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Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with lemon and herbs
youryum.com/recipes/harissa-aubergine-with-chickpeas-with-lemon-and-herbs · serves 4

Soft aubergine, crisp chickpeas, sharp lemon

Roast the aubergine until collapsed at the edges, then add the chickpeas so they stay crisp rather than turning to pebbles.

  • 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 21 June 2026
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Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with lemon and herbs served in a roasting tin
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Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Per serving
428kcal
Effort
Easy

Aubergine needs more heat and more time than people give it. Put it in a lukewarm oven and it absorbs oil while staying spongy; give it a hot tray and the flesh collapses into something silky with browned edges.

The chickpeas go in later. They need enough time to crisp, but not so much that they dry out while the aubergine catches up. Harissa, lemon, parsley and mint make the whole tray taste brighter than its price suggests.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

To finish

Equipment

  • Large roasting tin
  • Small bowl

Method

  1. Get the tray hot

    Heat the oven to 220°C fan with the empty roasting tin inside. Aubergine needs immediate contact with hot metal or it sweats before it browns.

    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. Season the aubergine

    Toss the aubergine with the oil, harissa, cumin and salt. Do not salt it half an hour ahead; the pieces will leak water and the tray will steam.

  3. Roast until collapsed

    Tip the aubergine onto the hot tin in one layer and roast for 25 minutes, turning once. The edges should be dark and the centres soft enough to dent with a spoon.

    Hands stirring harissa aubergine with chickpeas with lemon and herbs in a roasting tin

  4. Add the chickpeas

    Scatter the dry chickpeas around the aubergine, toss once, and roast for another 15 minutes. Keep the chickpeas on the metal rather than underneath the aubergine so they can crisp.

    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. Finish off the heat

    Squeeze over the lemon juice and add the zest, parsley and mint. Taste for salt after the lemon; acid changes the balance more than another pinch does.

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 lemon and herbs
The chickpeas join late, once the aubergine has started to collapse.

The aubergine test

The aubergine is ready when it has lost its shape at the edges. A neat cube is not the target: a browned corner and a soft middle is. If the pieces are still firm enough to bounce when you prod them, give them another five minutes before adding anything else.

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 lemon and herbs 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 428 kcal
Protein 14 g
Carbohydrate 48 g
Fibre 15 g
Fat 20 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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