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A pan of chickpeas and kale in harissa sauce.
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Easy Creamy Harissa Chickpeas with Kale

Creamy harissa chickpeas with kale is a super-easy, one-pot vegan recipe with plant-based ingredients, including North African harissa paste, that takes 30 minutes to prepare.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: North African
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4
Calories: 273kcal
Author: Denise Perrault

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds (see note 1)
  • 1 medium red onion diced
  • 1 medium red pepper deseeded and diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed (1 tablespoon)
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons harissa paste (see note 2)
  • 15 ounces canned tomatoes diced or crushed
  • 15 ounces light coconut milk (see note 3)
  • 3 cups chickpeas rinsed and drained (2 15-ounce/400-gram cans)
  • 2 cups kale chopped
  • ½ medium lemon (2 tablespoons juice)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and stir them for a minute to toast them.
  • Stir in the onions and red pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until they soften.
  • Add the garlic, harissa paste, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir to coat the onions and peppers.
  • Add the tomatoes and coconut milk. Mix well and simmer for 5 -10 minutes to thicken the sauce.
  • Mix in the chickpeas and chopped kale. Simmer for 4-5 minutes to heat the chickpeas and soften the kale.
  • Squeeze in half a lemon, Stir, and taste. Add additional lemon or salt to taste.

Notes

  1. If you don't have cumin seeds, substitute with ½ teaspoon of ground cumin, added with the smoked paprika. 
  2. The best substitute for harissa paste is 2 teaspoons of harissa spice powder plus 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.
  3. If you use full-fat coconut milk, you may need to thin the sauce by adding a little plant milk or vegetable broth. For a lower-fat coconut milk substitute, use 1 ½ cups of plant milk with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and a few drops of coconut extract.
  4. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 973mg | Potassium: 710mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2418IU | Vitamin C: 69mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 4mg