The simple seasoned chickpeas are an easy, economical and protein-rich recipe, perfect any time of year. Excellent as a side dish or as a light, nutritious vegetarian main, they are made with few ingredients and can be enjoyed either warm or at room temperature.
Starting from dried chickpeas soaked and slowly simmered with aromatics, you obtain a genuine and tasty dish that is much better than ready-made chickpeas. With extra virgin olive oil, white onion, rosemary and a drizzle of vinegar they become a simple but very flavorful preparation.
Making them ahead is a great idea: they keep well in the refrigerator and are also perfect to take to work.
This is one of those simple recipes I make often: economical, healthy and always ready in the fridge. If you love quick, wholesome dishes, save this recipe because it will come in handy.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups dried chickpeas
- 6 1/3 cups water
- salt
- 1/4 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 drizzle vinegar
Tools
- 1 Pot
👩🍳 Method
1️⃣ Soak
Soak the dried chickpeas for at least 10–12 hours in plenty of cold water with a pinch of baking soda.
2️⃣ Cooking
Drain the chickpeas, rinse them and transfer them to a pot with fresh water.
Add aromatics as desired (bay leaf, garlic, rosemary, cherry tomatoes, onion) and cook: it will take about 1 hour – 1 hour and a half, until tender.3️⃣ Drain
Once cooked, drain them while reserving the cooking liquid: it’s great for making a soup or a pasta and chickpeas dish.
4️⃣ Season
Season the still-warm chickpeas with:
• salt
• pepper
• very thinly sliced white onion
• finely chopped rosemary
• a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• a very small splash of white vinegar
Mix well and if possible let them rest to absorb the flavors for at least 15–20 minutes.
💡 Useful tips
• You can also prepare them the day before: they become even more flavorful.
• If you want to make them more digestible, remove the outer skins after cooking.
• Also great with the addition of tuna or feta if you want to turn them into a main dish
😍 Why are they healthy?
Chickpeas are legumes rich in: plant protein, fiber (great for the intestine), iron, magnesium and B vitamins.
They are filling but light and help keep blood sugar stable.
For this reason they can become an excellent vegetarian main or a protein alternative to meat.
From 250 g of dried chickpeas you get about 600–650 g of cooked chickpeas (about 1.3–1.4 lb), perfect for 4 people as a side dish
Frequently asked questions about seasoned chickpeas
How should I dress boiled chickpeas to make them more flavorful?
To make boiled chickpeas more tasty, simply season them while still warm with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, thinly sliced white onion, rosemary and a splash of vinegar. This way they absorb the aromas better.
Can I use canned chickpeas?
Yes, you can also use ready-cooked chickpeas from a jar. Just drain them, rinse them well under water and season as in the recipe. The result will still be great, although dried chickpeas remain more flavorful.
