Creamy Harissa Chickpeas (Vegan, 20-Minute Dinner)
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Creamy harissa chickpeas are a fast, easy, one-pot vegan dinner. Bold North African harissa adds flavor, while coconut milk and lemon balance the heat. Top the chickpeas with lemon, mint, and parsley. You can have it on the table in only 20 minutes!
What Makes This Recipe Different
Creamy Harissa Chickpeas: Your SOS Quick Vegan Dinner Recipe!
While I was creating this spicy chickpea recipe, I wanted to achieve three things….
- A fast dinner for the nights I don’t want to cook.
- A vegan dinner recipe that’s full of flavor and doesn’t taste fast.
- A recipe that uses pantry staples (everyone has harissa in their pantry, right?)
I tried it several ways before landing on this version. I like to think of it as vegan Moroccan chickpeas. I love the thickness of the coconut cream, and the layers of the harissa add. We have had it for several nights in a row, and I am still in love with it! During my testing, I found that I liked both coconut milk and cream with the harissa paste. One was more decadent and creamy, but that was the only difference.
Eat sinfully, live kindly ❤️
Ruth
Quick Harissa Answers
What are harissa chickpeas?
Harissa chickpeas is a North African-inspired recipe that is perfect for a fast weeknight dinner. The chickpeas are simmered in harissa and coconut milk, creating a flavorful sauce.
Is harissa spicy?
Harissa can be spicy. I like to make Moroccan harissa paste at home. That way, I can control how much chile I use. Another option is to buy it at the store. The Mina brand sells harissa in mild or spicy forms. Note: This recipe mixes harissa and coconut milk. Finish with fresh lemon juice. That helps to balance out the spice.
Is Harissa Tunisian or Moroccan?
Harissa paste originated in Tunisia. But it has become popular all across North Africa and the Mediterranean. The Moroccan version of harissa is more complex and spicier. This is the version most often associated with harissa. Tunisian harissa has few ingredients and a simpler flavor (and often spicier!)
Harissa Chickpea Ingredients
Key Ingredient Notes
Harissa Paste
Harissa is a North African chili paste made with chiles, spices, garlic, and olive oil. You can make it at home or buy it at the store. The Mina brand is my favorite store-bought harissa. Harissa can be spicy, so start with less and add more as you go along.
Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
You can use canned or dry beans. But if you want to keep the recipe to 20 minutes or less, use canned chickpeas.
Coconut Milk/Cream
Use coconut milk for a lighter sauce, or coconut cream for a thicker, richer sauce.
Aromatics
Garlic and onions round out the flavor and balance the heat.
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Watch How To Make This Recipe
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One: Sauté the Aromatics
Start by dicing the onion and mincing the garlic. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until lightly golden. This should take about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
Step Two: Bloom the Harissa
Add the three tablespoons of harissa paste to the skillet and stir. Let it cook for 1 minute. This will deepen the flavor and help to balance the heat.
Step Three: Add the liquids and chickpeas
Add in the can of coconut milk (or cream) and ½ cup of vegetable broth. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Add the chickpeas and stir again. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. During this time, stir occasionally and adjust as needed (add more harissa, salt, and/or pepper).
Step Four: Finish with lemon and serve
Remove the chickpeas from the heat. Add the zest of one lemon and the juice of ½ the lemon. Spoon the chickpeas into a bowl and top with fresh mint leaves and parsley. If serving with a grain, spoon the chickpeas next to the grains.
Variations and Substitutions
White miso paste
Add a touch of savory depth by adding two teaspoons of white miso paste while the harissa is blooming.
Spice level
The spice of harissa can vary greatly. Add a little bit at a time until you find your perfect level. I add quite a bit because the coconut milk levels out the heat.
Make it extra creamy
Place ⅓ of the chickpeas and sauce in a blender and blend until smooth. Mix it back into the sauce to thicken it.
More recipes with harissa paste….
Expert Tips for the Best Harissa Chickpeas
Sauté the harissa
Sauté the harissa just long enough to bloom the spices. Overdoing it can burn the flavor.
Always add the lemon
Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon. This will balance the acids out.
How to Serve Harissa Chickpeas
- Serve harissa chickpeas over basmati rice or orzo
- Oven-roasted broccoli and Chick-fil-A kale crunch salad are easy sides and perfect pairs!
- Spoon it into a tortilla with greens to make a Mediterranean wrap.
- Serve with bread, naan, pita, and Turkish flatbread; all pair perfectly.
- Drizzle vegan tzatziki sauce on top for an additional flavor layer.
Storing Leftovers and Meal Prep
You can store your spicy chickpeas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I find that this recipe tastes better the next day! Make a larger batch for meal prep.
How Did It Go?
I hope you loved this creamy harissa chickpea recipe as much as I do! Before you go, please leave a rating and share your thoughts on this recipe.
Creamy Harissa Chickpeas (Vegan, 20-Minute Dinner)
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
- 1 chef knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 microplane
Ingredients
- 2 cans chickpeas, 15oz each, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons harissa paste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small white yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream, 13.5oz
- 0.5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 0.3 cups fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, torn
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics: Start by dicing the onion and mincing the garlic. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over low to medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute until it is lightly golden. This should take about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
- Bloom the Harissa: Add 3 tablespoons of harissa paste to the skillet and stir it into the onions and garlic. Let it cook for 1 minute. This will deepen the flavor and help to balance the heat.
- Add the liquids and chickpeas: Add in the can of coconut milk (or cream) and ½ cup of vegetable broth. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Add the chickpeas and stir again. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. During this time, stir occasionally and adjust as needed (add more harissa, salt, and/or pepper).
- Finish with lemon and serve: Remove the chickpeas from the heat. Add the zest of one lemon and the juice of ½ the lemon. Spoon the chickpeas into a bowl and top with fresh mint leaves and parsley. If serving it with a grain, spoon the chickpeas next to the grains.
It is amazing how a dish with such basic staple ingredients can carry so much historical and cultural significance for a country. It just proves that the best meals are the ones that have been perfected over generations of survival and celebration.
Hi Zidane, I am so happy you liked the recipe. I put a lot of time in thought and testing when I created it. Thank you so much for leaving a comment. It help immensely!