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–+ servings

Oven Chili Chickpeas with Preserved Lemon Carrot Mash

5 from 1 review
This oven-only dinner is supremely easy but packed with flavor. It is fully plant-based, uses chickpeas for protein and a large amount of fresh herbs, rich aromatics and sweet carrots for flavor. Yes, you do need a food processor, but I've found a small blender will also do just fine.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

For the chili chickpeas
  • 1 head of garlic, 10-12 cloves, peeled
  • 2 small red onions, peeled and quartered
  • 2 medium Birdseye chilies, thinly sliced, seeds removed if you are sensitive to heat
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
For the carrot mash
  • 2 pounds carrots, peeled
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium preserved lemon, halved and seeded
  • 1/2 cup mixture of tender herbs, such as cilantro and mint , plus more for garnish
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Instructions 

  1. Position a rack at the top of the oven and one at the center. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. In a high-sided baking dish, add the garlic cloves, onion quarters, and sliced chilies.
  3. Use a mortar and pestle to grind up the cumin, coriander and black peppercorns into the texture of coarse sand.
  4. In a medium bowl, add the ground up spices, the paprika, the tomato paste and the coconut milk. Whisk together until combined. Pour this into the baking dish so that the garlic cloves are covered and the red onion is just peeking out.
  5. Drizzle over two tablespoons of olive oil and season with a few big pinches of kosher salt. Place this on the center rack of the oven and roast for 55-60 minutes, or until everything is bubbling and has darkened to a deep red.
  6. While that is roasting, add the carrots to a sheet pan. Drizzle with just a bit of olive oil and toss to coat. Put this on the top rack of the oven and roast for 45-50 minutes, or until the carrots are very soft.
  7. When the chili and red onion mixture is out of the oven, scoop up the garlic cloves, four of the onion quarters and a bit of the liquid and add it into a food processor. Process for 15 seconds or until you have a chunky but broken-down mixture. Add this back to the baking dish, and mix and break up the remaining onion pieces so that there are red onion slices throughout.
  8. Add the chickpeas to the baking dish and stir to coat. Place this back in the oven to cook for another ten minutes, or until the chickpeas are bubbling and the edges of the dish have caramelized a bit.
  9. Don't wipe out the food processor. When the carrots are cool enough to handle, chop them into large pieces and add them to the food processor with the preserved lemon, 1/2 cup of water and a large pinch of salt. Pulse until smooth, then add the herbs and purée again. Taste and season with salt as needed.
  10. To serve, put a large scoop of carrot mash on a plate, then top with a generous scoop of the chickpeas. Garnish with more herbs and eat!