Chickpeas again! I apologize to any chickpea haters for following one chickpea recipe with another, but in my opinion, there are few foods in the vegan diet as versatile as the chickpea.
Think about it: You can smash them, roast them, stew them, and make endless varieties of salad with them; they’re used in cuisines all around the globe, ranging from India to Italy to North Africa to the Middle East, their mild flavor accommodating just about any seasoning you can throw at them; and the chickpea’s firm texture holds its own when other legumes would break down or become mushy. Freshly cooked from dried, they are delicious even unseasoned, but of all canned beans, canned chickpeas are probably the best-tasting, making them perfect for those days when you don’t have a lot of time to get dinner on the table.
Over the weekend, I had one of those days. I’d spent too long outside enjoying the Spring weather, and my family was away so I was cooking for one. I had a cup of cooked quinoa in the fridge and a craving for something curry-flavored. I wasn’t cooking to impress anybody, didn’t need an “authentic” recipe (whatever that means)–all I needed was to satisfy my own taste, fast.
So I threw together this curried chickpeas sandwich filling from 8 pantry and refrigerator staples (plus the aforementioned quinoa). What it lacks in imagination, it more than makes up in flavor, thanks to my favorite curry powder, Maharajah (available at spice stores such as The Spice House and Penzey’s). And like the chickpea itself, this recipe is versatile. I prefer it piping hot, wrapped in naan or pita bread, but it’s also tasty cold, cradled in romaine or Boston lettuce leaves or just served atop a crisp, green salad.
If you like meals that come together in a flash, be sure to check out all of my Ridiculously Easy recipes.
Ridiculously Easy Curried Chickpeas and Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas , rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 teaspoons good curry powder (or adjust to taste)
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne or other ground red pepper (or to taste)
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a medium-sized, non-stick sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring, until onions soften. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
- Add the chickpeas, curry powder, and red pepper, and stir briefly. Add the tomatoes and cooked quinoa, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Add salt to taste.
- Serve in wraps, pita bread, or lettuce leaves or with naan or other flatbread.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
More Chickpea Goodness from Around the Blogs:
- Zucchini and Chickpea Pancakes From Just Hungry
- Chickpeas Sundal Recipe from Chef In You
- Chickpea Hot Pot from 101 Cookbooks
- Vegan Chickpea Tacos from Happy Herbivore
- Butternut Squash and Chickpea Stew with Israeli Couscous from Pinch My Salt
Please pin and share!
Kimberly
April 29, 2015 at 6:24 pmHi. I do not have fresh ginger but I have dry ground ginger. How much should I add?
Susan Voisin
April 29, 2015 at 7:47 pmI would try 1/2 teaspoon.
Kimberly
April 29, 2015 at 9:44 pmThanks Susan 🙂
Theresa
May 18, 2018 at 11:22 amMy husband and I made this the other night. I used sprouted tri-colored rice instead of quinoa. I used Penzeys Curry , The now curry. Its pretty spicy so I omitted the cayenne pepper. I took Fiona advice and put some sliced avocado and toped it off with vegan sriracha aioli on a grilled whole wheat tortillas. It was fabulous! I will be adding this to my favorite recipes.