This cozy Tomato-Fennel Braised Chickpeas recipe is a one-pot wonder that features tender chickpeas simmered in a rich, aromatic tomato-olive oil broth, infused with the subtle sweetness of fennel. Packed with plant protein and fiber (hi, chickpeas!) to keep you full and happy.
And you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how easy and hands-off this flavorful meal is!
Whether you’re looking for a cozy weeknight dinner or a standout dish to impress guests, this braised chickpea delight promises both comfort and nourishment in every mouthful.
Table of Contents:
1. Why this recipe works
2. Ingredient notes
3. Step-by-step instructions
4. Tips for making this recipe
5. Variations
6. Frequently Asked Questions
7. Recipe card with notes
Why this recipe works
Rich and Cozy Comfort
This dish embodies comfort food with its rich, savory sauce and tender chickpeas. The fennel and garlic, combined with the smoky paprika and umami-forward tomato paste create a warm, inviting bowl of joy.
The oven-braising process marries all the flavors into a deeply satisfying dish that’s perfect for cool weather.
I imagine myself coming inside after a laborious day of gardening or chopping wood (or some other outdoor activity that I don’t actually perform), closing my eyes while eating a steaming bowl of this, and instantly feeling nourished.
Plus the savory, aromatic sauce is practically begging to be soaked up with a crusty piece of garlic-rubbed bread, and the combo is irresistible.
Easy Prep, Minimal Effort
The prep work is straightforward-—a bit of slicing and measuring. Then the ingredients are sauteed briefly before being transferred to the oven.
The oven (and a Dutch oven) does most of the work, melding all the flavors together while you do, well, whatever you want—a load of laundry or a spin on the Peloton (but hopefully you’re under a cozy blanket reading your favorite book of the month–it’s cozy season after all).
Bonus: the leftovers are just as good if not better, as the flavors develop with resting.
Nutritious Comfort Food
Despite its comforting nature, this dish doesn’t skimp on nutrition. Chickpeas bring the plant-based protein and fiber from chickpeas, immune-boosting antioxidants from the garlic, and extra fiber and Vitamin C from the fennel.
Looking for another fiber-rich chickpea dish that’s made mostly in the oven? Try this Moroccan-inspired Chickpea Tagine!
Ingredient notes
Chickpeas
We all know that chickpeas are the best plant protein you can find in a can. Okay, maybe I am biased, but there are so many uses for the versatile chickpea.
Plus, when braised in the oven, the chickpeas get lusciously creamy and plump (and coated in a rich olive oil-tomato broth).
Tip: If you really want to go all out, cook the chickpeas from scratch! Use 8 ounces (225g) of dried chickpeas. Cook them ahead of time using your Instant Pot or on the stove.
For Instant Pot instructions, check out the bean cook time chart in the Introduction of my first cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook.
Fennel
Oh, fennel. Sigh. With a unique, subtly sweet flavor with hints of anise, this incredible vegetable adds complexity to any dish.
Substitute: If you can’t find fennel use 1 large leek (or 2 small). Leeks have a mild, sweet onion flavor that will pair well. If using a leek, slice thinly, then add to a bowl of cold water; use your hands to loosen the dirt, then scoop the leeks out with your hands; dry well before using.
Tomato Paste
The tomato flavor really shows up and shows off in this dish (despite there being no whole tomatoes). The concentrated burst of rich, umami flavor from the tomato paste will make your tastebuds sing.
Tip: Use tomato paste from a tube since it tends to have a fresher, purer tomato taste compared to the canned version, which can taste a bit metallic. Since this recipe uses a generous amount, the high-quality flavor will shine through and enhance the savory, umami notes.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
After the chickpeas, fennel, and tomato paste, the star of this dish is good ol’ olive oil. When chickpeas are braised in liquid such as broth or water, they soften but don’t get much more flavorful.
Enter my ride-or-die, extra virgin olive oil. Braising chickpeas (or any bean or even vegetables) in a warm olive oil bath flavors them from the inside (and also helps plump them up). It also adds incredible depth of flavor and richness, both of which are much-needed when using canned beans.
You don’t need to use your best-quality olive oil for this. Just something that you enjoy cooking with. typically use Terra Delyssa Organic or California Olive Ranch (affiliate links).
Smoked Paprika
Smoked paprika is made from dried peppers that have been smoked over an open fire, which gives them their distinctive smoky flavor.
It pairs wonderfully with the tomato, fennel, and chickpeas in this dish. If you prefer a milder taste, feel free to use less smoked paprika or substitute with sweet paprika.
Step-by-step instructions
Heat some olive oil in a Dutch oven. Once warm, add the fennel and shallot and cook until the fennel is lightly browned on the edges.
Add the garlic and stir frequently for 1 minute.
Over medium-low heat, add the tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes, and paprika. Cook for a few minutes, or until the tomato paste darkens.
Add the wine and deglaze the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes, or until the alcohol smell wears off.
Off the heat, add the chickpeas, olive oil, vegetable broth, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
Cover the pan with its lid (or foil) and braise in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the chickpeas are creamy and soft. Cool slightly, then season to taste with salt and pepper and lemon juice.
Tips for making this recipe
No Dutch oven? It’s all good.
If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can use a large frying pan or sauté pan for steps 1 through 4.
Then, transfer everything to a 13×9” (33 x 23 cm) baking pan. Use slightly less broth, ¾ to 1 cup (or 180 to 240 mL). Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil before braising.
Thinly slice the fennel and shallots
When thinly sliced, the fennel and shallots almost caramelize when sauteed and then braised, and ultimately more flavorful. Don’t rush this part!
Prep in advance if you want
You can start preparing this braised chickpeas dish ahead of time to save some time on the night of cooking.
The veggies (fennel, shallot and garlic) can all be thinly sliced. Store the fennel and shallots in one container, and the garlic in another. Store in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
You can also drain and rinse the chickpeas and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days (or if using dried chickpeas, cook those ahead of time and store for up to 5 days).
Finally, you can mix the spices together and keep them in a sealed bag or jar on the kitchen counter.
Variations
For more sweetness: Switch out smoked paprika for sweet paprika. Instead of lemon juice, try champagne vinegar.
For more or less spice: Feel free to omit the red pepper flakes altogether. For a serious kick, go up to ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
Swap the fennel: If you can’t find fennel in your grocery store, substitute for a large leek instead (or 2 small leeks). Leeks have a mild, sweet onion flavor that will pair well with this recipe.
Add more veggies: If you added an extra fennel, not a single soul would ask if you regretted it. Or, thinly slice a red bell pepper and add it to the pan after the fennel/shallots for a few minutes before adding the garlic.
The garnish: Instead of or in addition to garnishing with fennel fronds, garnish with chopped flat-leaf parsley or torn basil leaves.
The beans: While this dish is excellent with chickpeas, I suspect it would also be great with white beans (especially creamy cannellini beans).
Frequently Asked Questions
The leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through (or in the microwave, if you prefer).
If it’s too thick, add a splash of vegetable broth until you get your desired sauciness texture.
The best accompaniment for this dish is a big piece of crusty toasted bread rubbed with a halved garlic clove.
If you want to serve this as a main dish when you have guests, Homemade Hummus with crudites would be a nice starter. If you want a cozy fall salad to go alongside, try this Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad.
We haven’t tested this at RPL kitchen, but we think you’ll get the most flavorful results using the oven-braised method.
If you’d like to try it out in your pressure cooker, use the saute function for steps 1 through 4. Then, add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Pressure cook on high for 7 to 8 minutes, and allow a natural release for 10 minutes.
Any dry white wine will work. Think Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Grigio. It doesn’t need to be expensive either. You can find decent $10-15 bottles that work great and are drinkable.
If strictly vegan, consult Barnivore.com to check whether your wine is vegan. Some brands that make vegan white wines include Justin’s, Bonterra, Santa Julia, and Layer Cake. More options here.
You can try replacing the ⅓ cup (80 mL) white wine with ¼ cup (60 mL) vegetable broth and 1 heaping tablespoon of white wine vinegar. You’ll get similar flavors, though not the same complexity you’d get from wine.
If you love this braised chickpea dish, please be sure to leave a rating and review below! It’s always much appreciated :)
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
Tomato-Fennel Braised Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium or large fennel bulb ideally with fronds attached
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 fat garlic cloves sliced (not super thinly)
- ¼ cup (60g) tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (½ tsp for a kick!)
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika (½ teaspoon if you prefer less smoky flavors)
- ⅓ cup (80 mL) dry white wine
- 2 (15-oz/425g cans) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 ¼ cups (300 mL) vegetable broth
- 6 to 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- A few squeezes of lemon juice or a few dashes of red wine vinegar
For serving
- Crusty bread to serve 3 to 4
- 1 garlic clove, halved
Instructions
- Arrange a rack in the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC.
- Prep the fennel: Cut off the stalks and discard. Keep the feathery fronds for the garnish. With the bulb, if the outer layer is tough, peel the first layer with a peeler. Slice the bulb in half lengthwise (through the root ends), then slice crosswise very thinly (use a mandoline if you have one).
- In a Dutch oven or braising pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Once warm, add the fennel and shallot with a pinch of salt. Cook until the fennel is lightly browned on the edges, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until just starting to see some color. If anything starts to stick, add a splash of water and deglaze the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes, and paprika. Stir constantly for 2 minutes, or until the tomato paste darkens by a few shades. Add another splash of water as needed to deglaze the pan.
- Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits. Simmer rapidly until the smell of alcohol wears off, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Add in the chickpeas, 3 tablespoons olive oil, vegetable broth, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, and a generous amount of black pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Cover the pan with its lid (or cover tightly with foil). Braise in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the chickpeas are creamy and soft and the mixture is lightly bubbling.
- While the chickpeas braise, chop up a handful of fennel fronds and toast the bread. While the bread is still warm, rub it with the halved garlic clove on one side. If desired, spread some vegan butter or olive oil on top of the bread.
- Before serving, remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves and discard. Cool for a few minutes, then stir in a few squeezes of lemon juice (or dashes of vinegar). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish braised chickpeas with chopped fennel fronds and scoop up with toasted bread.
This was soooo delicious- so much more than the sum of its parts! I omitted the wine and added some fresh parsley at the end. Super flavorful, rich, and easy to make, especially if you have a mandoline. Served it with garlic bread but I think it would also be great with farro or pasta which I’ll try next time. Highly recommended! Nisha’s recipes never miss!
Awesome, Allison. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!