The flavor of this Smoky Roasted Chickpeas and Tomato dish is a wonderful combination of smoked paprika, spiced beans, and charred tomatoes with a touch of sweetness and some heat. Accompanied by saffron rice and fresh basil, you have a pretty fancy plant-based dinner!

It was a hot day, to say the least, but I barely even noticed because I was just so immersed in the amazing wine, delicious food, great conversations, laughter, and music. I highly suggest attending one of these events as it's all for a great cause.
Smoky Roasted Chickpeas and Tomatoes
Upon landing back in San Diego, after such a fun weekend, it was nice to see some rain. The unexpected storms are always the best kind. The cooler weather had me craving something warm and hearty.

And after experimenting in the kitchen with aquafaba again - the liquid inside a can of garbanzo beans - I was left with so many garbanzo beans.
I decided to create a smoky chickpea dish using my homegrown tomatoes. The smoked paprika paired so well with a touch of sweetness from the almost caramelized roasted tomatoes. A little salt and some fresh herbs made this Smoky Roasted Chickpeas and Tomato dish perfect!

I've said in the past that it's important to always keep rice on hand. Whether you make it weekly or daily in a rice cooker or you're feeling lazy and keep it frozen, doesn't matter; just always keep white or brown rice handy. This dish would be GREAT over pasta as well.
I added saffron to the rice, which added a whole new level of flavor.
Other Chickpea Recipes You'll Love
- Simple + Quick Baked Chickpea Falafel
- CHICKPEA BROWNIES WITH TAHINI (yes, brownies!)
- Mushroom and Chickpea Korma

Smoky Roasted Chickpeas and Tomato over saffron rice is GREAT for dinners in when you're super busy and don't have much time to put a gourmet meal together. Trust me, the family will love it and think you spent hours cooking it.
Smoky Roasted Chickpeas and Tomato Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoon Olive oil extra virgin
- 4 cloves Raw garlic minced or pressed
- ½ tablespoon Smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Agave nectar or sugar
- ½ teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 can Garbanzo beans (15 oz) drained
- 12 oz Cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- ½ cup Fresh basil (or sub cilantro) chopped
- 3 cups Cooked brown or white rice
- ⅛ teaspoon Dried saffron
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°.
- Mix the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Add beans, tomatoes, and ¼ cup cilantro to the remaining spiced oil mixture; toss to coat.
- Sprinkle everything generously with salt and pepper.
- Roast beans for about 20 minutes.
- Cook up some white or brown rice or use already cooked rice. Add saffron and olive oil to the cooked warm. Mix well.
- Divide rice among the plates.
- Spoon bean mixture over rice. Sprinkle with ½ cup fresh basil or cilantro.
- Serve warm.
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