Chickpea Vegetable Casserole (Vegan)
This quick and versatile chickpea and vegetable dish transforms pantry staples into a nutritious meal in just 5 minutes. Easily adaptable into a pasta sauce or hearty chili, it's perfect for busy weeknights when you need wholesome food without the fuss. High in protein, fiber, and essential nutrients, this microwave-friendly recipe works beautifully as a main dish or side.
Equipment
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Microwave-safe plate
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 2 cups frozen or canned veggies
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chickpeas, vegetables, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- If making the pasta sauce variation, add 2-3 cups of pasta sauce to the mixture.
- If making the chili variation, add chili powder, kidney beans, and corn to the mixture.
- Place a microwave-safe plate slightly off-center on top of the bowl to allow steam to escape.
- Microwave on high for 4 minutes. If adding pasta sauce or making chili, microwave for an additional 2 minutes or until heated through.
- Carefully remove from microwave (bowl will be hot) and stir well before serving.
- Serve with cooked whole grains, bread, toast, pita, rice, or pasta for a complete meal.
Notes
- **My Favorite Chickpeas:** I batch cook these organic chickpeas - they have amazing flavor and texture!
- This versatile dish can be transformed into a hearty pasta sauce or chili with the optional ingredients:
- For a hearty pasta sauce, add 2 to 3 cups (a 650 mL jar) of pasta sauce to the thawed chickpeas and veggies, and heat up together to your desired sauce temperature.
- For quick chili, add 1-2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 cup cooked or canned kidney beans, 1 cup frozen or canned corn, 1 cup diced fresh or canned tomatoes, and 1 jar of pasta sauce to the thawed chickpeas and veggie, and heat up together to your desired chili temperature.
- This recipe is extremely versatile – use whatever vegetables you have on hand.
- If not adding pasta sauce, for added flavor, you can stir in 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast or a splash of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or Balsamic vinegar after cooking.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For a non-microwave version, in a saucepan thaw the chickpeas and the veggies if using 'from-frozen' and then add all remaining ingredients and heat on medium for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- This dish freezes well – make a double batch and freeze individual portions for meal prepping or quick future meals, which will keep for a couple of months.