In my quest to figure out the best way to use pantry staples – let me introduce you to Skillet Cheesy Chickpeas!!
Last week I got a LOT of questions about what to do with a can of chickpeas. Usually my answer would be duh, hummus. But I decided to expand my horizons and make a recipe for Skillet Cheesy Chickpeas and OMG IT’S BETTER THAN HUMMUS. Truly. The recipe is meant to serve 4, but my husband and I took it down all my ourselves for dinner one night it’s that good.
These Skillet Cheesy Chickpeas are reminiscent of chicken parmesan but with no parmesan. They take minutes to make, almost no prep work, and can be served on their own or with a side of bread so you can soak up all these cheesy tomato goodness at the bottom of the skillet!
And I used a traditional jarred tomato sauce (Rao’s) but you can use anything you want or any flavor. Tomato Basil, Vodka Sauce, Arriabatta, whatever you have on hand!
Need more recipes on what to do with a can of chickpeas:
- California Cobb
- Green Goddess Hummus
- Loaded Falafel Salad
- Power Salad
- Summer Hummus
- Calabrian Chili Hummus
- The Best Basic Hummus
Stuck in a dinner rut? Looking for new delicious dinner ideas? Check out my roundup of 50+ easy dinner ideas here.
Skillet Cheesy Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella
- basil and bread to garnish / serve
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute for 3-5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chickpeas and stir to combine, followed by the marinara sauce, boiling water to thin it out and season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the shredded cheese on top and transfer to the broiler to melt the cheese until bubbly and golden. Season with salt and pepper and basil and serve with chunky bread on the side. Also excellent served over roasted chicken!
Yum! I don’t have chickpeas, but I will try with black beans.
This is DELISH! I ate it with a big, creamy avocado, and it was exactly the comfort food I was craving!
Can’t wait to try this!! I don’t have any basil on hand unfortunately so I will try with oregano and I think I’ll make some homemade corn tortilla chips for dipping!
How large is the jar of marinara sauce you used?
24 ounces
I have chickpeas coming from Rancho Gordo. Any changes need to be made for dried chickpeas, ya think? Aside from the initial soaking obviously.
you’ll need to soak / cook ahead of time! then you’re golden
Hi! This looks amazing. Can you tell me what size skillet you used? Thank you!
10 inch!
What size skillet did you use?
10 inch!
Can this be made ahead and broiled later?
sure I don’t see why not!
This looks so simple and delicious. So happy to have another recipe using chickpeas!
You think you could sub goat cheese for the mozzarella?
totally
This was AMAZING! Perfect quarantine comfort food. We had it with a big green salad and fried polenta. Delish! Will be making again and again.
Yeah. Same here.
This was uh-mazing. I was skeptical. It seemed too easy, but that was also the appeal. I sauteed the onions a little longer than the recipe calls for because I like the caramelized flavor and the cheese was a hodgepodge of cheeses I was trying to use up. I served it with crispy polenta fries and a salad and it was the most perfect quarantine comfort food. This is definitely going into the quick, easy and delicious dinner rotation.
Soooo yum and easy! What a great idea incorporating pantry items!
I sautéed some kale before adding 1 can of chickpeas (instead of 2).
So I love the idea of this but
Usually find chickpeas to be too toothsome. Any idea to make them a little softer?
Honestly wish I had taken a photo..but didn’t think it would taste super great, kids made fun of me ages 21 & 24 and then they gobbled it up and couldn’t stop talking about how good it was..will definitely be making again ~ excellent meatless Monday!!!
These were SO easy and SO good! Total comfort food that the whole family can enjoy.
Talk about the perfect weeknight meal! This recipe is so easy, quick, and delicious!! A perfect option for healthy and vegetarian, too!
I am trying to eat less meat and this is a delicious quick meal that I made with everything I had on hand. Will make again!
This was amazing! My husband wasn’t sure about this recipe, but we both ended up loving it! So delicious and easy to make. This is a keeper. Thank you!
First time making this… Easy and delicious! This one is a keeper!!!
Excited to try this- love all your recipes, Gaby! Do you have a suggestion between the bagged/shredded mozzarella you can buy vs buying a round of fresh mozz and grating myself? worth the extra effort? what did you and T. do? Thx!! <3
either is fine for this recipe to be honest. I will specify in the ingredients if it NEEDS to be fresh mozzarella for any reason
Freaking delicious! Easy peasy & cheesy! Absolutely adding this to our rotation of vegetarian meals.
I just made this after seeing Le Creuset IG post. This is so delicious and filling. I used shallots instead of onion. And some naan bread to dip.