This is a very easy to make dish (see bottom for even easier alternative methods). Yet it is very tasty and full of healthy ingredients like spinach and onions. One thing I really like is that you use only one skillet and a blender.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large peppers or use one jar of roasted red peppers*
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced or sliced (or can use any onion)
- 3 cloves of garlic, diced or sliced…sort of
- salt and pepper
- About 1 1/3 cups coconut milk (one can)
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- A pinch of smoked paprika (or use regular paprika)
- 1 1/4 cups chickpeas (one can)
- 1-2 cups spinach fresh spinach (can use thawed frozen if need be)
- 3/4-1 cup cherry tomatoes, each tomato cut in half. Can use chunks of regular tomatoes.
PREPARATION
- If you are making naan, you could make it ahead of time in the same cast iron skillet, saving clean up. If making naan ahead of time, set aside and cover.
- Heat up a cast iron skillet and sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until golden brown and season generously with salt and pepper. No need to worry about dicing small or mincing since these will be blended.
- In the blender mix the roasted red peppers, 1/2 the can of rinsed chick peas, sauteed onions and garlic, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, and smoked paprika until well combined. If needed, season some more with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust. The color is amazing.
- Transfer to a cast iron skillet, add remaining chickpeas, spinach and halved tomatoes. If using fresh spinach, add a small handful at a time, simmer and let the leaves wilt in the sauce and then add more. Stir to make sure everything is coated/immersed, and bake in the oven at 390°F for about 30 minutes. Serve with rice or freshly baked naan or even over pasta.
Quick Method (approx 20 minutes total time):
Saute onions and garlic. Season.
Use a jar of roasted red peppers and blend with the sauteed onions/garlic, along with the coconut milk, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, and smoked paprika.
Put blended mixture back in the skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss in a can of chick peas. Toss in a defrosted block of frozen spinach. Toss in cherry tomatoes.
Simmer until everything is warmed and the sauce is thicker.
Serve over rice and/or with naan bread.
Alternate notes: If you don’t have cherry tomatoes, just use diced tomatoes. You can blend all the chickpeas into the sauce, or save all the chickpeas for the dish. Blending them adds a thicker creaminess to the sauce. Keeping them out of the blended mixture adds a texture to the finished dish. I have tried it both ways and they are good, so now I go half and half.
*Bake the red bell peppers at 425°F for about 30 minutes until charred. Or use the air fryer. Remove skin, seeds, and stems, then put them in the blender. I like taking them out, run cold water over them. The skin will come off easier. If using a jar of roasted red peppers, skip this step.