Turmeric Chickpeas with Brown Rice

Erin Alderson

Turmeric Chickpeas with Coconut | Naturally Ella

I talk quite a bit about pantry-inspired meals. I firmly believe if you keep a well-stocked pantry, you are never without a solid meal. These turmeric chickpeas are a perfect example of pantry-inspired. Each ingredient for the core recipe is an item I always keep on hand, including the shallots and garlic. These chickpeas are easy to whip together and make for a solid dinner base. My favorite part? It’s easy to bulk up the recipe with greens, squash, and/or sweet potatoes.

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Turmeric Chickpeas with Ginger and Coconut | Naturally Ella

Turmeric Chickpeas with Ginger and Coconut

★★★★★ 4.3 from 4 reviews
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 21 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Main Course
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Description

These turmeric chickpeas come together in 20 minutes- a perfect weeknight dinner that is filling and full of flavor.

Ingredients

Chickpeas

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium shallot (minced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole-fat coconut milk
  • 2 teaspoons muscovado sugar
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed if using canned)

For serving

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • cilantro, for serving
  • lemon, for serving
  • avocado, for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat a pot or dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Stir in the garlic and ginger, cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the turmeric and salt followed by the coconut milk and muscovado sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer then add the chickpeas. Cover and cook for 10 minutes to let the flavors develop and the chickpeas soften. 
  2. Serve the turmeric chickpeas over the rice and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges and fresh avocado. 

Notes

Tips and Tricks: This is a really rich dish because of the coconut milk. If you want to cut down on the calories and fat, replace part of the coconut milk with vegetable broth. 

Also, this recipe uses the coconut milk in a can. I recommend pouring the coconut milk into a storage container with a lid and shake until well combined.

Stock up: Get the pantry ingredients you will need: chickpeas, turmeric, muscovado sugar

Nutrition: See the information.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 652
  • Sugar: 14
  • Sodium: 180
  • Fat: 22.3
  • Carbohydrates: 93.3
  • Fiber: 14.7
  • Protein: 24.4

Turmeric Chickpeas

variations

As mentioned above, these turmeric chickpeas can be served as is but also make for an excellent base for other produce, depending on what you might have available.

Sweetness: I love the depth the muscovado sugar adds to the overall flavor of the dish but if you’re looking for non-sugar based sweeteners, golden raisins or dates would be lovely as well. Add these in with the chickpeas.

Greens: I wanted to keep this dish simple but you could easily add kale, chard, or spinach at the end of cooking.

Grains: If you don’t have brown rice ready and still want to make this a 20 minute meal, serve the turmeric chickpeas with millet or quinoa- both can be ready in 20 minutes.

Explore Chickpeas

chickpeas

Chickpeas are always in my pantry. They make a quick meal, like these turmeric chickpeas, but can also serve as a great dip, deli sandwich, or addition to soup. They are versatile and a power boost to any meal.

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Chickpea Shawarma Stuffed Pita
Spinach Pesto Polenta with Smoky Chickpeas

Turmeric Chickpeas with Garlic and Coconut | Naturally Ella