Sheet pan chickpeas and eggplant with tahini
Silky roasted eggplant, crispy chickpeas and red onion with warm cumin and cinnamon, drizzled with lemony tahini and fresh herbs, a Middle Eastern sheet pan dinner that’s naturally vegan.
- 45 min total
- 15 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $1.96 a serving
- 470 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1 eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 1 lemon
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 pita bread (optional)
From your pantry
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 3 tbsp water
Each serving has about 470 calories, 17 g protein, 50 g carbs and 24 g fat, and costs about $1.96 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No red onions? White onions or yellow onions work.
- No lemons? Limes work.
- No fresh parsley? Cilantro works.
- No pita bread? Flour tortillas work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 425°F.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
the eggplant, chickpeas and onion on a with the oil, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon and ¾ teaspoon salt, and spread them out in one layer.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
Dolly’s tip: Eggplant soaks up oil like a sponge. Toss well so every piece gets some before it hits the pan.30 to 35 minutes, stirring halfway, until the eggplant is soft and and the chickpeas are .
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Brown. Browning means cooking until the outside turns brown, which is where a lot of savory flavor comes from. Give food room and time without stirring, or it steams and stays gray.
How you’ll know: The food looks brown rather than gray, and the kitchen smells toasty and savory.
Crispy. Crispy means the outside is dry, firm and crunchy. It comes from high heat, a little oil and room in the pan, because crowded food steams and goes soft.
How you’ll know: It sounds crunchy when you tap or bite it, and it doesn’t flop when you lift it.
Timer: 32 min
the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, of salt and the water until smooth and drizzly.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Pinch. A pinch is what you can hold between your thumb and two fingers, less than an eighth of a teaspoon. It’s a small, forgiving amount, so there’s no need to measure.
How you’ll know: It’s a light sprinkle you can barely see on the food, not a little pile.
the sauce over the pan and scatter the parsley. Serve with warm pita if you like.
Drizzle. Drizzling means pouring a thin, slow stream over the top of something. A thin stream spreads a little flavor a long way.
How you’ll know: You see thin lines across the food, not a puddle collecting underneath.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
