Crispy Honey-Harissa Glazed Chickpea Bowls

There are three things to know about this bowl before making it…

The first is that it is GREAT. I always think I’m going to want rice or bread with it, but the yogurt and chickpeas join forces to deliver a highly satisfying, legitimately filling meal.

Next, you want the chickpeas to be crunchy-crispy, which means they should be almost dark brown when you take them out of the oven. To that end, make sure your chickpeas are as dry as possible before they go into the oven in the first place, whether you are using canned or from-scratch beans.

Lastly, the heat level of harissa, the North African red pepper paste that should be in everyone’s refrigerator, varies from brand to brand, so you’ll want to taste the glaze and toss into the chickpeas accordingly.

Crispy Honey-Harissa Glazed Chickpea Bowls with Yogurt & Mint
Serves 4
From The Weekday Vegetarians: Get Simple

3 cups cooked chickpeas, or 2 (15-ounce) cans, drained and rinsed, patted completely dry or air-dried for as long as possible
1⁄3 cup plus 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons harissa paste
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 large head Bibb lettuce, torn into pieces (about 8 cups)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 1½ lemons)
Heaping ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (any fat content, but I like at least 2%)
¼ small red onion, minced
½ cup chopped fresh mint
½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a sheet pan with foil.

Spread the chickpeas on the lined pan and toss with 1⁄3 cup of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until the chickpeas are crunchy-crispy, about 30 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes to prevent sticking. Meanwhile, line a medium bowl with paper towels and have near the oven.

While the chickpeas are roasting, in a small saucepan, combine the harissa, honey, brown sugar, and some salt and simmer over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved completely. Remove the pan from the heat and while the glaze is warm, stir in the butter.

When the chickpeas are done, make a “chute” out of the foil and pour the chickpeas into the towel-lined bowl, lightly blotting any excess oil. Let sit for a minute to drain, then slip the paper towel out of the bowl. Season the crispy chickpeas with salt and pepper.

Depending on how spicy your harissa is, and how spicy you like your food, start by adding 2 tablespoons of the glaze to the chickpeas, and gently tossing. (They should be glazey, not goopy.) Taste and add more glaze as desired.

Divide the lettuce among four bowls, season each with salt, pepper, about 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil, tossing to combine. Divide the glazed chickpeas among the bowls and top with dollops of yogurt, minced onion, mint, parsley, and more black pepper.

P.S. How to upgrade a regular green salad and more chickpea dinners.

(Photo by Christine Han.)