Meow Recipes: Harissa Chickpeas with Whipped Feta

Harissa chickpeas with whipped feta in a bowl with a fork, cucumbers, lemon, and naan.

Please hear me say this: I don’t love chickpeas but I REALLY love this recipe.

So if you’re seeing this and you’re like, nah, no thanks, chickpeas aren’t my thing… just give me a chance to serve you up some spicy, saucy, garlicky smashed chickpeas over a piece (or two) of soft flatbread with a dollop of whipped feta and a crunchy little waterfall of cucumbers over the top. Yeah? Can we do this?

Here’s How To Make Harissa Chickpeas with Whipped Feta

Okay, there are two parts to this recipe.

Part one: make the chickpeas. This is easy:

harissa paste
garlic
canned crushed tomatoes
olive oil
canned chickpeas

I like to lightly smash the chickpeas to help them not feel so chickpea-y, if you know what I mean? (My fellow chickpea skeptics do know what I mean.) So I use a potato masher to just give them just a few good smooshes and make the texture into something more sticky and saucy.

ALSO: for something a little fun and unexpected, I’ve been adding golden raisins in just at the end of the simmering, so they get kind of plump and juicy and then you have these little secret bites of sweetness tucked in between all the heat.

Harissa chickpeas in a pan with a wooden spoon and parsley sprinkled on top.

These chickpeas… I mean, I really like them. They are super meal-prep friendly and can be served with flatbread, rice, roasted vegetables…

I will be revisiting them again.

Speaking of revisiting, look who’s back for more time in the spotlight: WHIPPED FETA!

Harissa chickpeas with whipped feta in a bowl with cucumbers, a fork, lemon, and naan.

We just couldn’t quit her, could we?

You Have Options Here

On a real SOS night (which is, hmm, most of my life?), you can use a store-bought tzatziki or a plain yogurt as your creamy element here which will save you the time and the dishes from the whipped feta.

But on a night when you can handle blitzing that little container of feta into something of a salty miracle sauce, you shall be rewarded with the most tangy, creamy, punchy dollop of creaminess that there ever was. It is optional, but is it really ever optional? It’s WHIPPED FETA.

Harissa chickpeas with whipped feta in a bowl with cucumbers, lemon, and naan.

This combination of things on a plate got rave reviews from my family – the chickpeas were the exact right amount of spicy to keep things fun for the adults, and even though our two-year-old wasn’t into the spice, she thoroughly enjoyed a more toddler-friendly mezze situation with the cucumbers, whipped feta, bread, olives, and some hummus from the fridge. The leftovers, which were short-lived due to popular demand, made for a really happy lunch situation the next day.

This is a weeknight wonder. Mwah!

Harissa Chickpeas with Whipped Feta: FAQs

This looks amazing! Any other ideas what I can pair with this?

For sure add in the naan or pita bread if that’s your thing – just the perfect vehicle for scooping up all of that yum. This is also great with rice or cauliflower rice, or other roasted vegetables like sweet potato or cauliflower.

How spicy is this dish?

2 tablespoons of harissa paste would bring this to about medium-level spiciness. If you prefer a bit less, just drop down to 1 tablespoon of harissa paste instead.

Can I meal prep this recipe?

Sure can! Just store any of the extras (like the cucumbers and lemons) separately.

Harissa Chickpeas with Whipped Feta

Author: Lindsay
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Print Recipe

Description

Harissa Chickpeas with Whipped Feta! Perfectly spicy/saucy/tomato-y chickpeas smothered in creamy, garlicky whipped feta and served with naan, lemons, and cucumbers. Your next weeknight wonder!

Ingredients

Units

Whipped Feta:

one 4–6 oz. container of feta
a knob of cream cheese or a spoonful Greek yogurt
1 small clove garlic

Harissa Chickpeas:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2–3 cloves garlic
1–2 tablespoons harissa paste (2 tablespoons would be medium spicy)
one 14-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
two 14-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon salt
squeeze of lemon juice
chopped parsley (optional)
1/4 cup golden raisins (optional but sweet and yummy)

Extras

pita or naan
diced cucumber
lemon wedges
olives

Instructions

Make the Whipped Feta: In a small chopper or food processor, pulse the feta, cream cheese, and garlic until mostly smooth and creamy and “whipped.” Add a little water as needed to loosen it up.
Make the Chickpeas: Add the olive oil to a pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and harissa paste; sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes and chickpeas. Mix and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Using a potato masher or similar tool, mash some of the chickpeas so the mixture becomes a little more creamy. Season with lemon juice, salt, and parsley. Stir in the raisins. Add a little bit of water if you need to to keep everything nice and saucy.
Serve: Serve harissa chickpeas on a plate with all your faves. Top with whipped feta and anything else you like (aka all of it. everything.). IT’S JUST SO GOOD.

Category: Dinner
Method: Sauté
Cuisine: Mediterranean-Inspired