This post contains affiliate links.
Inspired by my many trips to New Orleans, these chickpeas are packed with bold cajun flavor! Using the holy trinity as a base, they are ready in just 20 minutes with minimal ingredients. Serve them over rice or any way you would enjoy gumbo!
save this recipe!Last year I traveled to one of my favorite cities, New Orleans. I had been many times previously, but this time my goal was to learn how to make authentic cajun cuisine from a creole chef.
I learned how to develop the insane depth of flavor that cajun cuisine is known for through specific ingredient pairings like the holy trinity. After getting home and implementing these flavor tricks into my own vegetarian gumbo, I knew I could use them in a variety of other dishes. Like cajun chickpeas!
Reader rating
“As always, your recipes are fantastic. I made this last night for my parents, who gave this an A+. Even my kids loved it! Thank you for giving me another easy weeknight meal to add to our regular rotation.” —Becky
You’ll have this recipe on repeat
- Time is spent developing flavor, not cooking a protein, thanks to chickpeas that are already cooked.
- Basic pantry staple ingredients are elevated through strategic pairings and a few spices.
- A versatile dish, these chickpeas are similar to a stew that can be served over rice, eaten on its own, or with some toasty bread.
Ingredients for Cajun Chickpeas
If you feel like you have nothing to make for dinner, then this is the recipe for you. It uses pantry staple ingredients, so I can almost guarantee you have everything you need!
- Butter: Olive oil or avocado oil will work too!
- Holy Trinity + Garlic: This is made up of green bell pepper, white or yellow onion, and celery. Garlic is just delicious!
- Cajun Seasoning: To make seasoning quick and easy, I like to use a storebought cajun seasoning blend (you’ll be putting it on everything)!
- Fire-Roasted Tomatoes enhance the smokiness!
- Cream & Cheese: Grab heavy cream and shredded parmesan to finish the dish.
- Chickpeas: Any canned chickpeas or garbanzo beans (they’re the same thing!) will work. Just drain them.
What is the holy trinity?
I keep talking about this, so what is it? The holy trinity is a combination of celery, white onion, and bell peppers that is saute slowly to carmelize the natural sugar and bring flavor to a dish. It’s the southern version of mirepoix (celery, carrots, and onion), a french cooking technique. French traders and military personal often traveled to New Orleans in the 1800’s from Canada and they brought with them French cooking techniques which were then adapted by southern cooks.
Everything happens in one pot
If you’ve made any of my chickpeas recipes, you probably know how simple and tasty this will be. But if not, it’s just these couple steps that we’ll also walk you through throughly in the recipe card below.
- Make the flavor base by sauteing the vegetables.
- Add in the cajun seasoning, chickpeas, and fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Finish by removing it from the heat and adding the heavy cream, parmesan, and green onions.
serving ideas for cajun chickpeas
These can be served in a variety of ways. Over rice, with a side salad, or just with a little crispy bread.
- Jicama Rice is the perfect low-carb option that also has a slight sweetness to balance the cajun spice.
- Naan Bread is another one that is not traditional New Orleans cuisine but it’s very yummy for dipping into these cajun chickpeas.
Creamy Cajun Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 28 g
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- ½ medium yellow or white onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp cajun seasoning
- 2 14-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, 400 g cans
- 1 14-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes, 400 g
- 1 cup heavy cream, 236 mL
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, 55 g
- 4 green onions, sliced
- To serve: rice, bread
Instructions
- Rice: If serving with rice, start cooking that now.
- Flavor Base: Melt 2 Tbsp unsalted butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 green bell pepper, ½ medium yellow or white onion, 2 ribs celery, and 2 cloves garlic. Cook until very soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Fillings: Stir in 2 Tbsp cajun seasoning, 2 14-oz cans chickpeas, and 1 14-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes.
- Finish: Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, and 4 green onions (sliced). Serve warm over rice or with crusty bread!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
My people refuse to eat garbanzo beans. Have you made this with another bean?
Thank you!
Audrey
This would work well butter (lima) beans!
As always, your recipes are fantastic. I made this last night for my parents, who gave this an A+. Even my kids loved it! Thank you for giving me another easy weeknight meal to add to our regular rotation.
I’m so happy to hear everyone loved it!! Enjoy! 😀
Another hit recipe!
Sarah, what sets you apart from the rest is your education in food. Your recipes are so much more balanced than so many online creators these days. The flavors, textures, spice, salt…you nail it every time.
I’m so happy to hear you loved it, Colleen! And that’s so kind of you to say 😀 So happy to have you in our little corner of the internet!
This came together really fast with ingredients we already had on hand then served it with rice. We all liked it and will make it again. I struggled with the shredded parm. It melted into a glump so I pulled it out and put in grated parm instead. What did I do wrong?
Oh strange! That could happen if the mixture was too hot when you stirred in the cheese. Next time, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream before the parm to cool it down a bit. It also helps if the cheese is shredded super finely and sprinkled over the whole pan before stirring so it’s spread into a thin layer 🙂
This recipe came together easily and had complex flavors. With good success, I used half cup whipping cream and half cup 2% milk as it’s what I had on hand. There was plenty of sauce for our sauce loving family and it paired great with brown rice. My husband claimed this the best bean recipe I ever made and we’ve had a lot of those.
I’m so glad to hear it was a hit, Barbara! Happy eating! 🙂
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for the inspiration! I put a bit of a New Orleans twist on the recipe and added crawfish! I also added a bit of cream cheese, basil, rosemary and crab boil for a little kick! Delicious!!!
Love that you made the recipe your own! Enjoy! 😀
I was so surprised by just how much I LOVED the creamy Cajun chickpea recipe. I was just looking for an easy make ahead lunch, but now — this recipe is going into the rotation. I top it on toast and serve with a small side salad — it’s a very filling lunch. I may try this with cannellini beans also.. will report back when I do!
Big smiles over here, thanks for trying it!
Do you have nutritional info for this recipe?
Adding it now! Thanks so much for pointing out that it was missing 😀
Thank you for adding the nutritional info!
I made this recipe, and it’s causing some commotion.
Marry Me Chickpeas has been our favorite, but now we’re torn since trying this recipe.
It was especially good with the ‘from scratch’ tortillas we made with our grandson.
Oh, the dilemma of the recipes!
So pumped you loved it as much as the Marry Me Chickpeas! Thanks for cooking with us.
Hi! Can I sub coconut milk for the cream? Thank you!!
Hi Mirta! Yes, that would work well here. Enjoy!