Spicy lemon chickpea casserole- an easy vegan dish for weeknight dinners or work lunches. Prep ahead and freeze the leftovers.
I love chickpeas, and happily eat them several times a week, either added to things to bulk them out or as the star of their own dish.  This dish is frugal, adaptable and very easy to make.  I prefer to soak and then cook my chickpeas from dried, but tinned work just as well. If you do use tinned chickpeas make sure that you rinse them well and you use a brand where the peas are quite firm – I find the texture varies wildly across different brands – some are better for hummus, others for casseroles like this.
If you love this sort of vegan dish then try my vegan 5 bean chilli too!
Table of Contents
Recipe: Spicy Lemon Chickpea Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tbs olive oil (or other vegetable oil)
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 1 cm piece fresh ginger (grated)
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1 red chilli (seeds removed and finely chopped)
- 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 800 g cooked chickpeas (2 cans - drained and rinsed)
- 1/2 lemon ((grated zest and juice))
- 400 g chopped tomatoes ((one tin))
- 2 tbs tomato puree
- 100 g spinach
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the spices until they sizzle are fragrant, add the onion, garlic and ginger and fry until the onion has softened.
- Add the tomatoes, chickpeas and lemon zest & juice.
- Season to taste.
- Cook for about 30 minutes then stir in the spinach and cook for another minute until it is wilted.
Notes
Vary the dish by changing the spices and adding different leafy greens.
As this was a tomato based dish it seemed appropriate to cook it in my beautiful tomato cocotte or cast iron casserole dish from Staub. This is a beautiful piece of cookware that will last a lifetime, and look just as good on display as it does on the dining table.  Made of cast iron you can use the dish on the hob and in the oven, making it perfect for one pot meals which helps save on washing up.   It is a solid heavy piece that cooks evenly and retains the heat well, at 20x25cm it holds 2.9l, easily enough for a meal for 6.  Available from kitchen store Divertimenti (who also sell a covertable pumpkin and vegetable version) for £198.95.
You may also like
- Sarah’s recipe for tomato cous cous (also made in the cocotte)
- Nazima’s one pot chickpea and potato curry
- Emily’s butternut squash and chickpea dopiaza
We were gifted the tomato cocotte from Staub. All opinions our own.
Recipe written January 2017. Updated September 2015.
Hannah
The lemon chickpeas are indeed delicious – one of the tastiest things I have ever cooked. I freeze them in portions and bring them to work for a nice filling lunch.
Camilla
Chickpeas and spinach always a winner – a great frugal dish for #CreditCrunchMunch. Love that pumpkin casserole too!
Helen
I love this dish. So frugal and delicious.
Sally - My Custard Pie
Wow. That casserole dish is truly a centrepiece! Delicious comforting recipe as always H.
Helen
it is such a beautiful dish Sally.
kate @veggie desserts
I LOVE the tomato cocette! It’s stunning. And such a gorgeous recipe . Chickpeas are fantastic and I love that added cumin.
Helen
There is a lifetime of pleasure from that cocotte. And pride of place on the dresser – once I have a kitchen with a dresser!
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Gorgeous, gorgeous dish! Both the actual dish and the food within.
Helen
Thank you Kellie, I do love the lemon chickpeas!
corina
I’m sure this is delicious! It’s very similar to a casserole I made for lunch today but with pumpkin in too. Thank you so much for joining in with Cook Once Eat Twice.
Helen
Pumpkin sounds a great addition Corina!
Elizabeth
Mmm all my favourite flavours in one hearty dish – and just look at that fab casserole dish, I love it!
Helen
I used to make this a couple of times a month, need to put it back on the regular menu agian.
Katie Bryson
This looks so nourishing Helen, i’m definitely going to add this to my menu plan for next week for Mr B & I… I wish I had a casserole dish as cute as that by the way! Thanks for hooking up with #ExtraVeg xxx
Helen
I love this dish Katie, the lemon makes it I think.
Jacqueline Meldrum
I’ve not made anything like this for ages, but now I am craving chickpea casserole. Love the casserole dish too.
Helen
The recipe is a keeper Jac.
janet @ the taste space
Love the simplicity of this, Helen. Did you garnish with dill? Surprisingly, dill works well with curries. :)
Helen
Interesting thought Janet, I used the last of the chives from my window box.
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What a great dish and something I often do id week too. Chickpeas are just so tasty and cheap, what’s not to like?! Great casserole dish BTW
Helen
I love chickpeas, but I do think that the quality and consistency of the tinned ones really varies.
Emily Leary
This looks so good! As a veggie, I eat a lot of chickpeas so it’s great to have new ideas for how to cook with them. And I love love love that tomato cocotte!
Helen
I love chickpeas, we eat about 3 cans a week, and always have them in the freezer.
Spanishhomemade
We love chickpeas! They are very useful in all dishes!
Jay
A great looking casserole dish, and really appropriate for a vegetarian meal.
Helen
Thanks Jay, so so easy and frugal too!
Sarah
Lovely looking casserole. I wonder if I can try some different pulses?
Helen
I think that any, or a mix would work really well Sarah.
helen @ family-friends-food.com
That pot is fabulous! Love it!
The chickpeas don’t look bad either – perfect for this time of year. Lovely.
Helen
I love a good chickpea casserole, so easy and adaptable, I’ve been making this for years!
Janice
What a lovely idea to add lemon to the chickpeas. I’m sure it must really lift the flavour.