Chickpeas and Eggplant in Hot Sauce – Easy Vegan Side Dishes

This super versatile Chickpeas and Eggplant in Hot Tomato Sauce can be an easy side dish for vegans and omnivores alike.

Although I give you the amount for each ingredient I usually use (based in 1 can of cooked chickpeas) you can make it saucier and warmer for a winter main, add maybe some more eggplant than chickpeas for a lighter warm salad or even skip one of the main ingredients altogether. Versatile!

The combination is simple however delicious, nutritious and super filling.

Extra healthy and impressive easy to make.

The Ingredients

• Eggplant: any variety, really.
• Chickpeas: already cooked.
• Chili: fresh or dried. As spicy as you can take.
• Tomato Sauce: just chopped tomatoes in their juice, uncooked. You can use juicy cubed tomatoes if you want.
• Onion: any variety.
• Garlic: use more or less to taste but I wouldn’t skop it altogether.
• Oil: totally optional. I am not using to make it but I’ll give the option. Olive oil, thou.
• Lemon: we’ll only use the juice so it doesn’t have to be freshly squeezed.
• Parsley: fresh.
• Cumin: I use the seeds here. The taste is a lot more subtle than the powder.
• Salt

How to Make Chickpeas and Eggplant

This vegan healthy and hearty dish is my take on an Italian side dish I’ve seen here quite a few times.

However it is such a filling and comforting meal that I’ve had it as a main course many times too.

Want to make a meal out of it? Try pairing with my Vegan Cutlets and you’ll have it all.

And don’t forget to take a look at some different side dishes too, like my Sweet and Sour Cabbage or Carrot Bread Balls, to name a couple.

With gratitude,

Carol🌶

Chickpeas and Eggplant in a Hot Sauce – Easy Vegan Dinner

Recipe by Carol MarsolaCourse: Sides, MainCuisine: Vegan, ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

The combination in this Chickpeas and Eggplant is simple, delicious, nutritious and super filling. Extra healthy and impressive easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1 whole Eggplant, cubed

• 1 can of Chickpeas, 16 oz or 1 1/1 cups already cooked

• 1 Garlic clove, sliced

• 1/2 Onion, cubed, I use white

• Lemon Juice, I use 2 tablespoons

• Tomato Sauce, 8 oz, 1 can

• Salt to taste

• Parsley to taste

• Cumin Seeds, 2 1/2 tablespoons

• Chili, 1-2 (amount is very personal), I used 2 dried and cut very small. I use the seeds too.

• Olive Oil OPTIONAL

Directions

• Pan-fry the chopped onion and garlic in a saucepan with the cumin seeds. Once it is hot enough add about a spoon of water to prevent it to stucking in the pan. Your choice to use oil instead of water here.
• Add the drained chickpeas, mix it and, after 2 minutes, add also the tomato pulp and chopped chili. Season with salt and cook for 5 minutes.
• Fry the eggplant in another skillet for 5 minutes (oil optional again). Salt to your liking.
• Add the browned eggplant to the chickpea saucepan, mix and cook with a lid for the minutes necessary to make the sauce thicken.
• Once cooked, sprinkle with chopped parsley and the lemon juice.
• Turn off the stove, transfer to a bowl and serve hot.