Taste: Herby Chickpeas

A Meatless Monday (or pizza Friday) option…

Is life crazy? Are you feeling lazy? (For me, at certain times of the semester, yes to both.)

Luckily, this herby garbanzo recipe is enjoyed by everyone in the family, tastes really fresh, and comes together in a snap.

Enjoy these herby and lemony legumes as a side (we like them on Friday night pizza night) or as a building block for something fancier (say, atop toast spread with goat cheese or as part of a mezze platter).

Ingredients

2 cans 15.5 oz. garbanzo beans

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 TBSP minced fresh rosemary

1 TBSP minced fresh oregano

1 TBSP minced fresh thyme

1 lemon, juiced (+ 1 tsp zest optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas.

2. Smash and peel the garlic cloves.

3. Pour oil and throw garlic into a large skillet at medium-high heat. The garlic will infuse its flavor into the oil as it heats. Stir the garlic from time to time to prevent it over cooking. Burnt garlic is nasty and will ruin any dish.

4. When the garlic has turned golden and is sizzling, add the chickpeas to the pan, stirring every couple of minutes. Sauté the chickpeas until they turn a golden brown and develop a bit of a crispy exterior.

5. Add your fresh herbs to the pan; if you’re in a big rush/low on energy, just throw in the whole stem and fish it out when served. If you prefer, mince the herbs first and add to the pan. Sauté for a couple minutes, till herbs are fragrant. Turn off heat.

6. Juice your lemon and pour into the pan. If you’d like an extra jolt of citrus, add about 1 tsp or so of lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper; taste and season again if necessary.

7. Serve warm or at room temperature. If you are a turophile like myself, feel free to add some feta/romano/chevre/whatev.

Shopping Notes

You can use dried garbanzo beans for this recipe to make it really budget if you have the time. If not, keep your eye out for sales on canned chickpeas and stock up. You can also purchase them in bulk at Costco (in a cafeteria-sized can!) but I have found that Aldi has the best prices around.

Fresh herbs are one of those things that are really expensive to buy, especially if you end up throwing out half of the bunch because you didn’t use it all. If you have the space outside or even just a patio you could put a pot on, growing fresh herbs is a great way to add awesome flavor and nutrition to your food while saving lots of money. I’ve found that most international markets offer the best prices on herbs.

If you don’t have the specific herbs called for in this recipe, don’t worry, it is tasty with a range of different options. I’ve made it before with just rosemary or just thyme and its also good with parsley and chives.

Give it a try and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!

Looking for other quick dinner ideas or Meatless Monday recipes? Check out Taste: Kale Sauté , Taste: Goat Cheese & Basil Potatoes, Taste: Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Arugula Salad. 

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