Chard and Chickpeas with Avocado Sauce

Quick and simple to make, chard and chickpeas with avocado sauce showcases the versatile bean with two different names. Same, same, but different–garbanzo beans and chickpeas. Ready in less than thirty minutes–simply sauté chard and garlic, stir in chickpeas, and top with a quick and easy creamy blender sauce made with avocado, lime, and fresh cilantro.

Why do some folks call them chickpeas and others say garbanzos? Do you know? I suppose we could just look it up. Not important, chickpeas or garbanzo beans, they’re one and the same.

With their nutty flavor, sturdy texture, and “meaty” buttery bite, the chickpeas are a vegetarian staple in cuisines all over the world. Protein-packed chickpeas appear in Italian pasta, in Indian curry dishes, and, of course, hummus and falafel from the Middle East. The French use ground chickpea flour to make their chickpea socca.

Use drained canned chickpeas, or cook yours from scratch. Here’s how to cook garbanzo beans in a pressure cooker.

Be sure to include the chard stems for texture, flavor, and bulk. Cook the stems until tender, just as you would chopped onion.

The simple blender avocado sauce adds a Southwestern flair. Serve alongside steamed rice or quinoa.

The avocado sauce is a variation from a recipe in Judita Wignall’s cookbook, Raw and Simple. Thanks Judita!

Wishing you a fabulous week–get in the kitchen and cook something delicious!

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Print Recipe

4 from 1 vote

Chard and Chickpeas with Avocado Sauce

In this quick and simple dish, chard and chickpeas take on Southwestern flavors, with cilantro and creamy avocado lime sauce. Serve with steamed brown rice or quinoa. Serves 2 to 4, depending on appetites!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vegan

Servings: 3 servings.

Author: Letty | @lettyskitchen

Ingredients

Avocado Sauce:

• ¼ cup water
• 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 avocado

Chard and Chickpeas:

• 13 ounces chard , washed
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 1 ½ cups chickpeas , canned or cooked from scratch, drained
• 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon or key lime juice
• 1 yellow tomato , diced (optional)
• sea salt and cayenne pepper, as needed

Instructions

To make the sauce:

• Scoop the avocado meat from its skin. Place in a blender along with the water, lime juice, salt, and garlic.
• Blend until smooth, adding water and/or lime juice sparingly if needed to get the ingredients moving around. Transfer to a bowl.

Cook the chard and chickpeas:

• Strip the chard leaves from the stems, reserving the stems if they are tender. Coarsely chop the chard leaves and dice the stems; set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chard stems, if using, and cook and stir for a couple of minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute.
• Add the chickpeas, the chard and the cilantro. Sprinkle with salt and a good pinch of cayenne. Cook and stir until the chard has wilted. At the last minute, stir in the lemon juice and the tomato, if using.
• Remove from the heat. The tomato will become warm with the residual heat; don’t cook it anymore—you want the tomato to keep the same shape and texture as when you cut it. Serve with the avocado sauce.

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