Vegan Recipe

Prepare ingredients

Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas. Dice the carrot, bell pepper, and zucchini. Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering.

Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt; sauté for 4–5 minutes until translucent and starting to soften.

Add the minced garlic, diced carrot, and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

Stir in the diced zucchini and continue to cook for 2–3 minutes.

Push the vegetables to one side of the pan, add the tomato paste to the cleared area and cook for 30–45 seconds, stirring, to deepen the flavor.

Add the drained chickpeas, canned diced tomatoes, and 1 cup vegetable broth. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Sprinkle in the ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), ground black pepper, and 1 tsp kosher salt. Stir well so the spices coat the vegetables and chickpeas.

Reduce heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer, uncovered, for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the vegetables are tender.

Taste and adjust seasoning: add the fresh lemon juice and maple syrup (if using) to balance acidity. Add more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes to taste.

If using, stir in the baby spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes until wilted.

Fold in half of the chopped parsley, then remove the pan from heat.

Serve the chickpea and vegetable mixture over cooked quinoa or rice (about 1 cup cooked per serving). Garnish with remaining parsley and toasted pumpkin seeds or chopped almonds if desired.

This recipe yields about 4 servings. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.