Coconut Braised Ginger Chickpeas w/Sundried Tomatoes & Spinach
This meal is the perfect example of why investing in professional culinary training was so worth it. A task during my plant-based cooking class, this delicious and vibrant dish taught me how to develop flavors with just a few simple, REAL ingredients. And, after graduating from the course, I learned how to kick this dish to the next level of FLAVOR BOMB!
I was taught that if you start with a proper mise en place (or set up) you have taken the guesswork and confusion out of creating a quick, healthy and completely yummy meal. But, it was the flavor building technique that was literally life-changing to me as a Rouxbe student.
I learned to build ingredients and flavors on top of each other so that the next added ingredient accentuates all the ingredients that came before it. Genius!
Before I became plant-based, I seriously did not even like chickpeas and now that I know what the heck to do to get the most flavor from those little beans, I can’t get enough. In this recipe, the chickpeas really shine in a bright lemony, sweet, coconut braise and even the non-vegans in our house go back for seconds. Serve this to your veg-curious friends and boom, you are sure to have a convert!
Let me know how you like this recipe in the comments below and share the tweaks you made to make this dish YOURS!
🍎🥦🥕
Coconut Braised Ginger Chickpeas w/Wilted Spinach & Sundried Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the flavor development
- 1 small yellow onion
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger - minced
- 1 whole lemon
- 1 cup sundried tomatoes - julienne - if using the kind packed in oil, drain them first
- 3 cups organic chickpeas - drained & rinsed
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes/chili flakes
- 1 tbsp organic coconut oil - omit oil if NOSS - use broth (you know how to do this!)
For the freshness
- 1/2 lb fresh spinach - I actually just grab a bunch of handfuls
Pull it all together
- 1 can organic coconut milk
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- salt & pepper - to taste
- 2 cups organic farro* - cooked
- chopped scallions and cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Gather and prepare your ingredients. This is the mise en place or setup. Zest and juice the lemon into two different bowls; reserve for later.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium/low - medium. Once hot, add the oil and the onions and a sprinkle of salt. Let the onions sweat and become translucent. About 8 min.
- Add the ginger and garlic. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and let cook for another few minutes. Add the sundried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, lemon zest and 1/2 the lemon juice. Stir until completely mixed together. Let cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the chickpeas and turn the heat up a little. Coat the chickpeas in the tomato mixture and let them develop a little color. Be careful not to let them burn! Once the chickpeas are completely heated through, turn down the heat and begin adding the fresh spinach by the handful.
- Once the spinach is just starting to wilt, add the coconut milk and bring to a low simmer. Add the remaining lemon juice and the ground ginger and stir. Add s&p to taste. Once the ingredients are completely mixed together and bubbly, the dish is ready!
- Spoon the mixture over the cooked farro and top with scallions and cilantro for garnish. Serve and devour immediately**
Notes
Note: Nutrition Facts on all recipes are an approximation only, using the Very Well Fit recipe nutrition calculator.
Certified Plant-Based Chef and Holistic Nutritionist veganizing the planet one meal at a time. Bringing fans vegan food, brand, travel & lifestyle news while offering clients personalized vegan chef services in the Tampa Bay area. For the health of it! View all posts by Jennifer
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Meet Jennifer
I'm Chef Jennifer! A trained and certified personal vegan chef, offering delicious and nutritious animal-free food through personalized, weekly meal-prep services. I also love advocating for the plant-based lifestyle. Changing lives, saving animals and veganizing the planet with REAL food, one plate at a time.🍎🥦🥕
Learn about me, why I started VIR and why I believe food is medicine...for real!
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Flavor bomb, indeed! I just tried this recipe, and it is delicious! I was so excited when I saw that I had all of the ingredients already in my house. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe, and I can’t wait to try your other recipes!
Thank you so much for coming back to share! It’s one of my favorite dishes and after you make it a time or two it becomes so simple and quick to make. I am so happy it worked out! ***SMILING***. I hope you will try other recipes and continue to share your stories! 😀
I’m looking forward to preparing this! I’m plant based and love that you offer wholesome recipes that are full of flavor. Pinned.
Awesome! I am so happy you find what I am sharing useful! If you try any of my recipes, I hope you will come back and let me know how they turned out. 😀
I wish I wasn’t allergic to coconut..this sounds amazing!!
Hi Holly,
Sorry to hear that! I was never a big coconut fan until I started mixing into other foods. I will be sharing a ton of coconut-free recipes, so, I hope one of those delicious dishes will pique your interest! 🙂 Thanks for your comment!
Looks delicious! What a great looking post
Thank you! I appreciate your comment! 😀
Looks delicious. I’ve never had Farro, so now I’ll have to try it. I’m trying to get away from using rice so much.
Farro is wonderful. Nutty with a nice chew. It’s VERY starchy though so, be sure to rinse it really well, before cooking, and cook it in a pan with enough room for the rising starch as it simmers! Let me know if you try it! 😀
So, I’m a meat eater, but I totally bookmarked this recipe! LOL
Yay! I love when non-vegans are open to trying my recipes. My work here is done! LOL 😉
Yummmo!! This is a definite for my husband. I will be keeping this recipe on hand for the future!
Awesome, Brittany! Let me know if you wind up making it and how it turns out! 😀
That looks really yummy, I will have to try!
This looks really delicious! Thanks for sharing.
I promise it is as delicious as it looks! Let me know how it turns out for you. 😀 Happy cooking!
Hi Lisa, please do! And be sure to come back and let me know if it was as yummy as expected! 😉
Wow! That seriously looks delicious! And such a simple recipe too!
Thank you! It is such a simple recipe…I can almost make it with my eyes closed…almost. 😀
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it!
Oooh, I can’t wait for you to try it too! I hope you will come back and let me know how it turns out for you! 😀
This is a lovely recipe and chickpeas are my favorite bean. I do not eat grains but I think if I swap out the farro for cauliflower rice this may be a great thing to make for a few workday lunches. Thanks for this recipe
Thanks, Angela. I think cauliflower rice is a great idea! Also, you could just serve it over a bed of more wilted spinach…I have done this before. Good luck and let me know how it turns out. 😀
I love your healthy option meals! They’ll definitely help once I start meal prepping again after the move!
Thank you! I am thrilled you find value in what I sharing! 😀 Whoop whoop! Also, make sure you check out my 6 Simple Secrets to Batch Cooking…that might help get you back into the swing of things. 😉
I use to buy chickpeas, but I would use it for the same thing over and over. Thanks for the never recipe.
I get stuck in ruts too! I am so happy to hear you might step outside your chickpea box and try this recipe. And then you will have 2 chickpea recipe faves! LOL 😀
This looks like a great summer recipe. Im a sucker for ginger.
Thanks! Funny enough I never liked ginger until I became vegan and started using it in little bits here and there. Two years later and I LOVE ginger! 😀 Even as adults tastes change! 😀
This looks so refreshing! So many times summer salads are a little heavy. I think this would be delicious when the sun is out!
This is great for the upcoming summer outings.
Yes! It’s really a refreshing dish! And I live in hot and humid FL so I am always looking for dinners that are not too heavy. I hope you enjoy it! 😀
My husband enjoys eating a lot more plant foods than I do. I wonder if he would enjoy this if I made it for him!
I bet he will! My hubby completely devours this and I sometimes have to race him to the pan for seconds! Let me know if you do try it and what he thinks. 🙂
Flavor Bomb! Flavor Bomb!! HA!
💚! You know it! 😉
This looks amazing! Pinned it as will try this. My husband is contemplating going plant-base… I may have to come along as he is the cook in the house. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
I promise…it’s SO amazing! 😉 I hope you’ll come back and let me know how it turned out. Also, I will be sharing lots of tips and tricks to becoming plant-based/vegan in upcoming posts. For me, it was a learning process. 😀
Yum! I am definitely going to try this. I like chickpeas but I’m always looking for something better!
Thanks, Kim! Please come back and let me know how this turns out for you. 🙂
Looks fun and different! I like chickpeas!
👍💚😉
Thanks for sharing! I love a good chickpea recipe! And always looking for new ones to mix in.
Awesome! Let me know how this turns out for you if you try it! 😀
Wow. I’ll need to do some ingredient shopping!!! Looks yummy!
🙂 Let me know what you think if you make this yummy dish! It’s totally worth the trip to the store. 😀
I love chickpeas! So many ways to use them and this looks delicious.
Hi, Leigh Ann….you hit the nail on the head! SO delish!! 😉
This dish looks absolutely spectacular!! Yum! I can only imagine how much flavor is in every bite!
Thanks T.M.! It was just as tasty as it looks. These flavors just work! Thanks for your comment! 😀