Tomato Braised Chickpeas with Preserved Lemon + Fresh Herbs

Author Notes

Anything in red sauce tastes like comfort food, so naturally, I always have some form of tomatoes in my kitchen. Canned tomatoes are one of my must-have pantry staples because they can make the base of so many quick, crazy flavorful meals. Exhibit A? Tomato Braised Chickpeas with Preserved Lemon and Fresh Herbs. Here, canned chickpeas braise in crushed tomatoes with shallots, garlic, tomato paste, and preserved lemon for an extra punch of flavor. Once cooked, top this saucy dish with lots of fresh marjoram or oregano, and then spoon it over your favorite crusty bread. This recipe is easy enough for a weeknight and it’s endlessly adaptable. Check out my suggested riffs below for easy swaps to make this recipe your own:

RIFFS:

The Tomatoes: Canned crushed tomatoes provide sauciness with just enough texture. Whole peeled tomatoes in a can work as well, just break the tomatoes up with your hands or a wooden spoon before cooking down.

The Preserved Lemon: Preserved lemon adds a crazy punch of flavor but it’s not always readily available at the store. Zest lemon on a Microplane grater and fold it into the crushed tomatoes or add an entire lemon peel when you add the tomatoes and remove it from the pan before serving.

The Chickpeas: Sub in any cooked white bean, such as butter beans or cannellini, in place of chickpeas.

The Herbs: Fresh marjoram is totally underrated and it’s delicious with tomatoes. If you can’t find it I recommend fresh oregano, basil, chives, or parsley.

The Additions: Have spinach or another leafy green on hand? Fold it in during the last few minutes of cooking — the heat of the braise will quickly wilt the greens down. Greens will release their moisture into the braise so you’ll want to taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.

The Bread: This recipe is rounded out by serving it with crusty bread. I love a country loaf from our local bakery but toasted Dave’s Killer Bread is awesome here, and if you don’t have any bread on hand, try serving each bowl with a fried, poached, or soft boiled egg to add protein and richness. I’ve also added leftover roasted vegetables here and it works really nicely. —annieluceycooks