Indulge in the goodness of this creamy one-dish Tuscan chickpea recipe, which puts a vegan twist on the beloved classic Tuscan “chicken.” Experience the familiar and delightful ingredients you adore, complemented by a perfect balance of protein, wholesome greens, and savory spices. This satisfying and nourishing meal is a delightful choice for any day of the week.
Ingredients and Substitutions For This One Dish Tuscan Chickpea
The recipe’s star is the chickpeas, a perfect option to include more plant-based meals into your diet. Opting for canned chickpeas saves time and is cost-effective.
The dish’s creamy texture and rich flavor come from using full-fat coconut milk, which is a versatile and nutritious ingredient packed with healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. If you’re not fond of coconut milk, cashew cream or any non-dairy milk can be used as an alternative.
The sundried tomatoes add sweetness and tanginess to the recipe, but you can use fresh or canned tomatoes or roasted red peppers or artichoke hearts for different flavors.
Onions and garlic are prevalent in many cuisines worldwide and give this creamy one dish Tuscan chickpea recipe depth and complexity while also being packed with health-promoting compounds.
Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy and nutty flavor and is a fantastic source of protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. If you don’t have any, grated vegan parmesan cheese can be used instead.
Spinach is a superfood packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it an excellent addition to any plant-based meal.
Fresh basil and Italian spice blend give the dish a bright and fresh flavor. If you don’t have Italian spice blend on hand, you can create your own blend or use a store-bought seasoning blend.
Overall, these ingredients work together to create a delicious and nutritious plant-based dish that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re vegan or just want to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet, this Creamy Tuscan Chickpeas recipe is a new favorite waiting to be discovered.
Helpful Tools
- Large Pan: You’ll need a large pan to make this recipe, as it includes several ingredients and requires space to simmer and reduce the sauce. A non-stick or stainless steel pan is ideal.
- Sharp Knife: You’ll need a sharp knife to dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the basil. A chef’s knife or a paring knife works well for these tasks.
- Cutting Board: A sturdy cutting board is essential for chopping and preparing ingredients.
- Lemon Juicer: To make juicing the lemon easier, you can use a lemon juicer or a citrus reamer.
How to Make This Creamy Tuscan Chickpea Dish
Making this recipe is a breeze, with just a few easy steps to follow. By following these instructions, you’ll create a delectable and creamy Tuscan-style chickpea dish that’s ideal for a cozy night in.
Begin by rinsing and draining the chickpeas, mincing the garlic, dicing the onion, and chopping the basil. Open the can of coconut milk and tomato paste.
Heat a large pan on medium heat with a tablespoon of oil. Add the diced onion and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Add the Italian spice blend, coconut milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas, and half of the chopped basil. Stir the ingredients together and let the mixture simmer for 12 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and the flavors to meld together.
Once the sauce has thickened, add the spinach and stir until the spinach has wilted. This should take 2-3 minutes.
Top with the remaining chopped basil and serve either by itself, with crusty bread, over pasta, rice, or gnocchi.
Tips & Tricks
- Because this recipe is so simple, it’s important to use high-quality ingredients to ensure that the flavors shine through. Use good quality coconut milk, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil for best results.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes or some cayenne pepper to the recipe. Alternatively, if you don’t like spicy food, you can omit the Italian spice blend or reduce the amount you use.
- This dish is great for meal prep because it reheats well and can be eaten in a variety of ways. Consider making a double batch and storing the leftovers in the fridge or freezer for later.
- If you don’t have all of the ingredients on hand, you can easily substitute some of them. For example, you can use kale instead of spinach, or canned diced tomatoes instead of sun-dried tomatoes.
- This dish is versatile and can be served with a variety of sides. Some options include crusty bread, pasta, rice, or gnocchi.
FAQ: Creamy One Dish Tuscan Chickpea
Yes, you can use other types of beans such as cannellini beans or navy beans in this recipe.
Yes, you can use other types of greens such as kale, chard, or collard greens in this recipe.
Yes, you can use other types of milk such as almond milk or soy milk in this recipe. However, keep in mind that the flavor and consistency may be slightly different.
Yes, this recipe can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Creamy Tusan Chickpeas – Vegan Tuscan “Chicken”
Ingredients
- 1 19 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can full fat coconut milk (cashew cream can be substituted)
- ¾ cup chopped sundried tomatoes in oil
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 4-6 cups spinach (2 big handfuls)
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp Italian spice blend
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a pan on medium heat, add 1 tbsp of oil (I used oil from the sun-dried tomatoes) and the chopped onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic, and cook for another minute.
- Add the Italian spice, coconut milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas, and half the basil. Simmer for 12 minutes to reduce the sauce.
- Add in the spinach, and salt and pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the spinach has wilted.
- Top with the remaining fresh basil, and serve either by itself, with a crusty bread, over pasta, rice, or gnocchi. Buon Appetito!
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Conclusion
For those craving the classic flavors of Tuscan cuisine in a plant-based form, this vegan Tuscan “chicken” dish is an excellent choice. It offers a creamy and flavorful experience with straightforward ingredients and clear instructions. Feel free to personalize it to your taste and dietary requirements. Give it a try and relish a comforting, healthy, and delightful meal!
This recipe was great! I added in some noodles to the dish and was extremely pleased. Thank you!
Hi Saleem! Thank you so much for the feedback and so happy you loved this recipe 😊
I’ve been trying to incorporate more plant-based meals into my diet, and this recipe has become one of my absolute favorites. The blend of spices and textures is superb. Plus, it’s so filling!
Hi Isabella, so happy you love this recipe, glad you liked the blend of spices ☺️
Loved this recipe so delicious 😋
Thank so much Grace!
This recipe was so delicious and easy to make I made it for some of my meat eating family members and they also loved it!! Thanks for this tasty recipe!
Thanks so much Peyton so happy your family loved it too!
This was so amazing so creamy and delicious, who would have thought I would enjoy chickpeas this much
Hi Sarah, thank you so much for the feedback, so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
YUM! So creamy and delicious! Absolutely love this chickpea recipe 🤩
Thank you so much Amelia, this is also one of my personal chickpea favs too!
Yum I Loved this recipe, one pot easy to clean up and was so so delicious 🤤
Thanks so the feedback Stephanie, and I agree, the one pot dishes are great for less clean up!
This recipe is absolutely fantastic so delicious and my meat eating husband loved it so that says a lot right there!!
Thank you so much for trying my recipe Bailey and so happy your husband loved it too!
Excellent recipe so nice and creamy I doubled the nooch and it was delicious. Can’t beat these 1 dish recipes.
Thank you so much Reese! We love Nooch here at Essy Cooks as well 😊
I made this for my bumble date and it turned out great I needed something to make it seem like I was plant based lol and this worked.
Thanks so much Tanner, so happy this recipe turned out well for you and your date!
I’m not vegan but I’m trying to eat less meat and I have to say I really liked this dish, I will be making it again on my meatless Monday 😀
So happy you liked it! If you liked this try out my Peanut Butter Chickpeas and Curry recipe!
This is so tasty.
Thanks April!!