Aubergine and Mango Harissa Chickpea Bake

Aubergine and Mango Harissa Chickpea Bake

This one is genuinely special. We came up with the mango and harissa combo on a bit of a whim and honestly it blew us away. The sweetness of the mango with that smoky, spicy harissa heat is just a brilliant pairing. Throw in soft roasted aubergine and hearty chickpeas and you've got a bake that feels really impressive without being fussy. It's the kind of meal you make once and immediately want to put in the regular rotation. If you're looking for something a bit different for dinner tonight, trust us on this one.

Cook: 35 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • Large baking tray
  • Blender
  • Large frying pan

Ingredients

  • 2 aubergines
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 150g sundried tomatoes
  • 1 x 400g can of chickpeas
  • 2 tbsp harissa paste
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 150g mangoes - diced
  • 75ml water
  • 1 jalapeños
  • 10g coriander
  • 1 lime
  • 150g plant-based feta
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1

Roast the aubergines and prep the veg

  • Slice the aubergines lengthways into 4 wedges
  • Arrange in a baking tray, drizzle over the olive oil and season with salt and pepper
  • Roast for 30 minutes until soft
  • Peel and roughly chop the onion
  • Peel and mince the garlic
  • Drain and roughly chop the sundried tomatoes
2

Make the sauce

  • Place the mango in a blender with the harissa and tomato puree
  • Blend until smooth and set aside
3

Cook the base

  • Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil and add the onion and a pinch of salt
  • Cook until softened, then add the garlic and sundried tomatoes, cooking for a few minutes
  • Pour in the mango sauce, chickpeas in their juices and the water
  • Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken
  • Taste and season with salt and pepper
4

Assemble and bake

  • Spoon the chickpeas all over the aubergine wedges
  • Return to the oven for 10 minutes
5

Finish and Serve

  • Finely slice the jalapeno
  • Pick the coriander leaves
  • Slice the lime into wedges
  • Crumble over the feta and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
  • Garnish with the jalapeno and coriander
  • Serve with the lime wedges

Tips & Variations

  • Get the aubergine really soft: Don't rush the roasting. 30 minutes at a good heat means the aubergine goes properly tender and starts to caramelise at the edges, which adds loads of flavour to the finished bake.
  • Adjust the heat: Harissa pastes vary quite a bit in spice level depending on the brand. We'd say start with the amount in the recipe and taste the sauce before it goes in the oven. You can always add more.
  • Serve it right: We love this with flatbreads or a big scoop of fluffy couscous to soak up all that sauce. A dollop of dairy-free yoghurt on top is also absolutely worth doing.

Why This Works

The trick here is blending the mango with the harissa and tomato puree before it goes anywhere near the pan. It creates this silky, deeply flavoured sauce that coats everything beautifully rather than just sitting on top. And roasting the aubergine first until it's properly soft means it soaks up all that sauce and becomes almost meltingly tender, which is exactly what you want.