This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Privacy Policy for more details. Advertisements displayed do not reflect endorsements or recommendations made by Veggie Inspired.
Lots of sweet bell peppers and meaty chickpeas mingling with tomatoes and Italian spices. Serve it over rice, farro, noodles, or next to a crusty hunk of bread. It’s a delicious and easy 30 minute meal!
Save this Post!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Balancing being a mom of three, wife to a busy husband, and running my own business isn’t easy. Any meal that I can prep in advance or simply throw in a pot or skillet is getting my vote for dinnertime. And this Italian Peppers and Chickpeas fits the bill!
It’s quick, easy, flavorful, versatile, and a family favorite!
Ingredients you need
- Bell Peppers ~ The star of this dish is bell peppers!
I like to use yellow, orange, and red peppers in this dish for a rainbow of color. We eat with our eyes first!
Because they aren’t as sweet as the riper varieties, I don’t use green peppers in this dish. If you are a fan of green peppers, however, go ahead and add them in!
If you love bell peppers, don’t miss my Creamy Pasta with Peppers, Meatless Studded Pepper Soup, and Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers! - Carrots ~ The carrots add sweetness and lovely earthy sweetness. You can leave them out if you don’t have any. Or subsitute with zucchini or corn. Add them when you add the tomatoes.
- Diced tomatoes ~ I used canned for convenience. Fresh tomatoes would be delicious if they are in season.
- Seasoning ~ if you don’t have Italian seasoning, Herbes de Provence is a good substitute. Or you can use a few sprinkles of any combination of thyme, rosemary, parsley, basil, or oregano.
- Chickpeas ~ My kids love this recipe with chickpeas. You could substitute with baked or fried cubes of tofu if you prefer. I have a delicious recipe for the tofu in my cookbook. White beans would also work, though they don’t have as much texture.
How to serve
I like to serve this Italian Peppers and Chickpeas recipe with farro for yet another layer of texture and flavor.
For gluten free options, serve this dish with brown rice, quinoa, or gluten-free noodles. Or skip those altogether and serve it with your favorite gluten-free bread.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Use canned chickpeas, which are ready to eat, just drain and rinse.
~ Serve it with instant rice, quick-cook farro, or quinoa which all cook in about 10-15 minutes (or sometimes less!).
~ To make it even faster, you can buy frozen pre-chopped onions and peppers and bottled minced garlic. And you can usually find pre-chopped carrot coins in the produce section.
More 30 Minute Meals
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Italian Peppers and Chickpeas
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or about ⅓ cup broth or water
- 1 yellow onion halved and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 sweet bell peppers in a variety of colors seeded and sliced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) canned diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce optional, if you like it extra saucy
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Heat the oil (or broth or water) in a large deep skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and sauté 4 to 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic, carrots, peppers, and Herbs de Provence, and sauté 2 to 3 minutes to start to release the flavors.
- Add the chickpeas, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and tomato sauce, if using. Increase heat to bring mixture to a simmer, then decrease heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes until vegetables are softened, but still have a bite. You can also add the tomato sauce later after simmering a bit if you are unsure you’ll need/want it.
- Add the balsamic vinegar and stir to combine.
- Serve with grains or noodles of choice and/or some crusty bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Kathleen Walsh
Recipes say serving size is 1 gram; this can not be correct. What is the correct serving size?
Jenn Sebestyen
No, that’s not correct. Thanks for pointing that out. I can’t remember in cups or weight how much a serving is, sorry. The calculations are based on 1/6th of the full recipe.