Tomato Braised Chickpeas with Spinach and Lemon-Cumin Drizzle

Posted 2025-02-15 16:21:40

This is one of my favorite vegetarian meals. It's vey quick and easy to make and you can use canned or dried chickpeas that you've cooked yourself. Don't skip the lemon-cumin drizzle and go heavy on the fresh herbs. It's hearty, healthy and delicious too!

Looking straight down into a green pottery bowl of braised chickpeas with rice, a place setting a bowl of white sauce and a plate of naan.

Easy Weeknight Vegetarian Dinner

Tomato Braised Chickpeas with Spinach and Lemon-Cumin Drizzle is a delicious and healthy dish that is perfect for a weeknight dinner. It is packed with protein and fiber from the chickpeas, and is also loaded with vitamins and minerals from the spinach and tomatoes. The lemon-cumin drizzle adds a bright and refreshing touch to the dish, making it a perfect balance of flavors.

A spiced tomato sauce in a saute pan with spice jars next to it.

Spice Blend

This recipe uses a special blend of spices to add depth and flavor to the dish. The combination of ground cumin, cinnamon, turmeric and smoked paprika gives the chickpeas a really interesting smoky and earthy flavor that is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the tomatoes.

A saute pan with braised chickpeas and a wooden spoon sticking out of it, with herbs, spinach a lemon and a bowl of sour cream next to it.

Dried vs Canned Chickpeas

his recipe calls for canned chickpeas, which are a convenient and quick option. However, you can also use dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight and then cooked until tender. Both options will work well in this recipe, but using canned chickpeas will save you time and effort.

A bowl of sourcream with other ingredients and a whisk, peppermill, salt cellar, measuring spoons and a reamer near by.

Creamy Lemon-Cumin Drizzle

The Lemon-Cumin Drizzle is a simple yet delicious addition to this dish. It adds a bright and refreshing touch that complements the smoky and earthy flavors of the chickpeas. The lemon juice and ground cumin are whisked together with sour cream (or try yogurt if that’s what you have) to create a creamy and tangy drizzle that is perfect for drizzling over the chickpeas and spinach.

A saute pan of braised chickpeas with spinach being stirred into the pan and some other ingredients on the counter near by.

Nutritious and Colorful

I stir spinach into the tomato braised chickpeas at the very end – it just takes a minute or two to wilt. It not only adds more nutrients, but also adds color to the dish. If you don’t have spinach on hand, you can stir any leafy green into the mix – kale, chard, arugula.

Hands spooning braised chickpeas into a green bowl with rice in it.

How to Serve Tomato Braised Chickpeas

This dish can be served over rice or quinoa for a complete meal. Then, dollop or drizzle some of the creamy lemon-cumin drizzle on top and add a really good pinch of fresh herbs. I think the mint it important, but any mix of parsley, cilantro and mint works well. I like to have a naan on hand to mop up any leftover sauce – or even the bottom of the pan!

Two green pottery bowls with tomato braised chickpeas and rice, place settings a bowl of sauce and a saute pan with more chickpeas in it.

Tomato Braised Chickpeas with Spinach and Lemon-Cumin Drizzle

Prep Time: 10 m
Cook Time: 30 m
Total Time: 40 m
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic smashed
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 14-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (or regular canned diced tomatoes)
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
1 cup water or vegetable stock
2 cups fresh baby spinach
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro parsley, mint or a combination

Lemon-Cumin Drizzle

½ cup sour cream or crème frâiche
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Pre-heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the onion until it starts to soften and gently brown – about 6 to 8 minutes.
Toss in the smashed garlic cloves and spices, and continue to cook for a few minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, cover with a lid and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the chickpeas and water or stock and simmer for another 20 minutes, covered with a lid.
While the chickpeas braise, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk well.
Remove the cloves of garlic and discard. Stir the spinach into the chickpeas and simmer for just a minute or two minutes to wilt the spinach. Season to taste with more salt and pepper as needed. Serve over some basmati rice, drizzle or dollop the sour cream mixture on top and sprinkle on a good amount of fresh herbs. A naan bread on the side makes a nice accompaniment to mop up any leftover sauce.

#VegetarianRecipes #HealthyEating #Chickpeas #WeeknightDinner #PlantBased

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