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Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with crispy beans
youryum.com/recipes/harissa-aubergine-with-chickpeas-with-crispy-beans · serves 4

One tray, two kinds of crisp

Roast the aubergine low on the tray and give the chickpeas their own hot corner, where they turn crisp and nutty.

  • 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 22 June 2026
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Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with crispy beans served in a roasting tin
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Prep
15 min
Cook
42 min
Total
57 min
Serves
4
Per serving
451kcal
Effort
Easy

This is the version for people who want the aubergine soft enough to spoon and the chickpeas loud enough to notice. They share a tray but not the same treatment: aubergine wants oil and time, chickpeas want dry surfaces and space.

Keep a few chickpeas back for the final scatter. The little bit of contrast is what stops a soft traybake eating like baby food.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Roasting tin

Lemon dressing

Equipment

  • Large roasting tin
  • Small bowl

Method

  1. Dry everything first

    Heat the oven to 220°C fan. Pat the aubergine and chickpeas dry; the aubergine can be slightly damp, but the chickpeas need to feel matte rather than slippery.

    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. Coat only the aubergine

    Mix the aubergine with one tablespoon of oil, the harissa and coriander. Spread it over two-thirds of a large tin. Keep the chickpeas plain for now.

  3. Start the aubergine

    Roast for 20 minutes, turning once, until the pieces have browned corners and the centres are softening.

    Hands stirring harissa aubergine with chickpeas with crispy beans in a roasting tin

  4. Give the beans their corner

    Toss the chickpeas with the remaining oil and add them to the empty side of the tin. Roast for 18–20 minutes, shaking once, until the beans split at the edges.

    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. Dress and scatter

    Whisk the lemon, maple, garlic and a pinch of salt. Pour it over the aubergine, not the chickpeas, then serve with the crisp beans scattered on top.

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 crispy beans
The beans get their own strip of metal so they roast instead of steam.

The aubergine test

There is no need to peel aubergines. The skin gives the soft flesh enough structure to hold together, and the dark edges are where the harissa tastes deepest.

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 crispy beans 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 451 kcal
Protein 15 g
Carbohydrate 51 g
Fibre 16 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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