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Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with chilli oil
youryum.com/recipes/harissa-aubergine-with-chickpeas-with-chilli-oil · serves 4

Sweet roasted aubergine, hot oil at the end

Keep the roasting gentle enough for the aubergine to turn silky, then bring the heat with chilli oil at the table.

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten free
  • Dairy free
Maren Ashby in her kitchen, in a dark apron, looking away from the camera
By Maren Ashby · Writes and tests everything here
Published 23 June 2026
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Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with chilli oil served in a roasting tin
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Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Per serving
439kcal
Effort
Easy

Chilli oil is better added at the end than baked into the tray. The flavour stays fresh, the heat is easier to control, and the aubergine gets to taste of roasted aubergine rather than just spice.

Harissa gives the tray its savoury depth; the oil supplies the sharp top note. You can make a mild plate for one person and a properly hot one for another without cooking two dinners.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Chilli oil

Equipment

  • Large roasting tin
  • Small bowl

Method

  1. Heat the oven

    Set the oven to 210°C fan and line a large tin. The slightly lower heat gives the wedges time to become creamy without burning the harissa.

    Use a broad metal tin rather than a deep casserole. The pieces need gaps around them so hot air can reach the cut sides and the released water can evaporate. If everything looks packed before it goes in, remove a handful and save it for another meal. A little space is worth more here than an extra few degrees on the oven.

  2. Rub the wedges

    Mix aubergine with two tablespoons of oil, harissa, fennel seeds and salt. Put the wedges cut side down so the flat surfaces make contact with the tin.

  3. Roast the aubergine

    Roast for 25 minutes, turn, then roast for another 10 minutes. The wedges should be soft all the way through and browned where they touched the metal.

    Hands stirring harissa aubergine with chickpeas with chilli oil in a roasting tin

  4. Crisp the chickpeas

    Add the chickpeas for the final five minutes only. They warm through and pick up the tray juices without drying into hard little marbles.

    Look at the bottom of the tin before you decide it is ready. A thin sheen of oil and a few dark sticky patches are useful; a pool of clear water means the food needs more time or more space. Stir from underneath with a flat spatula so the browned paste comes up, but do not scrape hard enough to tear the soft aubergine. Those browned bits are seasoning.

  5. Make the chilli oil

    Warm the three tablespoons of oil until just shimmering, take it off the heat, then stir in the pepper and cumin. Spoon it over the finished tray with lemon wedges alongside.

What's in it

Nutrition, buying and storage notes for the ingredients this recipe leans on.

Chickpeas 8.9 g protein
Aubergines chickpeas harissa and with chilli oil
The chilli oil is poured over the tray after roasting, not cooked into it.

The aubergine test

Adding chilli oil off the heat is a small control trick. The volatile, fragrant part of the chilli stays in the oil instead of disappearing into the oven, and the person eating can decide how much heat belongs on their plate.

Where this tray can go wrong

The first failure is a crowded tin. Aubergine releases water as it cooks, and if the pieces touch, that water has nowhere to evaporate. You get pale, greasy chunks instead of browned corners. Use the biggest tin you own, or split the food between two tins and swap their shelves halfway through. The second failure is adding the chickpeas too early. They dry out before the aubergine is soft, then taste hard rather than creamy. For this with chilli oil version, the chickpeas should be exposed to the metal and should have a little oil on their surface, but they do not need a bath of sauce.

Do not judge the tray by its colour alone. Harissa darkens quickly, especially on a thin edge, while the middle can still be firm. Press the thickest aubergine piece with a spoon. It should give without springing back. If it resists, turn the pieces and give them another five minutes. A short rest after the oven matters too: the chickpea skins tighten and the sauce stops sliding around the tin.

Swaps that still work

  • Use butter beans for chickpeas when you want a softer, more spoonable tray; dry them well first.
  • Replace rose harissa with tomato paste, smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne if the jar is empty.
  • A red onion can replace some aubergine, but cut it into thick wedges so it does not disappear.
  • Serve over couscous, rice or toasted bread; choose the starch that can catch the juices.

Nutrition

Per serving, for 4 servings. Estimated from ingredient weights — it moves with the brands and cuts you actually use.

NutrientPer serving
Calories 439 kcal
Protein 14 g
Carbohydrate 49 g
Fibre 15 g
Fat 21 g

Source: Estimated from ingredient weights, USDA FoodData Central

Questions

Can I use another bean?
Yes. Butter beans work especially well, though they will stay softer than chickpeas. Drain and dry them before roasting.
Can I use courgettes instead of aubergines?
You can, but reduce the first roast to fifteen minutes. Courgettes contain more water and collapse sooner.
How should I reheat it?
Use a hot oven or covered frying pan rather than the microwave when you can. Finish with the fresh dressing, lemon or herbs after reheating.
Is this suitable for meal prep?
Yes. Keep any crisp topping, yogurt or herbs separate and add them just before eating.

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