Skillet Chickpeas with Spinach and Tomatoes

Put together a few pantry ingredients (plus a healthy squeeze of lemon) and you’ve got Skillet Chickpeas with Spinach and Tomatoes: a fast, healthy, vegetarian dinner. Serve with a slice of warm bread or rice for soaking up every last bite.

Some recipes on this site are shiny new things that I couldn’t wait to share, while others are special-occasion favorites that hit my table maybe once a year. And then there are recipes that have been in my life for years, like a familiar old friend. Skillet Chickpeas with Spinach and Tomatoes is one of those.

Chickpeas, spinach, and tomatoes are three of my favorite ingredients/life partners and they all play stunning, delicious roles in this recipe. Supporting stars like garlic, turmeric, and lemon complement the mains, while the direction of a one-skillet vegetarian meal brings it all together. Plus, this recipe takes less than 20 minutes and uses pantry staples that you probably have right now. I often made it in college because it only uses one can, one skillet, and comes together quickly between bouts of study marathons. Served with a dollop of creamy yogurt, a ribbon of shimmering olive oil, and a slice of warm pita, it’s the tastiest stress-reliever a college senior — now a 30-year-old New Yorker — could imagine.

Oh, and if you’re cooking for one, it yields plenty of leftovers that just get better over time. Because the only thing better than eating this meal is re-heating it: The ease of it all feels like cheating and getting away with it.

Let’s make chickpeas with spinach and tomatoes

Heat a large skillet on medium. Once hot, add 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and starts to brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Add chickpeas and season with salt, pepper, and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas start to turn golden-brown, 5 to 7 minutes. If the pan ever looks dry, add more olive oil, or a splash of water if anything starts sticking. Add turmeric and red pepper flakes and toast for about 30 seconds.

Add the diced tomatoes, another pinch of salt, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until some of the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes.

Off heat, add the spinach, seasoning with more salt. Stir until just wilted. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt, or pepper if necessary.

Divide among bowls and top with chopped fresh herbs, yogurt, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve toasted pita alongside.

More easy vegetarian recipes

• Spicy Lentil Soup with Chili and Lemon
• Chopped Chickpea Salad
• Spicy Pesto Pasta

Print Recipe

Skillet Chickpeas with Spinach and Tomatoes

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star (58 votes, average: 3.98 out of 5)

Dinner; Lunch – American

By Samantha – Serves: 2

Prep Time: 10 – Cooking Time: 15 – Total Time: 25

Put together a few pantry ingredients (plus a healthy squeeze of lemon) and you've got a fast, healthy, vegetarian dinner tonight. Serve with a slice of warm bread or rice for soaking up every last bite.

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2.5 ounces baby spinach or kale
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
• Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, for serving
• Yogurt or sour cream, for serving
• Toasted pita or other flatbread, for serving

Instructions

1

Heat a large skillet on medium. Once hot, add 4 tablespoons oil. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and starts to brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute more.

2

Add chickpeas and season with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas start to turn golden-brown, 5 to 7 minutes. If the pan ever looks dry, add more olive oil, or a splash of water if anything starts sticking. Add turmeric and red pepper flakes and toast for about 30 seconds.

3

Add the diced tomatoes, another pinch of salt, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until some of the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Off heat, add the spinach, seasoning with more salt. Stir until just wilted. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt, or pepper if necessary.

4

Divide among bowls and top with chopped fresh herbs, yogurt, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve toasted pita alongside.

Nutrition

• 768 Calories
• 82g Carbohydrates
• 43g Fat
• 22g Fiber
• 22g Protein
• 6g Saturated fat
• 1360mg Sodium
• 16g Sugar

Notes

If you'd like something more like a stew, don't cook the tomatoes for very long. If you'd like something thicker, cook the tomatoes until most of their water evaporates and the bottom of the pan starts to get dry, 5-10 minutes. This is wonderful with a bit of curry powder added if you like it. This would be fantastic with a light-to-medium bodied red, like a Pinot Noir from Oregon (my favorite type of wine).