These chickpeas are served with tender pearl couscous in a rich, heavenly broth seasoned with smoky paprika for an easy, yet flavorful, quick meal.
Smoky, creamy chickpeas and pearl couscous are a perfect little lunch or light dinner.
With just a handful of ingredients and fewer than 30 minutes, you can have a flavorful, easy meal on the table. This is exactly why these smoky chickpeas have been a go-to for years. I used to make these with dairy-based heavy cream, but swapped to plant-based half-and-half after I tried Califia Farms Better Half. Your favorite plant-based heavy cream will work here! Try it with Califia Farms Heavy Whip or Country Crock Dairy-Free Heavy Whipping Cream. You could even use coconut milk, but it will add a bit of a different flavor profile to the broth.
How to make these smoky chickpeas with pearl couscous
What you need
You only need a few ingredients, including:
- Aromatics: You just need an onion and garlic for this. You can try it with your favorite aromatic like leeks, shallots, or even scallions.
- Spices: I season the dish with smoked paprika, dry parsley, dry thyme, and crushed red pepper.
- Pearl couscous: I love how quickly pearl couscous cooks in the broth!
- Chickpeas: You can use chickpeas or your favorite white bean, like cannellini, navy, or Great Northern.
- Finishing touches: I finish the chickpeas with lemon juice and plant-based cream.
How to make it
- Step 1: Sauté the onion and then add garlic.
- Step 2: Add the pearl couscous and toast briefly in the pot.
- Step 3: Add the spices and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Step 4: Add water and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 to 12 minutes until the pearl couscous is tender.
- Step 5: Finish the smoky chickpeas and pearl couscous with lemon juice and plant-based half-and-half or plant-based heavy cream.
From there, you’re ready to ladle it into bowls and serve it up! A sprinkle of freshly minced parsley is a great way to serve the dish, but if you don’t have any, just sprinkle a bit of dry parsley on top. You can also dust with a touch more smoked paprika.
Smoky Chickpeas and Pearl Couscous
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- 4 cups water
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas drained
- 1 teaspoon dry parsley
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 lemon juiced
- ⅓ cup plant-based half-and-half optional
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Cook the aromatics:
- Heat the oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 2 minutes until the onion just begins to sweat and soften.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
Toast the couscous:
- Add the pearl couscous to the pot and cook for 1 minute until it begins to toast slightly. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add 1 teaspoon dry parsley, 1 teaspoon dry thyme, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
Simmer the couscous:
- Add 4 cups of water and a generous pinch of salt. Add the drained chickpeas and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until the pearl couscous is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the pearl couscous from sticking to the bottom. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
- Stir in the lemon juice and plant-based heavy cream and cook 1 more minute. Taste and season one final time before turning off the heat.
To serve:
- Ladle the chickpeas and pearl couscous into a bowl. Garnish with freshly minced parsley or a pinch of dry parsley if desired. Enjoy!
