Taco night has evolved considerably since posting this recipe five years ago. Back then, I was grinding the chicken meat at home, grating the cheese by hand, mixing the taco spices, pickling the onions, and making the salsa. Sometimes I even made the tortillas .
I titled the post: “Simplest Chicken Tacos.”
Are you laughing? My how things have changed.
It didn’t happen overnight, but rather very gradually, one small change leading to another until I had slipped right down that slippery slope, landing at present-day taco night, where the taco shells are hard (and stand upright!) and purchased at the store along with the bag of grated “Mexican-style” cheese, the packet of taco seasoning, and the pound of ground beef.
I often buy the salsa, too: you know the fresh salsa sold in the produce aisle? That’s the one!
My prep list on taco night now amounts to dicing an onion, browning the meat, and slicing up a head of Romaine lettuce. I warm the taco shells in the toaster oven, dump the cheese and lettuce into bowls, and when the taco filling is cooked, which takes about 20 minutes total, the assembly line is ready.
I had wanted to title this post: “Taco Night 2.0”, but that would have implied some sort of culinary advancement, which is not exactly what has happened here.
But do you know what? The reception of my mostly effortless taco night has never been better. No one seems to miss the freshly ground meat, the hand-grated cheese, and the homemade taco seasoning. The tacos, in fact, have never disappeared faster.
Friends, this is not easy to admit. If you’ve been reading for a while, you know I’m a proud DIY-er: I’ve made the case for buying chickens whole and cutting them up yourself ( and then making stock with the carcass!) ; I extoll the virtues of cooking dried beans from scratch. I don’t think twice about making homemade ricotta , and I encourage you to do the same.
I like to cook. I LOVE to cook! Foods made from scratch so often taste better. Plus there’s less waste; you get more bang for your buck.
Knowing all this, if I confess to stocking packets of taco seasoning, bags of grated cheese, and tubs of salsa, what will come next? Endorsing a brand of bottled salad dressing ?
I think this is my fear. That slippery slope I mentioned earlier. The trouble is that sometimes all of this DIY pride (madness?) prevents me from actually getting dinner on the table. Since adopting a more semi-homemade approach to taco night, it happens more regularly. And no matter the day of the week, it always feels doable.
I want to be better about this, and I’ve made strides over the years, namely accepting that canned beans work just fine, that boneless, skinless chicken thighs make souvlaki night a walk in the park, that Trader Joe’s pre-cooked lentils and bruschetta sauce unite into a most magical salad , and, most recently, that a packet of taco seasoning somehow makes taco night feel like a complete and utter breeze.
Friends, have you ever let your high standards prevent you from getting to the task at hand? Are you ashamed of anything in your fridge or pantry? Please share. This is a safe space.
While the spirit is moving me, here’s my full confession:
10 Items I Never Imagined Stocking
This confession stems from the most recent taco night, when I found myself staring at all of the outsourced components — numbers 1-5 below all make appearances on taco night.
- Pre-grated cheese
- Taco seasoning packet
- Jarred tomato sauce
- Fresh salsa
- Stand-up taco shells
- “Baby” carrots
- Pre-formed burger patties (very convenient)
- Chicken in parts (very convenient)
- Cheesesticks (at this point I’m more addicted than the children)
- Sliced bread (this one’s the hardest to admit)
How to Make Truly Simple Tacos
Step one, gather your ingredients:
Dice an onion.
Sauté the onion for about 4 minutes; then add the packet of taco seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
.
Add the ground beef, and stir constantly until the meat is browned, 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce and water.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes or until…
… much of the liquid has reduced down.
Cut up a head of Romaine lettuce, and …
… dump it into a bowl. Dump the cheese into a bowl, too, and place your taco shells on a sheet pan. Toast them in the oven or toaster oven for 1 to 2 minutes.
Your assembly line is ready. Assemble away! I do this order: lettuce, meat, cheese, salsa.
Description
Recipe simplified from this other mostly simple recipe for beef tacos . I most often make a double batch of this — the meat keeps for a long time in the fridge and it freezes well, too.
Notes:
- Taco Seasoning: I like the Whole Foods 365 brand, and if you have one you recommend, please share in the comments. Update: Three recommendations from commenters include The Spice House , Penzey’s , and Siete Foods . My experience with taco seasoning packets is that they tend to be saltier, so if you have a heavy hand (as I do) when seasoning meat and onions, etc., consider holding back a bit or omitting altogether.
- Ground Beef : I look for grassfed ground beef or humanely raised (for reasons I discuss here and here ) and look for 20% fat.
- Tortillas: For soft tortillas we love the Vista Hermosa brand, which I find at Whole Foods, or Caramelo , which I mail order (and which takes weeks, so if you do it, buy a lot and store them in the freezer).
for the taco filling:
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped to yield about a cup
- 1 packet (1 oz | 28 g | about 3 tablespoons ) taco seasoning, see notes above
- kosher salt to taste
- 1 pound ground beef, see notes above
- 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons white balsamic, cider (or other) vinegar
for serving:
- tortillas, hard shell (stand up or otherwise), soft, or whatever you like
- shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend
- shredded Romaine lettuce
- salsa, homemade or purchased, I like the La Mexican brand sold in the produce/refrigerated aisle
- sour cream, optional
- diced avocado, optional
- Make the taco meat: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spice packet; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, stirring often, until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. ( Note: you may need to use a spatula to break up the block of meat into smaller pieces before you can stir frequently. ) Add tomatoes or tomato sauce, water, and vinegar; bring to simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until liquid has reduced and thickened (mixture should not be completely dry), about 10 minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings with salt. This can be done up to 5 days (or longer actually) in advance and reheated slowly before serving.
- For taco night: If using hard tortilla shells, you can toast them in the oven or toaster oven at 350ºF for about 2 minutes. If using flour tortillas, wrap the tortillas in foil, and place in a 350ºF oven for 15 minutes or until warm. Sometimes I just toast them in the toaster. Remove from oven, and transfer to tea towel to keep warm. Place shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream (if using), and avocado (if using) in bowls. Start assembling as you wish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican, American
Taco night has evolved considerably since posting this recipe five years ago. Back then, I was grinding the chicken meat at home, grating the cheese by hand, mixing the taco spices, pickling the onions, and making the salsa. Sometimes I even made the tortillas .
I titled the post: “Simplest Chicken Tacos.”
Are you laughing? My how things have changed.
It didn’t happen overnight, but rather very gradually, one small change leading to another until I had slipped right down that slippery slope, landing at present-day taco night, where the taco shells are hard (and stand upright!) and purchased at the store along with the bag of grated “Mexican-style” cheese, the packet of taco seasoning, and the pound of ground beef.
I often buy the salsa, too: you know the fresh salsa sold in the produce aisle? That’s the one!
My prep list on taco night now amounts to dicing an onion, browning the meat, and slicing up a head of Romaine lettuce. I warm the taco shells in the toaster oven, dump the cheese and lettuce into bowls, and when the taco filling is cooked, which takes about 20 minutes total, the assembly line is ready.
I had wanted to title this post: “Taco Night 2.0”, but that would have implied some sort of culinary advancement, which is not exactly what has happened here.
But do you know what? The reception of my mostly effortless taco night has never been better. No one seems to miss the freshly ground meat, the hand-grated cheese, and the homemade taco seasoning. The tacos, in fact, have never disappeared faster.
Friends, this is not easy to admit. If you’ve been reading for a while, you know I’m a proud DIY-er: I’ve made the case for buying chickens whole and cutting them up yourself ( and then making stock with the carcass!) ; I extoll the virtues of cooking dried beans from scratch. I don’t think twice about making homemade ricotta , and I encourage you to do the same.
I like to cook. I LOVE to cook! Foods made from scratch so often taste better. Plus there’s less waste; you get more bang for your buck.
Knowing all this, if I confess to stocking packets of taco seasoning, bags of grated cheese, and tubs of salsa, what will come next? Endorsing a brand of bottled salad dressing ?
I think this is my fear. That slippery slope I mentioned earlier. The trouble is that sometimes all of this DIY pride (madness?) prevents me from actually getting dinner on the table. Since adopting a more semi-homemade approach to taco night, it happens more regularly. And no matter the day of the week, it always feels doable.
I want to be better about this, and I’ve made strides over the years, namely accepting that canned beans work just fine, that boneless, skinless chicken thighs make souvlaki night a walk in the park, that Trader Joe’s pre-cooked lentils and bruschetta sauce unite into a most magical salad , and, most recently, that a packet of taco seasoning somehow makes taco night feel like a complete and utter breeze.
Friends, have you ever let your high standards prevent you from getting to the task at hand? Are you ashamed of anything in your fridge or pantry? Please share. This is a safe space.
While the spirit is moving me, here’s my full confession:
10 Items I Never Imagined Stocking
This confession stems from the most recent taco night, when I found myself staring at all of the outsourced components — numbers 1-5 below all make appearances on taco night.
- Pre-grated cheese
- Taco seasoning packet
- Jarred tomato sauce
- Fresh salsa
- Stand-up taco shells
- “Baby” carrots
- Pre-formed burger patties (very convenient)
- Chicken in parts (very convenient)
- Cheesesticks (at this point I’m more addicted than the children)
- Sliced bread (this one’s the hardest to admit)
How to Make Truly Simple Tacos
Step one, gather your ingredients:
Dice an onion.
Sauté the onion for about 4 minutes; then add the packet of taco seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
.
Add the ground beef, and stir constantly until the meat is browned, 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce and water.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes or until…
… much of the liquid has reduced down.
Cut up a head of Romaine lettuce, and …
… dump it into a bowl. Dump the cheese into a bowl, too, and place your taco shells on a sheet pan. Toast them in the oven or toaster oven for 1 to 2 minutes.
Your assembly line is ready. Assemble away! I do this order: lettuce, meat, cheese, salsa.
Description
Recipe simplified from this other mostly simple recipe for beef tacos . I most often make a double batch of this — the meat keeps for a long time in the fridge and it freezes well, too.
Notes:
- Taco Seasoning: I like the Whole Foods 365 brand, and if you have one you recommend, please share in the comments. Update: Three recommendations from commenters include The Spice House , Penzey’s , and Siete Foods . My experience with taco seasoning packets is that they tend to be saltier, so if you have a heavy hand (as I do) when seasoning meat and onions, etc., consider holding back a bit or omitting altogether.
- Ground Beef : I look for grassfed ground beef or humanely raised (for reasons I discuss here and here ) and look for 20% fat.
- Tortillas: For soft tortillas we love the Vista Hermosa brand, which I find at Whole Foods, or Caramelo , which I mail order (and which takes weeks, so if you do it, buy a lot and store them in the freezer).
for the taco filling:
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped to yield about a cup
- 1 packet (1 oz | 28 g | about 3 tablespoons ) taco seasoning, see notes above
- kosher salt to taste
- 1 pound ground beef, see notes above
- 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons white balsamic, cider (or other) vinegar
for serving:
- tortillas, hard shell (stand up or otherwise), soft, or whatever you like
- shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend
- shredded Romaine lettuce
- salsa, homemade or purchased, I like the La Mexican brand sold in the produce/refrigerated aisle
- sour cream, optional
- diced avocado, optional
- Make the taco meat: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spice packet; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, stirring often, until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. ( Note: you may need to use a spatula to break up the block of meat into smaller pieces before you can stir frequently. ) Add tomatoes or tomato sauce, water, and vinegar; bring to simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until liquid has reduced and thickened (mixture should not be completely dry), about 10 minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings with salt. This can be done up to 5 days (or longer actually) in advance and reheated slowly before serving.
- For taco night: If using hard tortilla shells, you can toast them in the oven or toaster oven at 350ºF for about 2 minutes. If using flour tortillas, wrap the tortillas in foil, and place in a 350ºF oven for 15 minutes or until warm. Sometimes I just toast them in the toaster. Remove from oven, and transfer to tea towel to keep warm. Place shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream (if using), and avocado (if using) in bowls. Start assembling as you wish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Mexican
Taco night has evolved considerably since posting this recipe five years ago. Back then, I was grinding the chicken meat at home, grating the cheese by hand, mixing the taco spices, pickling the onions, and making the salsa. Sometimes I even made the tortillas .
I titled the post: “Simplest Chicken Tacos.”
Are you laughing? My how things have changed.
It didn’t happen overnight, but rather very gradually, one small change leading to another until I had slipped right down that slippery slope, landing at present-day taco night, where the taco shells are hard (and stand upright!) and purchased at the store along with the bag of grated “Mexican-style” cheese, the packet of taco seasoning, and the pound of ground beef.
I often buy the salsa, too: you know the fresh salsa sold in the produce aisle? That’s the one!
My prep list on taco night now amounts to dicing an onion, browning the meat, and slicing up a head of Romaine lettuce. I warm the taco shells in the toaster oven, dump the cheese and lettuce into bowls, and when the taco filling is cooked, which takes about 20 minutes total, the assembly line is ready.
I had wanted to title this post: “Taco Night 2.0”, but that would have implied some sort of culinary advancement, which is not exactly what has happened here.
But do you know what? The reception of my mostly effortless taco night has never been better. No one seems to miss the freshly ground meat, the hand-grated cheese, and the homemade taco seasoning. The tacos, in fact, have never disappeared faster.
Friends, this is not easy to admit. If you’ve been reading for a while, you know I’m a proud DIY-er: I’ve made the case for buying chickens whole and cutting them up yourself ( and then making stock with the carcass!) ; I extoll the virtues of cooking dried beans from scratch. I don’t think twice about making homemade ricotta , and I encourage you to do the same.
I like to cook. I LOVE to cook! Foods made from scratch so often taste better. Plus there’s less waste; you get more bang for your buck.
Knowing all this, if I confess to stocking packets of taco seasoning, bags of grated cheese, and tubs of salsa, what will come next? Endorsing a brand of bottled salad dressing ?
I think this is my fear. That slippery slope I mentioned earlier. The trouble is that sometimes all of this DIY pride (madness?) prevents me from actually getting dinner on the table. Since adopting a more semi-homemade approach to taco night, it happens more regularly. And no matter the day of the week, it always feels doable.
I want to be better about this, and I’ve made strides over the years, namely accepting that canned beans work just fine, that boneless, skinless chicken thighs make souvlaki night a walk in the park, that Trader Joe’s pre-cooked lentils and bruschetta sauce unite into a most magical salad , and, most recently, that a packet of taco seasoning somehow makes taco night feel like a complete and utter breeze.
Friends, have you ever let your high standards prevent you from getting to the task at hand? Are you ashamed of anything in your fridge or pantry? Please share. This is a safe space.
While the spirit is moving me, here’s my full confession:
10 Items I Never Imagined Stocking
This confession stems from the most recent taco night, when I found myself staring at all of the outsourced components — numbers 1-5 below all make appearances on taco night.
- Pre-grated cheese
- Taco seasoning packet
- Jarred tomato sauce
- Fresh salsa
- Stand-up taco shells
- “Baby” carrots
- Pre-formed burger patties (very convenient)
- Chicken in parts (very convenient)
- Cheesesticks (at this point I’m more addicted than the children)
- Sliced bread (this one’s the hardest to admit)
How to Make Truly Simple Tacos
Step one, gather your ingredients:
Dice an onion.
Sauté the onion for about 4 minutes; then add the packet of taco seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
.
Add the ground beef, and stir constantly until the meat is browned, 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce and water.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes or until…
… much of the liquid has reduced down.
Cut up a head of Romaine lettuce, and …
… dump it into a bowl. Dump the cheese into a bowl, too, and place your taco shells on a sheet pan. Toast them in the oven or toaster oven for 1 to 2 minutes.
Your assembly line is ready. Assemble away! I do this order: lettuce, meat, cheese, salsa.
Description
Recipe simplified from this other mostly simple recipe for beef tacos . I most often make a double batch of this — the meat keeps for a long time in the fridge and it freezes well, too.
Notes:
- Taco Seasoning: I like the Whole Foods 365 brand, and if you have one you recommend, please share in the comments. Update: Three recommendations from commenters include The Spice House , Penzey’s , and Siete Foods . My experience with taco seasoning packets is that they tend to be saltier, so if you have a heavy hand (as I do) when seasoning meat and onions, etc., consider holding back a bit or omitting altogether.
- Ground Beef : I look for grassfed ground beef or humanely raised (for reasons I discuss here and here ) and look for 20% fat.
- Tortillas: For soft tortillas we love the Vista Hermosa brand, which I find at Whole Foods, or Caramelo , which I mail order (and which takes weeks, so if you do it, buy a lot and store them in the freezer).
for the taco filling:
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped to yield about a cup
- 1 packet (1 oz | 28 g | about 3 tablespoons ) taco seasoning, see notes above
- kosher salt to taste
- 1 pound ground beef, see notes above
- 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons white balsamic, cider (or other) vinegar
for serving:
- tortillas, hard shell (stand up or otherwise), soft, or whatever you like
- shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend
- shredded Romaine lettuce
- salsa, homemade or purchased, I like the La Mexican brand sold in the produce/refrigerated aisle
- sour cream, optional
- diced avocado, optional
- Make the taco meat: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spice packet; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, stirring often, until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. ( Note: you may need to use a spatula to break up the block of meat into smaller pieces before you can stir frequently. ) Add tomatoes or tomato sauce, water, and vinegar; bring to simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until liquid has reduced and thickened (mixture should not be completely dry), about 10 minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings with salt. This can be done up to 5 days (or longer actually) in advance and reheated slowly before serving.
- For taco night: If using hard tortilla shells, you can toast them in the oven or toaster oven at 350ºF for about 2 minutes. If using flour tortillas, wrap the tortillas in foil, and place in a 350ºF oven for 15 minutes or until warm. Sometimes I just toast them in the toaster. Remove from oven, and transfer to tea towel to keep warm. Place shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream (if using), and avocado (if using) in bowls. Start assembling as you wish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Mexican
Description
Recipe simplified from this other mostly simple recipe for beef tacos . I most often make a double batch of this — the meat keeps for a long time in the fridge and it freezes well, too.
Notes:
- Taco Seasoning: I like the Whole Foods 365 brand, and if you have one you recommend, please share in the comments. Update: Three recommendations from commenters include The Spice House , Penzey’s , and Siete Foods . My experience with taco seasoning packets is that they tend to be saltier, so if you have a heavy hand (as I do) when seasoning meat and onions, etc., consider holding back a bit or omitting altogether.
- Ground Beef : I look for grassfed ground beef or humanely raised (for reasons I discuss here and here ) and look for 20% fat.
- Tortillas: For soft tortillas we love the Vista Hermosa brand, which I find at Whole Foods, or Caramelo , which I mail order (and which takes weeks, so if you do it, buy a lot and store them in the freezer).
for the taco filling:
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped to yield about a cup
- 1 packet (1 oz | 28 g | about 3 tablespoons ) taco seasoning, see notes above
- kosher salt to taste
- 1 pound ground beef, see notes above
- 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons white balsamic, cider (or other) vinegar
for serving:
- tortillas, hard shell (stand up or otherwise), soft, or whatever you like
- shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend
- shredded Romaine lettuce
- salsa, homemade or purchased, I like the La Mexican brand sold in the produce/refrigerated aisle
- sour cream, optional
- diced avocado, optional
- Make the taco meat: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spice packet; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, stirring often, until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. ( Note: you may need to use a spatula to break up the block of meat into smaller pieces before you can stir frequently. ) Add tomatoes or tomato sauce, water, and vinegar; bring to simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until liquid has reduced and thickened (mixture should not be completely dry), about 10 minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings with salt. This can be done up to 5 days (or longer actually) in advance and reheated slowly before serving.
- For taco night: If using hard tortilla shells, you can toast them in the oven or toaster oven at 350ºF for about 2 minutes. If using flour tortillas, wrap the tortillas in foil, and place in a 350ºF oven for 15 minutes or until warm. Sometimes I just toast them in the toaster. Remove from oven, and transfer to tea towel to keep warm. Place shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream (if using), and avocado (if using) in bowls. Start assembling as you wish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Mexican
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2021/09/01/taco-night-simplified-like-really-really-simplified/
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 .
- 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
