Barbecued chickpeas!
Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones that surprise you the most. I genuinely can’t believe I’ve never made barbecued chickpeas before now! They are ridiculously easy, packed with flavour, and only need a handful of ingredients.
Whether you’re looking for a quick side dish, a topping for salads and wraps, or just something a little different to serve alongside your usual barbecue favourites, these barbecued chickpeas are well worth trying.
These chickpeas are soft, smoky and savoury, with caramelised red onion adding a sweet, sticky richness in every bite.
The Recipe
This recipe is incredibly flexible. I’ve kept it simple with chickpeas, red onion and barbecue sauce, but you can easily add your own twist. A little garlic granules, salt or pepper works well here, but the real magic is choosing a barbecue-style sauce you genuinely love. Smoked paprika, a splash of balsamic vinegar, black pepper or a pinch of chilli flakes would also be delicious additions.
Quick & easy 3 ingredient chickpeas.
- 1 x medium red onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas
- 1-3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
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In a hot pan, fry the red onion until it starts to brown. Add a splash of the chickpea liquid (aquafaba) if needed. If you use oil, you can lightly spray the pan first.
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Add the chickpeas with a bit of their liquid and mix with the onions.
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Spoon (or squeeze) over your favourite barbecue sauce (a table sauce is fine if you prefer that to a cooking sauce).
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Mix everything together, turn the heat down and allow to cook through for 5 minutes. Add a bit more of the aquafaba (or just plain water) if needed. Ideally the sauce should hold the chickpeas together.
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Taste test and add salt or more sauce if needed.
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Serve & Enjoy!
What do I need?
Hopefully you already have everything you need for this recipe, but in case you’re new to baking and cooking, or just want a refresh, here are a few items you might like. These links will take you straight to Amazon where you can then search as usual for anything you need. If you follow these links, Amazon might pay us a small commission, which goes towards paying the website hosting fees. We’d be very grateful if you do, thank you! Have a look at these: chopping boards, kitchen knives, frying pans, cooking utensils, and find our favourite items in our NEW Life Diet Health Amazon shop. Much appreciated!
Serving
Serve your barbecued chickpeas with salad, your favourite grain, baked potatoes, wraps or pitta breads for an easy vegan meal. They also make a tasty topping for buddha bowls or can be served alongside your favourite vegetables for a simple lunch or dinner.
Storing
The cooked barbecued chickpeas can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat thoroughly before serving, or enjoy them cold in salads and lunch boxes.
Sharing
I hope you will enjoy this simple recipe as much as I did. If you make these barbecued chickpeas, I’d love to hear how you served them and whether you added any extra seasonings of your own. Feel free to leave a comment below and share the recipe with friends and family who might enjoy it too!
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Laurena x
Hi Laurena, I never thought to add bbq sauce to chickpeas! I did this when I tried tempeh for the first time (I think I’d prefer the chickpeas, even after boiling it for 15mins😋). My current bbq sauce is a bit disappointing- not smoky enough and too onion-y lol
Hello Eva, me neither! It is really good though! You can always add to your current sauce to enhance it – try adding smoked paprika and a bit of tomato puree – hopefully that should help!
That’s exactly what I did😋Great minds think alike hehe (I also added a little balsamic). I had some of your chickpeas for lunch the other day👍