If you follow my Instagram stories, then you might have seen my many failed attempts at trying to make ladyfinger cookies. Traditional ladyfingers are made with whipped egg whites, so I thought, that’s an easy peasy sub, just use our new friend aquafaba. It turns out these cookies were not my friends and did not want to cooperate. So after 3 failed attempts, 8 spongey cookies consumed, and a mountain of leftover chickpeas, I had to form a new plan of attack. Creamy Lemon Pepper Chickpeas! And what a lovely plan it was.
When it comes to cooking, I truly think the mistakes tend to guide you (if you let them), this unintended recipe, was a very, very, very good idea! Just 20 minutes to make this easy, creamy, zesty lemon, peppery, totally addictive chickpea dish.
Holy smokes these chickpeas are delicious! It took everything in me not to polish off the entire pan myself. Perfect as a side served with salad and some potatoes or rice, spooned over pasta, or as a scrumptious open faced sandwich on top of toast. You’re going to want these saucy chickpeas everywhere!
More news: Now that my cookbook Fuss-Free Vegan has been released for pre-order (OMG still losing it with excitement!!!), I have a bit more time on my hands so you’re going to see things changing and improving on the blog, starting with today’s new recipe layout. What do you think? Notice the cool new feature where you can change the servings, then the recipe sorts out the math for you! I ‘m diggin’ it.
To make Creamy Lemon Pepper Chickpeas: Sauté the onions and garlic until they are translucent and beginning to brown. Then sprinkle in the flour and stir and cook for an additional 30 seconds to heat up the flour.
Add in the vegetable broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper, and stir scraping up the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add in the chickpeas and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens, then stir in the coconut milk. If you find your sauce a little too thick, you can add more broth to thin, and if you find your sauce a little too thin, just cook down a bit more. Garnish with cilantro or parsley before serving.
Perfect on pasta, toast, or served with a salad and potatoes.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, (gluten-free if preferred)
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 lemon zested
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1, 19oz can chickpeas (about 2 cups), drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
- small handful cilantro or parsley, chopped
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onion turns translucent and begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir and cook for an additional 30 seconds to heat up the flour. Now add the vegetable broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove on any stuck on bits. Stir in the chickpeas and bring to a simmer. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Stir in the coconut milk. If you find your sauce a little too thick, you can add more broth to thin, and if you find your sauce a little too thin, just cook down a bit more. Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve hot.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
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Bon Appetegan!
Sam.
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Fantastic recipe that has become my new favorite during quarantine. It’s delicious as written or can be doctored up easily. I like to add carrots and zucchini for some extra veg and have used this as a filling for a chicken-less potpie. Thank you for sharing!
Added a little bit of red pepper flakes to this and it was so good!
Made this tonight! Was so happy to see I already had all of the ingredients on hand. I served it over a quinoa and wild rice mix with a side of string beans.
Whoa. This has got to be one the yummiest meals ever, and is somehow also one of the easiest?! Didn’t have parsley on hand so I topped with garlic chives from the garden and dipped some homemade bread i Sri the sauce. So psyched to have found a new staple!
Aww yay!! Thrilled you loved it so much Adeline 🙂
I’m another one who happened to have everything I needed for this recipe at home whilst on lock down, including parsley from the freezer. Creamy, zesty and gorgeous! We had it with baba gaboush and flatbread xxxx
Sounds wonderful!
Simply excellent. Thankfully, I had the ingredients on hand to make this dish while being confined to my home. We ate these chick peas with wild rice, and I’m glad I doubled the recipe for leftovers. I’m soooo grateful those cookies didn’t work out because this dish is a keeper.
Happy you loved it, Kristal 🙂
Another smash hit Sam! This sounded good in principle & looked lovely but I was a little sceptical especially about a coconut undertone. WOOOOOW!!! Just WOW! The lemon pops, the creamy sauce is chin dripping heaven. I added broccoli & zucchini to up the veg quotient & stuck to your great counsel for the rest. It got polished off by 2 in one sitting. And it’s so simple – I’m teaching my vegan nephew to cook & we made this dish together for his second dinner lesson. It’s now on his weekly rotation!
Aww wonderful!!! Thrilled you loved it so much, Tova 🙂
Just made this. Added some nutritional yeast. Its so delicious. Will make again and again.
Wonderful!!
this started out as a struggle meal, but i added zucchini from the garden and served with roast potatoes and a little rice – and it felt like an absolute feast! so delicious. highly recommend the zucchini addition, btw, it soaks up the flavour beautifully, but i feel like this is a super adaptable meal in general. so glad i now know how to make it!
Wonderful!
Hot Damn…..these are so good. I usually eat spiced crispy chickpeas, what a nice change of pace, so fresh with the lemon and creamy garlic goodness. Made these tonight for tomorrow night’s dinner (will serve over wild rice), I didn’t want to stop eating them after tasting them for seasoning.
Haha! Amazing! So happy you enjoyed, Diane 🙂
Hi Sam. So as I am inclined to do, I saw this recipe and riffed on it because I LOVE chickpeas and lemon/garlic. Sooo, I followed the base recipe with the lemon onion and garlic and made a middle-eastern seasoning mix out of zatar, onion powder, garlic powder, tumeric and sumac along with salt and pepper. I went with a cup and a half of veggie broth and instead of coconut milk mixed in 2 tbls of tahini. I also had a cold baked potato I mashed and added just because I could. I also pressure cooked a cup of dried chickpeas first since I think they taste better than canned. Finished it off with microwaved frozen broccoli. OMG – the best thing I’ve cooked in a while. Thanks for the great inspiration!
Glad you enjoyed!
Wow!! Loooooved it! I served it over pasta and it is so tasty and creamy! Will make it again! Thank you Sam, you’re the best!!
Thrilled you enjoyed it, Hedwig 🙂
This was delicious! I just kept going back for more. Great recipe which I will certainly make again.
Wonderful! Thrilled you loved it so much, Jen!
Okay so I made this recipe as one of my “peasant meals” which is what I refer to the meals I have to resort to Google to survive off the last few ingredients left before heading to the grocery store. So luckily I had all these ingredients and just added rice. It was gooood! My husband said peasant meals are always the best … I decided to make it again after grocery shopping on a bed on mini penne pasta along with frozen green beans, and canned yams. Now that knocked it out of the park!!! It was amazing combo. So glad I found your recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Aww that’s wonderful Sugeey!! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much and I hope you enjoy many more of my recipes 🙂
This recipe is a keeper! I made a double batch earlier in the week and have enjoyed it for several meals since. I didn’t have Cilantro on-hand at the time so I am looking forward to making it again with this addition. By the way, Great Job on the website! There are so many recipes that I want to try.(this was my first).. I am looking forward to picking up your book and watching your videos as well!
Thank you so much, Andrew! So happy you enjoyed this recipe and I hope you enjoy many more 🙂
This was so delicious!!! I added about 1/4 cup of shredded ginger. It was amazing!!!
So happy you enjoyed!
This was so delicious. I was looking for a recipe to use up an excess of lemons and chickpeas, and it was a great coincidence to find yours! I served it over rice, and also wanted to consume the entire pan full. Congratulations on creating such a wonderful dinner.
So thrilled you loved it so much, Deborah 🙂
This is soooooo good!!! My omnivore hubby just asked me to make it again tomorrow so he can have it for his dinner! Thank you Sam.
I just order your book cannot wait to get cooking!
Yay! So happy you enjoyed the chickpeas Teresa, and I hope you love the book even more! 🙂
Made this, and absolutely loved it! Added artichokes to the recipe and served with a side of asparagus, but will have to try some of the other variations people mentioned in the comments! LOVED all the sauciness of it, it’d make a great pasta dish.
So happy you enjoyed it so much, Jordi 🙂
I made this tonight and it is delicious. I served it with bow tie pasta. The sauce is incredible. I will be experimenting with it on other dishes. Thank you for sharing theisnon IG today.
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed 🙂
This recipe is amazing…. I’ve stopped eating to post! I added ‘buttery’ mushrooms and served with asparagus…. Delish! Thanks so much x
You’re most welcome, Gemma! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I made this for the fam last night, Sam, even though I confess I had my doubts about it. Of course, I was being ridiculous––all your recipes turn out well. (Indeed, earlier in the day I made your Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Cake––always a hit.) This recipe was no exception. Lucky for the fam I summoned up a modicum of self-restraint and left some for them. Next time I’m going to try adding chopped kale. Thanks for the recipe!
Hahahaha you’re too cute! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Erin 🙂
Aboso-freaking delicious! The sauce.is perfect and so simple.that I was able to.make it with a 6 week old in tow. So perfect, Samantha. Thank you for another great dinner.
You’re most welcome, Julianne, so happy you enjoyed it so much!
I’ve just made this and it was amazing. I accidentally added too much garlic (I’m a huge fan of garlic, but this was heaps) but the recipe still came out great. I don’t cook with lemon too much and this was so tasty.
Thrilled you enjoyed it!
This is our go to recipe when we don’t know what side dish to add to our food. The chickpeas are sooo creamy and yummy and lemon+pepper is such a great combination. 10/10 would recommend to anyone.
Yay! So happy you love this one so much, Johanna. It’s a staple in my house too 🙂
Good stuff! I cooked some chopped broccoli in the sauce along with the chickpeas, gave it one more hit of lemon at the end, and served over rice. Will definitely make again- so quick and easy!
Awesome! Thrilled you enjoyed it, LeeAnn 🙂
This is my favorite recipe of the month by far! I’ve made different variations of it. Today I swapped out the coconut milk for nutritional yeast and a little extra veggie broth. LOVE. Thank you!
You’re most welcome, Jill! So happy you found a new fave 🙂
This was really good. I served it on top of a baked potato with a side of brussels sprouts.
Sounds delish! SO happy you enjoyed, Lucy 🙂
Chickpeas & lemons… what’s not to love??? This recipe is awesome tasty and super easy! Served over cauli-pots (mashed cauliflower/potatoes). Another hit!!!!
Woohoo! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Easy to make and simply delicious! I served it over pasta (with plenty of extra fresh ground pepper) and it was a big hit. Reminded me of a seafood dish I used to love before I stopped eating sea critters. Thank you for sharing your experiments with us!
Woohoo!! So happy you loved it, Marsha! 😀
Love this! I also love the # of servings calculator!
Woohoo! So happy to hear it 🙂
Agree – this is delicious and easy, and the servings calculator is awesome!
Thank you!
Hi Sam! This looks great, and I’m definitely making this soon but I’m wondering how you would serve this? Over rice? Or just as is with potatoes and salad in the side? Thanks for all you do!
Hi Ashlea! I had corrected a typo in this post, and now realise that I had deleted half of the post by accident. Oops! It’s restored now, so you can see both in the post and in the recipe itself that I have a few recommendations. Rice or potatoes would be great, as well as on top of pasta, or on toast. Omnomnom!
This looks so good. It’s one recipe where I won’t have to double the sauce to satisfy my hubby who always likes lots of sauce so he can mix it in with the rice or mashed potatoes, really anything I serve with the saucy dish. I’m so loving your recipes!
Hahaha! I too like a saucy dish! I hope you and your husband love it, Tonia 🙂
Love the new feature to adjust the recipe ingredients to servings! Thank you!
I think I will try the chickpea recipe tonight!
Also – full fat coconut milk – the canned version, correct? Not the refrigerated coconut milk?
Great! Yes, the canned kind. Enjoy! 🙂