## Did You Know?

Chickpeas are one of the oldest cultivated legumes, domesticated in the Near East thousands of years ago.

## Recommended

- [Chilean Chickpeas with Rice](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-chickpeas-with-rice-garbanzos-con-arroz-recipe/)
- [Chilean Split Peas with Rice](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-split-peas-with-rice-arvejas-partidas-con-arroz-recipe/)
- [Chilean Black Beans with Rice](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-black-beans-with-rice-porotos-negros-con-arroz-recipe/)
- [Chilean Menestrón Soup](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-menestron-vegetable-bean-soup-recipe/)