Beef Stew with Spinach Pitas
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4
Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 710, Total Fat 32g, Saturated Fat 10g, Cholesterol 96mg, Sodium 1483mg, Carbohydrates 63g, Dietary Fiber 14g, Protein 47g, Sugar 7g
Total Time: 30 minutes
Active Time: 30 minutes
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ras el hanout (Moroccan spice blend)
- 1 pound ground beef
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes with chiles
- 2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added chickpeas, undrained
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well squeezed
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- 2 pita breads, halved
Preheat the oven to 425F. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then stir in the ras el hanout. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking it up, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in the diced tomatoes with chiles and the chickpeas with their liquid, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the welldrained spinach, shredded mozzarella, the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves. Season with salt. Stuff the mixture into the halved pita breads, wrap each pita in foil, place on a baking sheet, and bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.
Spoon the beef stew into bowls, garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve with the warm spinach-filled pitas.
Photograph by Ryan Dausch
