Spicy Chickpeas With Tomatoes & Kale

In the spirit of relying on pantry items to get dinner on the table, I think you all will really, really love this recipe for spicy chickpeas with tomatoes and greens from Jenny Rosenstrach’s latest book, The Weekday Vegetarians . In the intro to the recipe Jenny writes:

“This meal is a revelation because it’s healthy, crazy flavorful, … and made almost entirely from canned pantry staples that you probably always have on hand. We call this “can-to-table” cooking in our house — you heard it here first!”

Made me laugh!

Let’s get straight to it: this will be your prep on spicy chickpeas with tomatoes and kale night:

• dice half an onion
• mince a clove of garlic
• mince a knob of ginger (I’ve been throwing this along with the ginger into the food processor.)
• roughly chopping some kale

The rest of the prep is a matter of measuring things and throwing them into the skillet. Did I mention this is a one-pan-wonder? It is! And this is definitely a recipe you can prep as you go, so long as you have your aromatics — your garlic, onions, and ginger — minced at the start.

As noted above, Jenny’s recipe relies on pantry items — canned chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and coconut milk — and I have used all of these items and loved it, but the beauty of this recipe right now, in this bridge season between summer and fall, when we’re all excited about butternut squash and Brussels sprouts but the tomatoes are still abounding, is that you can use as much as a pound of fresh tomatoes in this recipe in place of the can… only if you wish!

Friends, I am so excited about this recipe for a few reasons, namely, it is very simple and tasty, but also because it (without the kale) reminds me of the chana masala from my favorite local Indian restaurant, a dish I have been meaning to take a stab at for years but have been too intimidated to do so for whatever reason.

Also and moreover: half of my children love this! Like gobble-it-up love it. Like can’t-handle-the-smells-when-it’s-cooking love it. Like request-it-when-I-haven’t-made-it-in-a-few-days love it. This is the best feeling.

A Few Notes:

• I’ve been making this with these slow cooker chickpeas, which couldn’t be simpler, and which are so tasty. If you don’t have a slow cooker and want to cook the chickpeas from scratch, here’s my guide . Of course, canned chickpeas are fine. I like the Goya brand.
• The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup of coconut milk. It also suggests serving it with rice, so I have been making this coconut rice to serve along side. The coconut rice calls for 3/4 cup coconut milk, and so I have been reserving this amount for the rice and then using the rest of the can for the chickpeas. The extra coconut milk makes the dish a little richer, I suppose, but it certainly does not taste too rich or sweet.
• Finally, the original recipe calls for stirring 1/4 cup of warm water into a teaspoon of miso and stirring this in at the end. If you have miso on hand, go for it! If you don’t, don’t run out and get it. The dish is plenty flavorful without it, especially if you add a splash more coconut milk, as noted above.

The Weekday Vegetarians

I’m really loving The Weekday Vegetarians. As you all know, I am not a vegetarian, but I do love vegetarian cooking, and to be frank, I’ve been relying on more meat than I care to admit to get dinner on the table of late. This book has been just the inspiration I needed to get back on track. Here are a few recipes I am excited to make:

• Cauliflower Cutlets with Romesco Sauce
• Herby, Brothy Lima Beans
• Crunchy-Cheesy Bean Bake
• Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes with Miso-Tahini Sauce

Friends, do you have this book? If so, have you discovered any gems?

If You Love These Chickpeas, You’ll Also Love:

• Curried Lentils with Kale and Coconu Milk
• Carrot-Ginger Soup with Curry and Coconut Milk
• Curried Chickpea and Lentil Soup
• Curried Chickpeas with Cauliflower and Coconut Milk

How to Make Spicy Chickpeas with Tomatoes & Kale, Step by Step

First, gather your ingredients.

Then, sauté the diced onion, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a couple of tablespoons of oil.

Add curry powder and toast for a few minutes.

Then add a tablespoon of tomato paste and toast for another minute.

Add the chickpeas and stir until they are coated in the spices.

Pour in water or vegetable stock along with a can of diced tomatoes (or a pound of fresh tomatoes if you still have some on hand).

Simmer for ten minutes or so, then stir in a heap of kale.

Finally, add coconut milk and, if you wish, a miso-water “slurry” (see notes in the recipe box).

Description

This recipe has been slightly adapted from Jenny Rosenstrach’s latest book, The Weekday Vegetarians .

A few notes:

• I’ve been making this with these slow cooker chickpeas, which couldn’t be simpler, and which are so tasty. If you don’t have a slow cooker and want to cook the chickpeas from scratch, here’s my guide . Of course, canned chickpeas are fine. I like the Goya brand.
• The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup of coconut milk. It also suggests serving it with rice, so I have been making this coconut rice to serve along side. The coconut rice calls for 3/4 cup coconut milk, and so I have been reserving this amount for the rice and then using the rest of the can for the chickpeas. The extra coconut milk makes the dish a little richer, I suppose, but it certainly does not taste too rich or sweet.
• Finally, the original recipe calls for stirring 1/4 cup of warm water into a teaspoon of miso and stirring this in at the end. If you have miso on hand, go for it! If you don’t, don’t run out and get it. The dish is plenty flavorful without it, especially if you add a splash more coconut milk, as noted above.

For the chickpeas:

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed, olive, or other neutral oil
• 1/2 small yellow or white onion, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 -inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste (I use 1/2 teaspoon or less)
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons curry powder, I love Madras brand
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 cups cooked chickpeas or two 15-oz cans, drained and rinsed
• one 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes or 1 lb. diced fresh tomatoes (about 2 cups )
• 1 cup water or vegetable stock (I always use water)
• 2 to 4 cups stemmed and chopped fresh kale
• 1 teaspoon miso, optional, see notes above
• 1/4 cup (or more) unsweetened coconut milk

For serving:

• coconut rice , see notes above
• naan
• cilantro, optional
• lime, optional

1. In a large skillet set over medium-low heat, combine the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, pinch salt, and black pepper to taste. Cook until slightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the curry powder, and stir, coating it in the aromatics and toasting it a bit, another 2 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring it into the curry-coated aromatics, and cook for another minute or until the red color darkens and it smells toasty. Add the chickpeas and stir to coat them in the curry mixture. Cook for another two minutes or until the chickpeas are evenly coated in the spices; then taste a chickpea for seasoning. Adjust accordingly if it needs more salt or pepper to taste.
3. Add the tomatoes and water (or stock) and simmer for 10 minutes or until everything is warmed through. Add more water as needed if it looks too thick — chickpeas can absorb a ton of liquid. Add the kale and cook until wilted.
4. If using the miso, stir it into 1/4 cup warm water and add it to the skillet along with the coconut milk. Stir to combine and cook for another minute or two. As noted above, I add more like 3/4 cup coconut milk and use another 3/4 cup coconut milk for this coconut rice .
5. Serve with rice or naan , a lime wedge, and a sprinkle of cilantro, if you wish.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American, Indian

In the spirit of relying on pantry items to get dinner on the table, I think you all will really, really love this recipe for spicy chickpeas with tomatoes and greens from Jenny Rosenstrach’s latest book, The Weekday Vegetarians . In the intro to the recipe Jenny writes:

“This meal is a revelation because it’s healthy, crazy flavorful, … and made almost entirely from canned pantry staples that you probably always have on hand. We call this “can-to-table” cooking in our house — you heard it here first!”

Made me laugh!

Let’s get straight to it: this will be your prep on spicy chickpeas with tomatoes and kale night:

• dice half an onion
• mince a clove of garlic
• mince a knob of ginger (I’ve been throwing this along with the ginger into the food processor.)
• roughly chopping some kale

The rest of the prep is a matter of measuring things and throwing them into the skillet. Did I mention this is a one-pan-wonder? It is! And this is definitely a recipe you can prep as you go, so long as you have your aromatics — your garlic, onions, and ginger — minced at the start.

As noted above, Jenny’s recipe relies on pantry items — canned chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and coconut milk — and I have used all of these items and loved it, but the beauty of this recipe right now, in this bridge season between summer and fall, when we’re all excited about butternut squash and Brussels sprouts but the tomatoes are still abounding, is that you can use as much as a pound of fresh tomatoes in this recipe in place of the can… only if you wish!

Friends, I am so excited about this recipe for a few reasons, namely, it is very simple and tasty, but also because it (without the kale) reminds me of the chana masala from my favorite local Indian restaurant, a dish I have been meaning to take a stab at for years but have been too intimidated to do so for whatever reason.

Also and moreover: half of my children love this! Like gobble-it-up love it. Like can’t-handle-the-smells-when-it’s-cooking love it. Like request-it-when-I-haven’t-made-it-in-a-few-days love it. This is the best feeling.

A Few Notes:

• I’ve been making this with these slow cooker chickpeas, which couldn’t be simpler, and which are so tasty. If you don’t have a slow cooker and want to cook the chickpeas from scratch, here’s my guide . Of course, canned chickpeas are fine. I like the Goya brand.
• The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup of coconut milk. It also suggests serving it with rice, so I have been making this coconut rice to serve along side. The coconut rice calls for 3/4 cup coconut milk, and so I have been reserving this amount for the rice and then using the rest of the can for the chickpeas. The extra coconut milk makes the dish a little richer, I suppose, but it certainly does not taste too rich or sweet.
• Finally, the original recipe calls for stirring 1/4 cup of warm water into a teaspoon of miso and stirring this in at the end. If you have miso on hand, go for it! If you don’t, don’t run out and get it. The dish is plenty flavorful without it, especially if you add a splash more coconut milk, as noted above.

The Weekday Vegetarians

I’m really loving The Weekday Vegetarians. As you all know, I am not a vegetarian, but I do love vegetarian cooking, and to be frank, I’ve been relying on more meat than I care to admit to get dinner on the table of late. This book has been just the inspiration I needed to get back on track. Here are a few recipes I am excited to make:

• Cauliflower Cutlets with Romesco Sauce
• Herby, Brothy Lima Beans
• Crunchy-Cheesy Bean Bake
• Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes with Miso-Tahini Sauce

Friends, do you have this book? If so, have you discovered any gems?

If You Love These Chickpeas, You’ll Also Love:

• Curried Lentils with Kale and Coconu Milk
• Carrot-Ginger Soup with Curry and Coconut Milk
• Curried Chickpea and Lentil Soup
• Curried Chickpeas with Cauliflower and Coconut Milk

How to Make Spicy Chickpeas with Tomatoes & Kale, Step by Step

First, gather your ingredients.

Then, sauté the diced onion, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a couple of tablespoons of oil.

Add curry powder and toast for a few minutes.

Then add a tablespoon of tomato paste and toast for another minute.

Add the chickpeas and stir until they are coated in the spices.

Pour in water or vegetable stock along with a can of diced tomatoes (or a pound of fresh tomatoes if you still have some on hand).

Simmer for ten minutes or so, then stir in a heap of kale.

Finally, add coconut milk and, if you wish, a miso-water “slurry” (see notes in the recipe box).

Description

This recipe has been slightly adapted from Jenny Rosenstrach’s latest book, The Weekday Vegetarians .

A few notes:

• I’ve been making this with these slow cooker chickpeas, which couldn’t be simpler, and which are so tasty. If you don’t have a slow cooker and want to cook the chickpeas from scratch, here’s my guide . Of course, canned chickpeas are fine. I like the Goya brand.
• The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup of coconut milk. It also suggests serving it with rice, so I have been making this coconut rice to serve along side. The coconut rice calls for 3/4 cup coconut milk, and so I have been reserving this amount for the rice and then using the rest of the can for the chickpeas. The extra coconut milk makes the dish a little richer, I suppose, but it certainly does not taste too rich or sweet.
• Finally, the original recipe calls for stirring 1/4 cup of warm water into a teaspoon of miso and stirring this in at the end. If you have miso on hand, go for it! If you don’t, don’t run out and get it. The dish is plenty flavorful without it, especially if you add a splash more coconut milk, as noted above.

For the chickpeas:

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed, olive, or other neutral oil
• 1/2 small yellow or white onion, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 -inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste (I use 1/2 teaspoon or less)
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons curry powder, I love Madras brand
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 cups cooked chickpeas or two 15-oz cans, drained and rinsed
• one 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes or 1 lb. diced fresh tomatoes (about 2 cups )
• 1 cup water or vegetable stock (I always use water)
• 2 to 4 cups stemmed and chopped fresh kale
• 1 teaspoon miso, optional, see notes above
• 1/4 cup (or more) unsweetened coconut milk

For serving:

• coconut rice , see notes above
• naan
• cilantro, optional
• lime, optional

1. In a large skillet set over medium-low heat, combine the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, pinch salt, and black pepper to taste. Cook until slightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the curry powder, and stir, coating it in the aromatics and toasting it a bit, another 2 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring it into the curry-coated aromatics, and cook for another minute or until the red color darkens and it smells toasty. Add the chickpeas and stir to coat them in the curry mixture. Cook for another two minutes or until the chickpeas are evenly coated in the spices; then taste a chickpea for seasoning. Adjust accordingly if it needs more salt or pepper to taste.
3. Add the tomatoes and water (or stock) and simmer for 10 minutes or until everything is warmed through. Add more water as needed if it looks too thick — chickpeas can absorb a ton of liquid. Add the kale and cook until wilted.
4. If using the miso, stir it into 1/4 cup warm water and add it to the skillet along with the coconut milk. Stir to combine and cook for another minute or two. As noted above, I add more like 3/4 cup coconut milk and use another 3/4 cup coconut milk for this coconut rice .
5. Serve with rice or naan , a lime wedge, and a sprinkle of cilantro, if you wish.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American, Indian

Description

This recipe has been slightly adapted from Jenny Rosenstrach’s latest book, The Weekday Vegetarians .

A few notes:

• I’ve been making this with these slow cooker chickpeas, which couldn’t be simpler, and which are so tasty. If you don’t have a slow cooker and want to cook the chickpeas from scratch, here’s my guide . Of course, canned chickpeas are fine. I like the Goya brand.
• The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup of coconut milk. It also suggests serving it with rice, so I have been making this coconut rice to serve along side. The coconut rice calls for 3/4 cup coconut milk, and so I have been reserving this amount for the rice and then using the rest of the can for the chickpeas. The extra coconut milk makes the dish a little richer, I suppose, but it certainly does not taste too rich or sweet.
• Finally, the original recipe calls for stirring 1/4 cup of warm water into a teaspoon of miso and stirring this in at the end. If you have miso on hand, go for it! If you don’t, don’t run out and get it. The dish is plenty flavorful without it, especially if you add a splash more coconut milk, as noted above.

For the chickpeas:

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed, olive, or other neutral oil
• 1/2 small yellow or white onion, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 -inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste (I use 1/2 teaspoon or less)
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons curry powder, I love Madras brand
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 cups cooked chickpeas or two 15-oz cans, drained and rinsed
• one 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes or 1 lb. diced fresh tomatoes (about 2 cups )
• 1 cup water or vegetable stock (I always use water)
• 2 to 4 cups stemmed and chopped fresh kale
• 1 teaspoon miso, optional, see notes above
• 1/4 cup (or more) unsweetened coconut milk

For serving:

• coconut rice , see notes above
• naan
• cilantro, optional
• lime, optional

1. In a large skillet set over medium-low heat, combine the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, pinch salt, and black pepper to taste. Cook until slightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the curry powder, and stir, coating it in the aromatics and toasting it a bit, another 2 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring it into the curry-coated aromatics, and cook for another minute or until the red color darkens and it smells toasty. Add the chickpeas and stir to coat them in the curry mixture. Cook for another two minutes or until the chickpeas are evenly coated in the spices; then taste a chickpea for seasoning. Adjust accordingly if it needs more salt or pepper to taste.
3. Add the tomatoes and water (or stock) and simmer for 10 minutes or until everything is warmed through. Add more water as needed if it looks too thick — chickpeas can absorb a ton of liquid. Add the kale and cook until wilted.
4. If using the miso, stir it into 1/4 cup warm water and add it to the skillet along with the coconut milk. Stir to combine and cook for another minute or two. As noted above, I add more like 3/4 cup coconut milk and use another 3/4 cup coconut milk for this coconut rice .
5. Serve with rice or naan , a lime wedge, and a sprinkle of cilantro, if you wish.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American, Indian

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2021/09/19/spicy-chickpeas-with-tomatoes-kale/

But when I realized I didn’t have half the called-for spices and only half the called-for yogurt, I turned to another popular recipe: baked feta pasta. Maybe you’ve heard of it?

No? Well, it’s a recipe, I’ve learned, that’s been on the web since 2018, but only gained traction earlier this year thanks to a few TikTokers (is that what they’re called?) with large audiences. In short, you bake a block of feta cheese with cherry tomatoes and olive oil; then, when everything is all melty and blistered, you throw pasta into the pan and toss everything together.

I never got around to making the dish when it was traversing the web in January and February, and I still haven’t made it in its entirety — instead of tossing the baked cheese and tomatoes with pasta, I’ve been plopping the dish on the table and serving warm focaccia on the side.

It is, as you might imagine, incredibly delicious. Given its viral reception, this shouldn’t have been a surprise, but it was — I think I tend to approach viral recipes with skepticism because they feel more gimmicky than good.

But, Friends! This is really good. Maddeningly good! Have you made it? Did you know Finland nearly ran out of feta due to the recipe’s popularity? It’s true!

When I made the dish last Sunday, I served it aside chicken souvlaki , and while I usually can’t imagine serving chicken souvlaki without tzatziki , this dip subbed in just fine. I had a hard time not eating every bite of chicken with a spoonful of the feta dip and an even harder time refraining from just. one. more. piece. of. tomato-feta-sopped bread.

Friends, I almost didn’t post this recipe because, well, I sort of feel like it’s very old news at this point. But I’m taking the risk and hoping the viral TikTok recipe maybe escaped your radar or maybe didn’t move you to make it when you learned about it.

If you are still getting good cherry tomatoes — we are up here — let this be the last tomato recipe you make this season. You won’t be disappointed.

How To Make Baked Feta with Cherry Tomatoes:

Gather your ingredients: cherry tomatoes, feta, and, if you wish, garlic, shallots, and chilies.

Slice four cloves of garlic thinly. Slice two chilies thinly. Alternatively, use a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.

Slice the shallot thinly.

Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a baking dish. Top with the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Add the feta. Drizzle 2 more tablespoons of olive oil over top, and crack more pepper to taste over top as well.

Bake at 400ºF for 20 minutes…

… then transfer to the broil for 5 minutes.

Add a handful of basil:

Stir to combine.

Serve with warm bread :

This is heaven, truly.

Incidentally, I’ve been making this focaccia a lot because it’s so darn simple. With this latest batch, I mixed the dough, stuck it in the fridge, then proceeded with the recipe 3 days later! I was worried the dough might have over-fermented, but it didn’t. Look how happy she looks:

Finally, local friends, this Maplebrook Farm feta is so good. They sell it at the Niskayuna Co-op and other local markets.

Here’s another fun thing you can do with the baked feta and tomatoes: toss it with baked spaghetti squash :

She’s not the prettiest, but she sure is tasty.

Description

Adapted from Liemessa’s viral hit recipe for baked feta pasta .

Notes:

• Local friends, if you can get your hands on Maplebrook Farm feta , it’s a real treat. They sell it at the Niskayuna Co-op.

• If you want to turn this into the viral pasta recipe, use 4 more tablespoons oil (I cut the amount of oil in half) and boil a pound of pasta. Save the pasta cooking liquid. Toss the cooked pasta with the finished roasted tomato-feta mixture. Thin with pasta cooking liquid if necessary.

• If you want to toss this with spaghetti squash, keep the proportions the same, and toss with the roasted strands of one spaghetti squash: halve the squash crosswise, scoop out the seeds, season with salt and pepper, then roast cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 45 minutes at 350ºF. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing the squash from the skin.

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 lb. (450 to 500 g) cherry tomatoes

• 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced

• 1 small shallot, optional, thinly sliced

• 1 to 2 small hot chilies, optional, thinly sliced or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

• flaky sea salt

• fresh cracked black pepper

• 7 ounce ( 200 grams ) block of feta, see notes above, cut into two slabs

• handful of fresh basil

• bread for serving, I’ve been making this focaccia a lot recently

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. Place one rack in the middle of the oven. Place one rack at the very top, close to the broiler.
2. Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into an 8- or 9-inch baking dish (or something similar). Add the tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and chilies. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. Add the feta. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Crack more pepper over top to taste.
3. Transfer pan to your oven’s middle rack for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, transfer the pan to the top rack, and switch to your oven’s broiler setting. Broil on high for 5 minutes (or more or less), keeping a close watch the entire time. While the tomatoes broil, heat up some bread — I’ve been doing this in the toaster oven but you probably could get away with putting the bread on the very bottom rack of your oven while the tomatoes broil.
4. When the tomatoes are blistered to your liking, remove the pan from the heat. Toss in a handful of basil and stir gently to combine. Serve with slices of warm bread.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American