I have been wanting to post this recipe for months now but I had to get it just right. I think I’ve finally done that.
This is a recipe I adapted from one in the Happy Herbivore Abroad cookbook. Lindsay uses green olives and I’ve never really cared for them that much so I used Kalamata olives. The slightly sharp flavor of Kalamatas pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the raisins and the bell peppers.
Mediterranean Chickpeas
Steve really likes green olives so I made a version with them as well. The green olives I used were quite mild and tasted more like regular black olives so they didn’t add the sharp contrast that the kalamatas do. But feel free to use either.
Mediterranean Chickpeas Quinoa
Anyway, this is super easy to make as it has limited ingredients. And if you pre-chop your veggies once a week it’s even easier to throw everything in.
Mediterranean Chickpeas Salad
The combination of flavors is simply wonderful with the salty, savory Kalamatas and the sweet raisins. I made this recently and ate it for 4 meals in a row!
Bon Apetit!
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Mediterranean Chickpeas
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 3-4 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Description
This Mediterranean Chickpea dish has a wonderful flavor profile that will have you ready to flamenco dance in your kitchen
Ingredients
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 2 large bell peppers, seeded and diced
- 2/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced
- 9 tablespoons raisins (I prefer using brown raisins for this recipe instead of golden)
- 2 15-oz. cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (RESERVE LIQUID FROM YOUR CHICKPEAS PRIOR TO RINSING). You will use this liquid when adding the chickpeas to the recipe.
- ¼ cup chopped parsley or cilantro
- Smoked paprika to taste
Instructions
- Warning: don’t forget to reserve the liquid from your chickpeas—this is critical for the recipe.
- Saute the garlic and peppers in a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of water to keep from sticking. Cook until the peppers have softened.
- Add the olives and raisins and cook until they are slightly softened.
- Add in the chickpeas, 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid and several shakes of the smoked paprika. Stir everything and continue to cook until everything is well mixed and slightly softened. If it seems too dry, add a little more chickpea liquid. You want it to seem slightly liquidy, but not soupy.
- Stir in parsley or cilantro and cook for one more minute. Taste and add more smoked paprika as desired.
- Remove from heat.
Notes
–Serve warm over noodles, rice, couscous, quinoa, in a pita pocket, in a wrap, or on a salad. It is also good cold.
–If your olives have added salt in them your dish likely won’t need any extra salt.
Mediterranean Chickpeas in Tortilla
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Wow! This is the most amazing and creative approach to my favorite protein source, chickpeas! I can just imagine how wonderful a mouthful of those surprising flavors will taste! So glad I found your recipe and blog on Healthy Vegan Fridays! I look forward to learning more about the Plantivore online community. All the best from another veggie lovin’ blogger!
Hi Deborah, thanks for the feedback! Just wait until you taste this. I can’t take credit for this one since Lindsay Nixon from Happy Herbivore published this in her Happy Herbivore Abroad cookbook after getting the recipe from a Spanish woman on a train. So glad you stopped by and I’ll definitely check out your blog. Wendy