The One Chickpea Dish to Make Your Week's Meals Better

This simple chickpea smash is all about good seasoning, lots of garlic, and a decent whack of parsley to add freshness. We normally serve this with crispy prosciutto and a poached egg; the coarse texture makes this so much more interesting than your regular bean puree.

We use it as a riff on mashed potatoes; as an easy way of adding some bulk to simple stews; to create a riot of texture in weeknight pasta; and even use as the base for savory pancakes. It takes all of five minutes to put together and will keep well in the fridge for a few days, so it’s a natural starting point for myriad weeknight dinners.

Over the weekend, take five minutes to make two batches of the recipe and pick up a handful of ingredients from the store:

• Kale
• Lemon
• Celery
• Carrots
• Onion
• Garlic
• Basil
• Good quality sausages
• Eggplant
• Short pasta
• Sourdough or crusty bread
• Eggs
• Fresh tomatoes
• Avocado
• Hot-smoked salmon
• Broccoli

Then make these simple ingredients extraordinary for the rest of the week:

Tuscan kale stew: Fry finely chopped celery, carrots, onion, add garlic, stir in kale and stock, simmer until soft before stirring through your smashed chickpeas. Finish with lemon zest and olive oil.

Sausage and mash: Roast sausages in the oven with onion wedges and a splash of oil. Serve piled on top of piping hot smashed chickpeas.

Herby chickpea pasta: Cook your favorite short pasta, mix smashed chickpeas with a little pasta cooking water, add lots of chopped basil and a glug of olive oil. Stir through the pasta and there you have it, a new weeknight staple.

Simple sabich: Brush eggplant slices with oil and grill until golden, spread smashed chickpeas on toasted sourdough, lay on the eggplant with sliced tomatoes, then top with a fried egg. Volia!

Chickpea fritters with bacon: Add ¾ cup of all-purpose flour and two eggs to the smashed chickpeas, fry heaped tablespoons of the mix until golden. Serve with roasted tomatoes and crispy bacon.

Hot-smoked salmon, avocado, and chickpea bowl: Top your smashed chickpeas with flaked hot-smoked salmon, avocado slices, steamed broccoli, and a splash of olive oil to inspire ultimate lunchbox envy.