Caramelized Onion Harissa Chickpeas is a super quick, one pan dish with lots of caramelized onions, greens and chickpeas in a creamy, spicy sauce. Gluten-free Syafry Nutfree
Index
Harissa is the flavor base along with a little bit of coconut cream. For greens, I used chard. You can use spinach, collard greens, amla leaves, mustard leaves or any other greens of your choice.
I used chickpeas for the beans here, but this recipe is also great with white beans or butter beans or other beans or lentils. If you don’t like harissa or too much spice, you can change the flavor profile and use tomato paste instead.
They’re super versatile and can be served any way over beans and rice or with naan, flatbread or crusty bread for dipping. You can even spoon them over baked potatoes!
Why You’ll Love Harissa Chickpeas
- Creamy-spicy-saucy beans that you can serve in so many ways!
- Hearty, healthy and filling
- Lots of options to change the flavor profile, including less spicy options
- Naturally gluten-free, nut-free and soy-free
More Ways to Use Harissa
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Harissa chickpeas
Harissa Chickpeas is a super quick, one pan dish with lots of caramelized onions, greens and chickpeas in a creamy, spicy sauce.
Serving: 4
Calories: 253kcal
material
- 2 teaspoon the oil
- 1 Medium onion thinly sliced, or about 1 1/2 cups
- 1 teaspoon Flavored vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt To taste or more, divided
- 1 table spoon Garlic paste Or 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 2 table spoon Harissa paste
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 2 the cup (80 g) Choice of chopped leafy greens Like Swiss chard, spinach, mustard greens, etc. It’s packed really well with fresh veggies in moderation, but you can use any amount of veggies you like.
- 15 ounce (425.24 g) A can of chickpeas drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or other white beans
- 1 the cup (236.59 Milli) Full fat coconut milk or coconut cream If you like it juicier, use the whole can.
- Lemon juice, coriander and black pepper for garnish
instructions
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, and when it’s hot, add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well to coat, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally. If the pan is too dry, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of water to help the pan circulate the heat and brown the onions evenly, about 7 to 9 minutes. Then when the onions are translucent and starting to turn golden on some of the outer edges, add the balsamic vinegar and mix well. Continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes.
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Then add the garlic, smoked paprika, harissa and oregano, and mix really well. Cook for a minute, so that the garlic is cooked. Then add the chard, remaining salt, chickpeas and coconut cream and mix really well. Cover the pan partially, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, then taste and adjust the seasoning. If you want more sauce, you can add more nondairy milk. If you used full-fat coconut milk, the sauce probably wasn’t as thick, and if you wanted it thicker, add a tablespoon or two of non-dairy yogurt or sour cream. Add a good squeeze of lemon juice and adjust salt and heat as needed.
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If you want the sauce to thicken and sizzle on the chickpeas, let everything simmer for another minute or two. Turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro or parsley with some black pepper and some more lemon juice. Serve with flatbread or rice or some sourdough toast or garlic bread or anything else you like.
Comment
Less spicy: Omit the harissa, use less smoked paprika and add a tablespoon of tomato paste and some chopped red bell pepper. Add more oregano or use thyme.
Coconut Milk Substitutes: You can use 1 to 1 1/2 cups cashew milk or oat milk, or a mixture of nondairy yogurt and nondairy milk for a thicker sauce. You can also use blended tofu in place of coconut milk. To make blended tofu, blend 1/4 cup silken tofu or even firm tofu with 3/4 cup water and use.
nutrition
nutrients
Harissa chickpeas
No. per job
calories 253
144 calories from fat
% Daily Value*
thick 16 grams25%
10 grams of saturated fat63%
Sodium 469 mg20%
potassium 445 mg13%
carbohydrates 23 grams8%
6 grams of fiber25%
3 grams of sugar3%
protein 8 grams16%
Vitamin A 1419IU28%
Vitamin C 10 mg12%
calcium 77 mg8%
iron 4 mg22%
* Percent Daily Value is based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Components and Substitutions
- Onions – Caramelized onions give these harissa beans such a rich, deep flavor and texture!
- Balsamic Vinegar – brings out the sweetness of the caramelized onions and adds a nice tang.
- Garlic paste – deepens the umami flavor.
- Dry Spices – Smoked paprika brings out the smokiness of the harissa paste while oregano adds a more earthy flavor.
- Harissa Paste – This is the flavor base of the dish. If you want to make it with less spices, use tomato paste and roasted red chillies instead
- Greens – I used Swiss chard, but you can use any greens you like, such as kale, spinach, mustard greens, etc. You can add more or less vegetables as per your preference.
- Chickpeas – Bring on the protein! You can use white beans if you want.
- Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream – This makes the harissa chickpeas super saucy and offsets the heat from the harissa paste. Coconut cream will give you the thickest, richest sauce. If you don’t want to use coconut, you can use cashew or oat milk, a mixture of non-dairy yogurt and non-dairy milk, or mix 1/4 cup tofu with 3/4 cup water.
- Garnish – Lemon juice adds tang, cilantro adds brightness and freshness, and black pepper kicks up the heat a bit more.
advice
- Browning the onions well is key to this recipe, so take your time here! If the pan starts to dry out while you cook, add a splash of water. This will help brown the onions more quickly and evenly.
- For a similar dish with less heat, omit the harissa, reduce the amount of smoked paprika and use tomato paste and chopped bell peppers instead. By omitting the harissa you’ll want to add more oregano to make up for the lost flavor.
How to make harisha cholla
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, and when it’s hot, add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well to coat, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally.
If the pan is too dry, add two to three teaspoons of water to help the pan conduct heat and brown the onions evenly. Seven to nine minutes.
Then, when the onions are translucent and starting to turn golden on some of the outer edges, add the balsamic vinegar and mix well. Continue cooking for another three to four minutes.
Add the garlic, smoked paprika, harissa and oregano, and mix really well. Cook for a minute, so that the garlic is cooked.
Now, add the chard, remaining salt, chickpeas and coconut cream and mix really well.
Cover the pan partially, and simmer for eight to 10 minutes, then taste and adjust the flavor.
If you want more sauce, you can add more nondairy milk. If you used full-fat coconut milk, the sauce probably wasn’t as thick, and if you wanted it thicker, add a tablespoon or two of non-dairy yogurt or sour cream.
Add a good squeeze of lemon juice and adjust salt and heat as needed.
If you want the sauce to thicken and sizzle on the chickpeas, let everything simmer for another minute or two. Turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro or parsley with some black pepper and some more lemon juice.
Serve with flatbread or rice or some sourdough toast or garlic bread or anything else you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Harissa is a spicy pepper paste from the Mahgreb of northwest Africa. It is made with a mixture of hot and sweet red chilies, herbs, garlic, spices and oil.
Harissa paste is made with rose petals.
Use it anywhere you want to add a spicy-sweet-smoky flavor to sauces, soups, stews, and other dishes!
This recipe is gluten free, nut free and soy free.
You can use cashew or oat milk, or a mixture of non-dairy yogurt and non-dairy milk, or mix 1/4 cup tofu with 3/4 cup water.
Yes use one tablespoon of the mixture and add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and half a cup of chopped roasted bell pepper.