Middle Eastern & North African · Breakfast · Lunch · Snack
Msabaha (Warm Chickpeas in Tahini Lemon Sauce)
مسبحة
Tender whole chickpeas served warm in a silky, garlicky tahini and lemon sauce, finished with a thread of olive oil, paprika and fresh parsley. A comforting Levantine breakfast or mezze that is simple to make and filling.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 44% · Fat 41% · Protein 15%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 3 cups (about 2 cans)480 gCanned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup240 gWater, for warming the chickpeas
- 1 tspGround cumin
- 4 tbsp60 gTahini
- 3 tbsp45 gFresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves6 gGarlic, finely grated
- 1/2 tspSalt
- 3 tbsp45 gCold water, for the sauce
- 2 tsp9 gExtra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tspPaprika
- 1/4 cup15 gFresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 small10 gGreen chili, finely chopped (optional)
Steps
- 1
Put the drained chickpeas, 1 cup water and the cumin in a saucepan.
- 2
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes until the chickpeas are hot and very tender.
- 3
Meanwhile, stir the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt together in a bowl; it will thicken at first.
- 4
Whisk in the cold water a spoonful at a time until the sauce is smooth and pourable.
- 5
Scoop out 3 tbsp of the warm chickpea liquid and stir it into the sauce, then drain off the rest of the liquid.
- 6
Lightly crush a few spoonfuls of the chickpeas with a fork to give a creamier texture.
- 7
Fold the warm chickpeas into most of the tahini sauce and spoon into a shallow dish.
- 8
Drizzle with the remaining sauce and the olive oil.
- 9
Sprinkle with paprika, parsley and the green chili if using, and serve warm.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use 3 cups of home-cooked chickpeas instead of canned for a softer texture and less sodium, adding their cooking liquid to the sauce.
- Replace the green chili with a pinch of red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper if fresh chilies are hard to find.
- Swap the parsley for fresh cilantro or mint for a different herby finish.
- Use lime juice instead of lemon juice if that is what you have on hand.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating the chickpeas gently until steaming hot and loosening the sauce with a splash of water. It is best eaten fresh and warm, and we don't recommend freezing it, since the tahini sauce can turn grainy.
Make ahead
Whisk the tahini lemon sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, thinning it with a little water before using. Warm the chickpeas and add the toppings just before serving.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: Sesame
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (227 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 283 kcal | 125 kcal |
| Protein | 11.4 g | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 32.5 g | 14.3 g |
| of which sugars | 5.2 g | 2.3 g |
| Fiber | 9.3 g | 4.1 g |
| Fat | 13.5 g | 5.9 g |
| of which saturated | 1.7 g | 0.7 g |
| Sodium | 569 mg | 251 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
