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Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with warm flatbread
youryum.com/recipes/harissa-aubergine-with-chickpeas-with-warm-flatbread · serves 4

A tray that wants to be scooped up

Make the tray saucy enough for flatbread, then warm the bread directly on the oven rack while the aubergine rests.

  • 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 29 June 2026
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Harissa aubergine with chickpeas with warm flatbread served in a roasting tin
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Prep
15 min
Cook
45 min
Total
1 hr
Serves
4
Per serving
536kcal
Effort
Easy

Some dinners are improved by a fork. This is improved by tearing bread and dragging it through the corners of the tray.

The aubergine gets soft, the chickpeas stay substantial and the tomato-harissa juices become a sauce. Warm the flatbread while the tray rests, and dinner arrives with one hot thing and one useful thing.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Tray

To serve

Equipment

  • Large roasting tin
  • Small bowl

Method

  1. Start with dry heat

    Heat the oven to 220°C fan. Toss aubergine with one tablespoon of oil, harissa and cumin, and roast for 25 minutes.

    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. Add the sauce

    Stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas, remaining oil and salt. Spread the mixture back into an even layer.

  3. Roast until spoonable

    Roast for another 18–20 minutes, until the tomato juices have thickened and the aubergine gives way when pressed.

    Hands stirring harissa aubergine with chickpeas with warm flatbread in a roasting tin

  4. Warm the bread

    Turn the oven off. Put the flatbreads directly on the rack for two minutes while the tray rests. They should be warm and flexible, not 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. Serve from the tin

    Scatter parsley over the tray and bring it to the table with lemon wedges. Let people tear bread and scoop; it keeps the sauce where it belongs.

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 warm flatbread
Keep the sauce in the tin and let the flatbread do the scooping.

The aubergine test

The tomato is not there to make a stew. It is there to give the roasted harissa somewhere to go. If you can still see a puddle after the final roast, leave the tin in the switched-off oven for five minutes; the sauce will settle and thicken.

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 warm flatbread 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 536 kcal
Protein 18 g
Carbohydrate 76 g
Fibre 17 g
Fat 18 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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